Do you understand the OT?

[zemi]

Do you understand what is happening in the books of the Old Testament? Do you understand the individual God’s covenants culminating in Jesus’ death on the cross?

 

[Verbum]

I have just been going through Romans again, and I must tell you that I don’t find anything in the Old Testament as challenging as that!

There is nothing really “difficult” in the texts of the Old Testament. What causes difficulties is rather in the inconsistencies from one book to another. We don’t always realize that the Bible is not a book but a library, containing works of vastly different genres, written by vastly different people at vastly different times, in vastly different circumstances. We also have trouble understanding that God did not teach his people everything at once, that there is progression in God’s educational work.

Here is an exaggeration hiding a truth :

We cannot fully understand a single passage of the Bible until we have digested the whole Bible.

Verbum

 

[Ruthie]

I just voted “other.”

I will start the third year of the Denver Archdiocese’s Catholic Biblical School this fall.

The first year was a study of the historical books (the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.)

I now have a very good understanding of salvation history, and can now understand the frequent references Jesus and the Apostles make to those OT books. It has *vastly *widened my understanding.

But the historical books are not the whole OT. Last year was most of the NT. This year will be the Prophets.

That’s why I chose “other.”

Ruthie

 

[Teeliumtrozzle]

I more or less understand it.I can never remember some parts, like all the detailed instructions at the end of Exodus, but I understand most of it.I still have several books left to read in the OT.One thing hard to understand is all the mataphors in Isaiah, but I usually get the message.

 

[zemi]

I just voted “other.”

I will start the third year of the Denver Archdiocese’s Catholic Biblical School this fall.

The first year was a study of the historical books (the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Maccabees.)

I now have a very good understanding of salvation history, and can now understand the frequent references Jesus and the Apostles make to those OT books. It has *vastly *widened my understanding.

But the historical books are not the whole OT. Last year was most of the NT. This year will be the Prophets.

That’s why I chose “other.”

Ruthie

Thanks

I’m now re-reading the salvation history with Scott Hahn’s comments and with some some other Bible Studies. I just find it amazing.

This last semestre I took a course on Poetic books and Prophetic books. I now quite get the picture. I sense have to dig even more into the salvation history get it all. I’m now 21 and at this age discovering how interesting and meaningful the OT is and how it is covenantally connected to the NT

 

[zemi]

I more or less understand it.I can never remember some parts, like all the detailed instructions at the end of Exodus, but I understand most of it.I still have several books left to read in the OT.One thing hard to understand is all the mataphors in Isaiah, but I usually get the message.

It is always good to go along with some Bible study/literature when studying the books of the OT. Just to avoid re-inventing the wheel and to understand what the Church Fathers and other scholars discovered before us.

Do you use some guidance when reading those books?

 

[NotWorthy]

I definately benefit from using Bible Studies:
Navarre
Scott Hahn and Jeff Cavins
Agape

My biggest problems are:

• There should be more Catholic Bible Study on the Psalms - Navarre is the only one I’m familiar with
• I seem to have my biggest “getting it” dilemma with the Wisdom Books (other than the Psalms). They just don’t seem to hold my interest very well.

 

[Sagefrakrobatik]

Do you understand what is happening in the books of the Old Testament? Do you understand the individual God’s covenants culminating in Jesus’ death on the cross?

I never heard of the Old Testament. Is it anything like the Tanakh

 

[zemi]

I think it’s amazing to explore the OT and come to know what it is about. I recommend Scott Hahn to everyone!