We need a vast amount of instruction in regard to both the Old
Testament and the New, not only in the sunday-school, but in the
church, the family, and to individuals. We need some thorough work in
this matter. Much of what is now passing for _teaching_ both the Old
Testament and New is in no proper sense teaching either the Old or New
Testament. The general idea is, that the Old Testament embraces all the
sacred writings or the books of the Bible, beginning with Genesis and
ending with Malachi, and that the New Testament embraces all the sacred
writings or books of the Bible, beginning with Matthew and ending with
Revelation. Such is the sense in which these terms are now used. When
it is said, the Old Testament is abolished, the idea generally received
is that all the sacred writings, or the books of the Bible, from the
beginning of Genesis to the end of Malachi, are set aside, of no use,
and not to be studied. This is a very superficial view, and one that in
no sense comprehends the matter.
The word “testament” means _covenant_, and the Old Testament is simply
in the Bible sense the Old Covenant. This was made with the seed of
Abraham, or fleshly Israel, and includes what Paul calls “the law.”
This is what he calls “our _pedagogue_ to bring us to Christ.” It is
not “school-master” as the common version has it, but _pedagogue_.
His office was different from that of school-teacher. It was to take
charge of the children from the time they started from their homes
till they reached the school-room and put under the teacher. This
was the office of the law of Moses, to take charge of the seed of
Abraham, Israel according to the flesh, and bring them to Christ the
School-teacher. Paul does not say, as some quote him, “The law _is_
our school-master to bring us to Christ,” but being a Jew, and speaking
as such, he says, “The law _was_ our pedagogue to bring us to Christ,”
the School-teacher. This law, containing a full development of all
that was in the covenant with the seed of Abraham, or fleshly Israel,
is what was abolished, had waxed old, and was ready to vanish away in
Paul’s day. This most certainly did not include the history in the five
books of Moses, or any other history in the Old Book, commonly called
the “Old Testament,” the book of Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, or the
Prophecies. None of these are abolished, but are all of as much value
to those under Christ, and as legitimate books for study, as they ever
were to any people in any age of the world. They are not included in the
law, or the covenant, or in what was abolished, but have a relation to
the gospel, to those in the kingdom of Christ, and are of immense value.
By making ourselves well acquainted with the sacred writings, the
dealings of God with man, and the portions of revelation given in
various manners and at sundry times, we can see as we can in nature now
that we have revelation through which to read it, that there was one
Divine Mind before the beginning of time that looked down through the
ages, and by the agency of men that did not understand him, carried
out his wise and gracious counsels according to his eternal purpose.
Going back to the early sacred writings found in the Old Book we look
down through these writings to Christ, the kingdom of God, the gospel,
as one looking through a telescope at objects in the distance; but,
standing at the other end of revelation, we look up through the New
Book containing the revelations given at later periods to the persons
and events of the Old Book, as one who turns the telescope the other
end foremost, and bring Moses and the prophets down near to us.
Christ is the soul of the Bible, _the theme_ of the revelation from God
to man. Turn the portions of revelation given at early periods, next
to the eye and look down through the Bible, and through the ages to
Christ, and then turn the last part of revelation to the eye, and look
up through it to Christ, and we thus find that it all centers in Him
“who is Head over all things to the church.”
It is not right in the church, family, or anywhere, to teach the Old
Scriptures _exclusively_, or the New, but _teach both_, in their
relation to each other. The New can not be thoroughly and successfully
studied without the Old, nor the Old without the New.
The popular custom of memorizing and repeating verses in view of prizes
to the most successful, or the study and answer of such questions, as
who was the first man, who was the oldest man, who was the meekest
man, etc., gives us no understanding of the Scriptures. Much of this
is a mere exercise of the memory, and there is nothing in it to make
a pious impression, or give any comprehension of the mind of God. It
appears at times wonderful how many things can be taught, and correctly
enough too, _about_ the Bible, and at the same time keep out of view
entirely the _divine purpose_, the very _import_ and _intention_ of the
wonderful book professedly taught. The eternal purpose of God, running
through the Bible from side to side, as it does through the works of
nature, should be taught and kept in view, not to find any definite
number that will certainly be saved or lost, but to find the Lord’s
Anointed, his gospel and kingdom; a revelation of the mystery, an
unfolding of the secret hid in God from before the beginning of time,
but now made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according
to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for
the obedience of faith.