Why is the God of the OT so Different from the “Message of Jesus” in the New?
Study Question: Why is the God of the OT so different from the “message of Jesus” in the New?
“Why is the God of the OT so different than Jesus’ message in the NT? Is Jesus’ father the God of the OT? With all the revenge and blood sacrifice stuff?”
What is the main premise?
The God of the Old Testament is different from Jesus’ message in the New Testament.
What is the conflict driving the premise?
That the God of the Old Testament is guilty of revenge and requiring of blood sacrifice, which are implied to be unrighteous in some manner.
What questions must be answered in order to answer the question above?
- Is God in the Old Testament different from Jesus’ message in the New?
- Who is God and what is God’s nature (not God’s character, but answering the question: “of what sort” is God?)
- What is Jesus “message” in the New Testament?
- What is the character of God as portrayed in the Old Testament?
- What is the “blood sacrifice” about?
- What do you mean by ‘revenge”? Cite examples, and explain what was going on in each situation that motivated God to “take revenge”. What should God have done differently, in your view, than what God did do?
- Is the premise of the question true? (Is Jesus’ message different from the God of the Old Testament?)
- Describe the ways in which God of the OT is like Jesus, and the ways in which they are not alike. Cite references where each answer is demonstrated, and explain the context of each situation.
- If yes, what reason exists for the difference?
- If not, how is the premise wrongly made?
- If not, what is the correct relationship between the God of the OT and the “message of Jesus” in the New?
Study texts:
Genesis 1 – 6
References to Jesus’ speaking about hell and about judgment, in their respective contexts
The letter to the Hebrews
Revelation 1 – 3; 11; 15-16; 19-20; 22 (read the whole book, but pay attention to the relevant content of these chapters vis a vis the proposition
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