OT vs. NT

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Why is the OT and NT so different? Everything about the way that God appears to the way people are told to live their lives are completely different.

Thanks.
 
Hello Sinner1,

Are you reffering to Jesus’ intense teachings on eternal damnation. Moses never drove home damnation like Jesus. Is this what you are talking about?

NAB MAT 25:41

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

NAB REV 2:22

“I mean to cast her down on a bed of pain; her companions in sin I will plunge into intense suffering unless they repent of their sins with her, and her children I will put to death. Thus shall all the churches come to know that I am the searcher of hearts and minds, and that I will give each of you what your conduct deserves.”

**NAB MAT 13:47-50 **

The reign of God is also like a dragnet thrown into the lake, which collected all sorts of things. When it was full they hauled it ashore and sat down to put what was worthwhile into containers. What was useless they threw away. That is how it will be at the end of the world. Angels will go out and separate the wicked from the just and **hurl the wicked into the fiery furnace, where they will wail and grind their teeth. **

NAB MAT 7:13

How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them. "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

**NAB2 MAT 25:30 **

And** throw this useless servant into the darkness outside **, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

LUK 16:19 The Rich Man and Lazarus

The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here,** whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours**.’
 
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Sinner1:
Why is the OT and NT so different? Everything about the way that God appears to the way people are told to live their lives are completely different.

Thanks.
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Actually, the way God appears and the way people are told to live their lives of later OT writings is much closer to the NT understanding than is found in earlier OT writings. The reason for the differences it that God revelation of himself to his people and of what he expects of his people has come only gradually. God had to first teach his people how to walk before he could teach them how to run.
 
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Sinner1:
Why is the OT and NT so different? Everything about the way that God appears to the way people are told to live their lives are completely different.
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“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:36-40)

By making that last comment, Jesus identified his message with that of the OT. I think that the two sets of books are far less ideologically different than many people assume, and that it might be useful to consider their stylistic differences instead.

The NT is composed of 5 historical narratives, a whole series of letters, and a prophecy. These are directed to individuals, or to a Church with a heterogeneous ethnic composition.

In the OT, the books from Genesis to Esther are historical narratives, Job is history/allegory/philosophy, the Psalms and the Song of Songs are poetry, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes are philosophy, and the rest are a combination of prophecy and history, often in poetic form. These are directed to the nation of Israel.

Naturally, there are different concerns addressed when talking to different people, and ideas are expressed in different ways in different genres. When I talk to my Beloved, I say very different things than when I talk to my students. I remain the same me, however. It is the same God in both.
 
If you look at the Bible as a whole (OT&NT) as the story of the salvation history (I think Scott Hahn calls it that) of God’s people, it all flows quite nicely together. Looking at it in light of where God’s people were and where He was leading them, and how He was offering salvation to them, I cannot help but see a continuous progression of God and His people. If we look at any particular story and plot it on a chronological map (so to speak) in our minds, and consider what God had revealed to man by that point in history, the progression makes good sense.

Sure we can see rituals, mannerisms, practices, even understanding of beliefs that changed, perhaps even dramatically. But looking at the whole of the Bible, it tells a story intricately connecting OT & NT histories. Not only do they not contradict each other, but understanding the OT helps explain the NT and vice versus. It is fascinating really.
 
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Sinner1:
Why is the OT and NT so different? Everything about the way that God appears to the way people are told to live their lives are completely different.
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That’s kind of a complex question and, as mentioned above, a good general overview of the Bible would be helpful. Simply put, however, even within the Old Testament there is a development in the understanding of God —he is understood different in Genesis than from Job, and from Job than from 2 Kings. The prophets understand him different from the rest of the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, the original writers and readers would have as their basis their understanding of the Old Testament. In addition, even though they were for the most part Jews, compared to Old Testament Jews, their worldview was more Hellenized, that is, influenced somewhat by Greek culture and philosophy. The principle of a Christian understanding the Scriptures is St. Augustine’s maxim “The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old is revealed in the New.”

To get a good understanding of this, I’d recommend taking a course on salvation history like “The Great Adventure” or “Our Father’s Plan.” You might start out with Scott Hahn’s book “A Father Who Keeps His Promises.” For more information, I humbly invite you to visit my web page, linked below.
 
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Fidelis:
That’s kind of a complex question and, as mentioned above, a good general overview of the Bible would be helpful. Simply put, however, even within the Old Testament there is a development in the understanding of God —he is understood different in Genesis than from Job, and from Job than from 2 Kings. The prophets understand him different from the rest of the Old Testament.

In the New Testament, the original writers and readers would have as their basis their understanding of the Old Testament. In addition, even though they were for the most part Jews, compared to Old Testament Jews, their worldview was more Hellenized, that is, influenced somewhat by Greek culture and philosophy. The principle of a Christian understanding the Scriptures is

St. Augustine’s maxim “The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old is revealed in the New.”
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Another great post.
I still struggle with the same issue as the OP, but the more Scripture I read it does seem to fit together. And really it comes down to what St Augustine said, until I heard this maxim a few years ago I did view the OT and NT as totally separate works (especially in my protestant days where I was never told much beyond prophecies coming to pass from the OT), I admit I still struggle on some points, but once I started to look at the Bible in light of that maxim it is amazing.

Not to mention the Early Church Fathers, oh, they are so key. Its perfectly clear why the protestants, at least the ones I was around, didnt make those connections of OT to NT, there is so much stuff they reject that was pointed to. Even stuff like in 1st Peter 3 it says:…in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you…
When I started to care about the Catholic faith, people pointed out passages like this which were just amazing, passages I wouldnt have heard in a million years from some of the protestants I knew.

The Early Church Fathers are masters in this department, they were there with or near the Apostles and made these connections. One I was reading from St Augustine talking about John chapter 3:For such now also profess: Jesus has come near to them, has made salvation in them; for He said, “Except a man eat my flesh, and drink my blood, he shall not have life in him.” And as the catechumens have the sign of the cross on their forehead, they are already of the great house; but from servants let them become sons. For they are something who already belong to the great house. But when did the people Israel eat the manna? After they had passed the Red Sea. And as to what the Red Sea signifies, hear the apostle: “Moreover, brethren, I would not have you ignorant, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.” To what purpose passed they through the sea? As if thou wert asking of him, he goes on to say, “And all were baptized by Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” Now, if the figure of the sea had such efficacy, how great will be the efficacy of the true form of baptism!If what was done in a figure brought the people, after they had crossed over, to the manna, what will Christ impart, in the verity of His baptism, to His own people: brought over through Himself? By His baptism He brings over them that believe; all their sins, the enemies as it were that pursue them, being slain, as all the Egyptians perished in that sea. Whither does He bring over, my brethren? Whither does Jesus bring over by baptism, of which Moses then showed the figure, when he brought them through the sea? Whither? To the manna. What is the manna? “I am,” saith He, “the living bread, which came down from heaven.” The faithful receive the manna, having now been brought through the Red Sea? Why Red Sea? Besides sea, why also “red”? That “Red Sea” signified the baptism of Christ. How is the baptism of Christ red, but as consecrated by Christ’s blood? Whither, then, does He lead those that believe and are baptized? To the manna.
 
Sinner1, while it may at first look that there is a fundelmental differences between the OT and NT I think that if you study the history of the Church you’ll find that from the time of the Apostles (especially the letters of Paul, through the post-apostolic period and the Church Fathers and Apologist that the Church has always acknowledged the continuity of both. The Church Fathers saw such a strong connection that many claimed that the OT (which many simply refered to a Scripture) rightfully belong to the Church as oppose to the Jewish people. Often, however, the underlying principle of their belief is that they saw in the OT “Types” and allagory in the OT pointing essentially to Christ and the church.

I saw several post references to works of various authors and I would like to add one more (also, I would suggest that if you can study all the suggestions that were given) it is the book "Who’s Bible is IT? by J. Pelikan.
 
Sinner1, If you follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament, From his birth on… you can find the prophecies being fulfilled including the law of Moses… all the way up to the Institution of the Eucharist which is the passover meal from death to life, hear the parallels from Moses time when God delivered them from the angel of death with the lambs blood, whats interesting both old testament and new testament people have to eat the lamb of God! see the connection the how you cant seperate the old from the new. You have to have both. For the Word of God is eternal. For example God said to Moses/AAron that the sacrafice of the manna is to remain perpetual and the fire is to remain lite so long the sacred manna is in the tabernacle. Take a look at your tabernacle in the Catholic Church, see the candle by the tabernacle it is to remain perpetual… Old testament is introducing Jesus the hope for Israel, The IAM, who is Emmanuel God is with us, the new testament, Jesus the Word of God made flesh is the only one that connects the old sacraficial waters(O.T) into the best tasting Wine saved for the last (N.T) at the Wedding feast of the lamb.
 
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