Which is more important, OT or NT?

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There’s quite a few people that I know who prefer one of the two testaments over the other. Many of my Protestant friends think the New Testament is the more important one, then there’s the minority who like the Old Testament more. Personally, the whole Bible is important to me and I don’t like picking favourites. I like the Old Testament for the history and laws it has. I like the New Testament because it has the gospels and new laws and history. There’s really nothing that makes one more important then the other. But I guess many people have preferences.

What’s your thoughts?
 
As far as being more important than the other, its not possible because both make up our canon and is a part of our faith. That is if we are talking about Old and New as far as Scripture and not specifically covenant. The OT Scriptures even give us insights of Christianity that even the NT Scriptures don’t, such as Psalm 22 which reveals to us what went through Christ’s mind while He was on the Cross!
 
Not that this applies, but the first thought to pop into my head was this is like asking who is more important, your Grandparents or Parents? Well, without either we don’t get here…
 
“X is more important” and “I prefer X” are *not *the same thing. As to the former:

The Vatican II document Dei Verbum states:

16 . . . the books of the Old Testament . . . acquire and show forth their full meaning in the New Testament . . . and in turn shed light on it and explain it.
  1. The word God . . . is set forth and shows its power in a most excellent way in the writings of the New Testament. For when the fullness of time arrived (see Gal. 4:4), the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us in His fullness of graces and truth (see John 1:14). . . .
  2. It is common knowledge that among all the Scriptures, even those of the New Testament, the Gospels have a special preeminence, and rightly so, for they are the principal witness for the life and teaching of the incarnate Word, our savior.
So it’s all important, but there’s a hierarchy of importance. The NT is higher than the OT, and the Gospels are higher than any other books.
 
Forced to choose, the OT is more important. Jesus used it constantly teach from, and after his Resurrection to explain himself to the apostles. On the other hand, he didn’t ask them to write anything down, and the Church flourished via the authoritative oral teaching of the done by the apostles and their appointed successors.
 
kkollwitz said:
Forced to choose, the OT is more important. Jesus used it constantly teach from, and after his Resurrection to explain himself to the apostles. On the other hand, he didn’t ask them to write anything down, and the Church flourished via the authoritative oral teaching of the done by the apostles and their appointed successors.
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I would say NT trumps old,for it contains the fruit of OT. That is why gentiles can find salvation thru NT gospel without any OT heritage that a Jew may have. The sweetest thing though is one who has OT as foundation (a Jew) and finds the beauty and life in NT(Jesus).
 
kkollwitz said:
Forced to choose, the OT is more important. Jesus used it constantly teach from, and after his Resurrection to explain himself to the apostles. On the other hand, he didn’t ask them to write anything down, and the Church flourished via the authoritative oral teaching of the done by the apostles and their appointed successors.
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Hello,didn’t the OT have same “cycle” of first oral then written ? I mean God didn’t tell Adam or Abraham or Noah to write anything down yet…
 
Ad Orientem has already answered this with the words of the Church. The matter is settled. There is no room for debate. That’s the beauty of having a Magisterium endowed with Christ’s own authority :).
 
Hmmm… let’s see…

Adam - We see God establish a marriage covenant
Noah - God establishes a household covenant
Abraham - a tribal covenant
Moses - a National covenant
David - a National kingdom covenant
Christ - establishes the Catholic Church, a world wide covenant, residing with His people in the Eucharist, priest, prophet and king

God was building building building over the centuries, and speaking to His people, walking with them. It’s our family tree if you will. No need to chose or desire to. 😉

Love that series Jeff Cavins and Scott Hahn called Our Father’s Plan…
ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/seriessearchprog.asp?seriesID=-306548622
 
"It is common knowledge that among all the Scriptures, even those of the New Testament, the Gospels have a special preeminence, and rightly so, for they are the principal witness for the life and teaching of the incarnate Word, our savior.

The Church has always and everywhere held and continues to hold that the four Gospels are of apostolic origin. For what the Apostles preached in fulfillment of the commission of Christ, afterwards they themselves and apostolic men, under the inspiration of the divine Spirit, handed on to us in writing: the foundation of faith, namely, the fourfold Gospel, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John."1

1 Catholic Church. (2011). Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation: Dei Verbum. In Vatican II Documents. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
 
They are both important. The NT is the fulfillment of the OT. To me the NT is very important because of Christ’s Resurrection from the dead. It is what gives us hope that we too will be Resurrected some day. The OT is needed in order to have the NT though. The OT is vague in terms of the resurrection from the dead and eternal life. But, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross wouldn’t have made as much sense if there was no eternal life for us. Thus, with Jesus’ coming we have much more clarity on this issue.
 
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