FIGURES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IN THE OLD

 

One of the ways that we understand the people and happenings in the New Testament is to relate them to similar figures and happenings in the Old Testament. This works because there have been hundreds of years of reflection upon the Old Testament that can help us to understand what people were expecting in a Messiah and what the nature of the mission of the Messiah would be. Of course, there is not a perfect match in any of these because when we are dealing with the Old Testament there is no way it can fully comprehend the divine aspect of Jesus’ life and mission.

Paul presents Christ to us as the New Adam. Immediately we know that at least a part of his thinking here is that Christ inaugurates a New Creation in His mission that is built on faith and not just material matter. Paul’s understanding of Christ’s relationship with Original Sin is also represented here when he says that Christ is the antidote to the sin of Adam; Christ brings forgiveness and righteousness with His obedience to the Father’s will, whereas Adam brought sin and destruction upon himself and the whole of Creation when he entered into rebellion against God’s will and sinned.

          He is not blaming Adam for Original Sin anymore than He blames any of us for being complicit with the sin of Adam through our own personal sin. We have to be careful how far we carry any analogy or we could overdo it and get the emphasis wrong.

All through the New Testament writings, we will find allusions and references to people in the Old Testament accompanying the suggestion that we try to understand a situation through looking at the life and times of that person and trying to translate them into the present. This is called typology where we say, for example, Adam is a “type” of Christ in this or that way. It is never a case that someone is a “type” of someone else in a complete way.Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

How much of the Old Testament am I familiar with? Do I read it much? Maybe I should take some time to acquaint myself with more than just the popular stories of the Old Testament.

 

Jesus, help me to open my heart and mind to the guidance of the Holy Spirit so that He can teach me all of the lessons He wants me to learn as I read Your Holy word.

 

St. Ramirus and Companions, pray for us.