Jesus of Nazareth: What He Wanted, Who He Was

This chapter began with some statements about the concept of the “Old Testament.” As I said there, Jesus did not know an “Old Testament” but only the Sacred Scriptures: the Torah, the prophets, and the “writings.” Is it permitted for Christians to speak of a “New Testament” and in the same breath degrade Jesus’ Bible to the status of an “Old” Testament?

Probably everyone senses how easy it is to misunderstand this nomenclature and how dangerous it is to do so. It appears, in fact, that there must be a testament composed at some point that has been replaced by a new testament. In our legal dealings that is how it goes: a new testament (or “will”) normally invalidates one that is older, written earlier.

As a consequence, the recently deceased German Old Testament scholar Erich Zenger adopted an idea from the United States and spoke no longer of an “Old Testament” but rather of the “First Testament.” ²³ In doing so he could even appeal to Hebrews 8:7, 13; 9:1, 15, 18. But that does not solve the problem. Since the word “testament” today calls to mind “last will and testament,” even this choice of words gives many people the impression that the “First Testament” has been invalidated by a second one produced later. At the same time, “old” and “new” are terms of relationship that raise the question: to what extent is the “new” one new and the “old” one old? Besides, “old” need not necessarily be associated with “aged” or “outdated.” “Old” can also be understood in the sense of “honorable” and “precious.” In any case, in the ancient Near East and in antiquity “old” had positive connotations for the most part. So the problem remains, and we cannot escape the dilemma through simple renaming.

There is probably also little sense in simply tossing away respected concepts that go back to the Bible itself (cf. 2 Cor 3:14). We must keep the concepts but repeatedly clarify them anew. After all we have seen, it is obvious that “Old Testament” cannot mean something that needs improvement, or is outdated, or should be disposed of. No, the Old Testament is the basis of Christian faith, just as it was the basis for Jesus’ activity, and the New Testament is nothing but the final level of interpretation, the last thorough clarification of the Bible.

Those who want to approach that clarification cannot avoid once again taking the path on which Israel was led. They believe with Abraham. They dare the Exodus from the old society. They travel with Israel through the wilderness. They stand before the fire at Sinai and receive the commandment. They must decide whether to malign the promised land or believe God’s promise. They must praise, thank, petition, cry out to, and sometimes almost despair of Israel’s God in the Psalms. They must accompany Israel once again on the whole of its long journey if they are in any way to arrive at the clarification that opens up and explains everything, to understand it and be able to live it.

This last, fully valid, clear interpretation took place not only in words, not only through theology, not only by means of new formulae that, we might say, set the Old Testament to rights. This clarification took place through the person of Jesus himself, his existence, his life, and his death. The words of the letter to the Hebrews are definitive and unsurpassable in this regard: “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son” (Heb 1:1-2).

Chapter 12

Jesus and the Torah

Around the year 165, the philosopher and theologian Justin was executed in Rome, by the Roman state, because of his Christian faith.¹ He came from Neapolis (today’s Nablus) in Samaria, became a Christian, and was then a renowned theologian of the second century. In addition to a long Apology, a petition in personal law to the imperial chancery,² we also have the record, written in dialogue form, of his argument with Judaism, the Dialogue with the Jew Trypho. There Justin writes:

For the law promulgated on Horeb is now old, and belongs to yourselves [the Jews] alone; but

this

is for all universally. Now, law placed against law has abrogated that which is before it, and a covenant which comes after in like manner has put an end to the previous one; and an eternal and final law—namely, Christ—has been given to us, and the covenant is trustworthy, after which there shall be no law, no commandment, no ordinance.

³