What does the term Old Testament mean?

Answer 1

Many appreciate the accounts of Israel's history and admire its beautiful poetry in The Old Testament. Yet, they doubt that it is reasonable to follow guidance that is more than 2'400 years old.

Scientific knowledge, commence, and even family life are very different today from what they were when the Bible was written. For these and many other reasons the Old Testament, three fourths of the Bible, often goes unread, and some think that the Old Testament should be rejected by Christians, because " God" in the Old Testament was a ' committed barbarrian ' who favoured bandits and such terrorists as Israel's King David. Some of these ideas persist.

The question is ' how can we reconcile " Jehovah of armies" in the Old Testament with " the God of love and peace" in the New Testament? Read Isaiah 13: 13 ; 2 Corinthians 13: 11.

The Old Testament is refered to as the Hebrew Scriptures and the New testament as the Greek Scriptures.

The Hebrew Scriptures contain many principles of great value today. However should be noted that Christians are not under the Law that God gave through Moses to the nation of Israel.

According to Malachi 3: 6 God told the nation of Israel " I am Jehovah; I have not changed." Some 500 years later, the Bible writer James wrote of God: " With him there is no variation of the turning of the shadow" according to James 1: 17. Why, then, does it seem to some that the God revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures is different from the God of the Christian Greek Scriptures?

The answer is that God's personality is revealed in different parts of the Bible. Genesis 6: 6; 14: 22; 18: 25 in the Old Testament refers to the same God that can feel hurt at his heart.

Exodus 34: 6,7 describe a merciful ,gracious, slow in anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth." Yet, we also learn that " by no means will he give exemption from punishment."

God's name which is Jehovah, literally means" He causes to Become," Read Exodus 3: 13-15.

Mark 12: 29 in the New Testament, Jesus reminds us that : " Jehovah our God is one Jehovah". The Old Testament or Hebrew Scrptures highlight prophecies that were yet to be fulfilled, principles from the Mosaic Law that taught valuable lessons, and accounts of ancient servants of God whose fine examples encourage Christians to remain faithful. Read Acts 2: 16-21; 1 Corinthians 9: 9,10; Hebrew 11: 1-12: 12: 1

So to answer your question which is : " What does the Old Testament mean? Well ! it means that it is part of God's inspired message for mankind and beneficial for our teaching and setting things straight as confirmed in 2 Timothy 3: 16,17.

Here are a few scriptures to consider from the Old Testament that is still useful for us today. Proverbs 22: 7; Ecclesiastes 5. 10; Psalm 72: 12,13.

However it is more fitting term for the first 39 Books of the Holy Bible that Jesus referred as " The Scriptures" and the holy Scriptures." Read Matthew 21: 42; Romans 1: 2

Answer 2

The word 'Testment' means 'Covenant.' Some Christians believe the testaments in The Bible are God's law, a book of guidlines and morals. There are two testaments in the Bible, 'Old' and 'New,' the 'Old Testament is alot older than the 'New,' hense the name. This is because some Christians believe that the Bible was written by different people, who were reached by God and given a message to share with others, so they wrote them in a big book called the 'Bible.' The Old Testament is very much God warning people not to do things, then they commit what he forbidded, and punnished the people. The New Testament is very much stories and tales, these are less intense and scary than the Old Testament.

Answer 3

The term Old Testament refers to the first part of the Christian Bible, which comprises the sacred scriptures of Judaism. It includes books written before the birth of Jesus Christ and is considered the foundation of Christianity.