What Is the Big Difference Between the Old Testament & the New Testament?

The Bible is the source of beautiful tradition

Christian canon is contained in the Bible, comprised of the Old and New Testaments. The word bible comes from a Greek word meaning books. Appropriately, the Bible is a collection of scripture (as separate books) considered sacred and inspired by the Holy Spirit. The Jewish Bible, the Tanakh, contains books of the Old Testament. The reverence and respect for the Jewish Old Testament in the Christian faith is evidenced in Christ's own words. He says "I come not to abolish the law but to fulfill it." (Matt 5:17-20). The Old Testament focuses on the Hebrews' covenant with God, their history, wisdom and laws. The New Testament centers on Christ's life and ministry, crucifixion and resurrection.

Old Testament

Moses leads the Isrealites out of Egypt

Old Testament books include the study of creation in Genesis, the flight of the Israelites out of Egypt in Exodus and the beautiful Psalms. Many phrases used in everyday life come from the Old Testament. "To everything there is a season" is from Ecclesiastes 3.1-8. The Old Testament is valued in the Bible as a source of prefiguring the coming of the Messiah.

New Testament

The New Testiment begins with the birth of Christ

New Testament books include the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the testimony of Jesus' apostles. Other books include the works ascribed to Paul, including Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians and Timothy. The New Testament records the life and ministry of Jesus. Through the eyes of Jesus' apostles, the story of Jesus' humble birth in the manger and the angels telling the shepherds, "fear not" comes to life.

Biblical Archeology

Biblical Archaelogists dig in the middle east

Archaeologists have contributed greatly to understanding the Old and New Testament. New discoveries have verified timelines and historical aspects contained in the Old Testament. Scrolls containing the first writings of the New Testament have been dated from 60 A.D., only about 30 years after Christ's crucifixion.

The Old and New Covenants

The Old Testment is the first covenant.

The Bible is the sacred scripture of God's covenant with man, the "old" or early covenant and the "new", focusing on Christ. Biblical scholars write about the parallels between the old and new testaments. In the New Testament, Jesus tells his followers to obey the Ten Commandments handed down by Moses.

Further Study

Studying the Bible is rewarding.

Biblical study is the study of the history of Western civilization. Through study of the Bible, a reader will learn about history of the Middle East and North Africa, Rome and Israel. Many cultural traditions are based on both testaments.

References

• The Oxford Concise Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford University Press, New York, 2006)
• Catholic Study Bible -- New American Bible (Oxford University Press, New York, 2006)