Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.
—Matthew 13:52

Reflection

Many Gentile believers may have avoided Rome’s punishment for following the Jewish Messiah, but it took time for the greater cost of this to surface. Despite increased opposition and persecution, the Gentile church still grew. This was an amazing testament to the power of the gospel of Yeshua HaMashiach.

But because these non-Jewish believers stopped going to synagogues to avoid being taxed, they had less and less information about the God of Israel, about His character and ways, about the past history with His people, about the Jewish holy days, and about many other important things. In short, they had no understanding, no information, and no revelation regarding the Old Testament Scriptures.

Jesus deemed the Hebrew Bible invaluable when He said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill.” (Matthew 5:17) He defeated Satan by quoting from the Book of Deuteronomy. Jesus revealed that He was the Messiah by referencing the Messianic prophecies about Him in the Old Testament. He also told His disciples that when they mined the Old Testament, they would find treasures new and old.

Clearly, Jesus placed importance on His followers learning and knowing the Hebrew Bible. He never intended the Gentile church to be separated from understanding the Hebrew roots of the faith or from the Old Testament Scriptures. He wanted the church to be grounded in the Word, both Old and New Testaments.

Many believers today refer to themselves as New Testament Christians, meaning they walk in the grace of God and are free from the Law in the way Paul described. But unfortunately, that phrase has also become a mentality among believers. Because we are New Testament Christians, some assume the Old Testament is no longer relevant.

The truth is that New Testament Christians have the same need for knowing the Old Testament truths as the early Christians did. Our faith is based upon these truths. Everything we believe is centered on Jesus being the fulfillment of the Hebrew Bible. The Old Testament is critical.

As the growing Gentile church lost sight of this foundation, it began to rely more on testimonies, experiences, and personal opinions. This opened the door for false doctrine. The church faced danger not only from forces outside its ranks, but also from within.

Beloved, testimonies and experiences cannot replace the Scriptures. Personal opinions cannot become our foundation. We must be grounded in the whole Word of God, discovering the treasures new and old that reveal Yeshua HaMashiach.

Application

• Read the Old and New Testaments together, looking for how the Hebrew Scriptures reveal the God of Israel and point to Yeshua.
• Examine whether testimonies, experiences, or personal opinions have taken the place of being grounded in the Word.

Prayer

Father, ground me in Your whole Word, both the Old and New Testaments. Give me understanding and revelation concerning Your character, Your ways, and Your history with Your people. Show me how the Hebrew Scriptures reveal Yeshua HaMashiach as their fulfillment. Protect me from allowing experiences or personal opinions to replace the truth of Scripture. Lead me into the treasures new and old that You have given to strengthen my faith. Amen.