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JESUS AND THE OLD TESTAMENT

Matthew frequently quotes OT passages to establish Jesus' credentials as the Messiah. However, Jesus and Matthew often allude to the OT in more subtle ways by drawing comparisons between ancient persons, places, and events and Jesus himself. This form of OT interpretation is called typology. A typological reading of the OT is attuned to distinctive "rhymes" in salvation history where God acts in similar (or typical) ways each time he reveals himself and delivers his people. Thus the Father teaches us about himself through the use of things and events long familiar in the minds of his people; in short, he uses old truths to instruct us about new ones. Jesus and Matthew look back on several OT figures and institutions to bring the surpassing glory of Christ and the New Covenant into focus. The great heroes and memories of old bring clarity to the greater person of Christ. The coming of Jesus marks the dramatic climax to the OT story as he fulfills all of the types that God prepared throughout the history of salvation.


NEW MOSES

As the supreme lawgiver of the Old Covenant, Moses prefigures Christ, who gives the New Law in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7). Jesus also reenacts experiences from Moses' infancy and the prophet's 40 days of fasting in solitude (Mt 4:2; Ex 34:28). Finally, Moses bears witness to Jesus' greater glory at the Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-5), where Jesus is showcased as the prophet-like-Moses (Mt 17:5; Deut 18:15).

NEW DAVID

As Israel's ideal king, David foreshadows the role of Jesus, who assumes his royal throne forever (Mt 1:1; 2:2; Lk 1:32-33). Jesus is greater than David (Mt 22:41-45); his hungry disciples, like David's companions, are permitted to breech the Sabbath (Mt 12:3). As David gave Israel rest from its enemies (2 Sam 7:1), Jesus saves Israel from its sins (Mt 1:21).

NEW TEMPLE

The Jerusalem Temple housed the presence of God in the midst of Israel. Similarly, Jesus comes bearing within himself God's glory in a more profound way; he embodies divine holiness (Mt 1:23; 12:6; Jn 1:14; 2:19-21). It is thus the Temple—God's dwelling among his people—that prepared Israel to accept Christ's Incarnation. His presence is likewise embodied in a new spiritual Temple, the Church (Mt 16:18; 18:20).

NEW ISRAEL

As Israel's Messiah, Jesus reenacts the experience of the Israelites and their Exodus from Egypt (Mt 2:15). He endures a 40-day period of testing in the wilderness, corresponding to Israel's 40 years of testing. Unlike wayward Israel, Jesus prevails over the devil through his obedience and trust in God (Mt 4:1-11). Jesus' disciples are now assigned Israel's vocation to be a light to the world (Mt 5:14; Is 42:6).

NEW SOLOMON

Solomon the "son of David", prefigures Jesus as the royal Son of God (Mt 16:16; 2 Sam 7:14). Like Solomon, he receives gifts from the nations (Mt 2:11; 1 Kings 10:23-25). As the wise Solomon (1 Kings 3:12) built Israel's Temple (2 Sam 7:1214), Jesus is wisdom-in-the-flesh (Mt 11:19; 12:42) and God's designated builder of the new Temple, the Church (Mt 16:18).

NEW JONAH

Jonah was a Hebrew prophet. His experience sleeping on a ship and calming a storm (Jon 1:1-16) anticipates that of Jesus with his disciples (Mt 8:23-27). Jonah's three days in the belly of the great fish foreshadows the death and third-day Resurrection of Jesus (Mt 12:39-41). In addition, the ministry of Jonah to the Ninevites beyond the borders of Israel anticipates the spread of Christ's gospel to all nations (Mt 28:1820). Back to Matthew 12:1.

||    The Orthodox Faith (Dogma)    ||    Family and Youth    ||    Sermons    ||    Bible Study    ||    Devotional    ||    Spirituals    ||    Fasts & Feasts    ||    Coptics    ||    Religious Education    ||    Monasticism    ||    Seasons    ||    Missiology    ||    Ethics    ||    Ecumenical Relations    ||    Church Music    ||    Pentecost    ||    Miscellaneous    ||    Saints    ||    Church History    ||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Patrology    ||    Canon Law    ||    Lent    ||    Pastoral Theology    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bibles    ||    Iconography    ||    Liturgics    ||    Orthodox Biblical topics     ||    Orthodox articles    ||    St Chrysostom    ||   

||    Bible Study    ||    Biblical topics    ||    Bibles    ||    Orthodox Bible Study    ||    Coptic Bible Study    ||    King James Version    ||    New King James Version    ||    Scripture Nuggets    ||    Index of the Parables and Metaphors of Jesus    ||    Index of the Miracles of Jesus    ||    Index of Doctrines    ||    Index of Charts    ||    Index of Maps    ||    Index of Topical Essays    ||    Index of Word Studies    ||    Colored Maps    ||    Index of Biblical names Notes    ||    Old Testament activities for Sunday School kids    ||    New Testament activities for Sunday School kids    ||    Bible Illustrations    ||    Bible short notes

||    Pope Shenouda    ||    Father Matta    ||    Bishop Mattaous    ||    Fr. Tadros Malaty    ||    Bishop Moussa    ||    Bishop Alexander    ||    Habib Gerguis    ||    Bishop Angealos    ||    Metropolitan Bishoy    ||

||    Prayer of the First Hour    ||    Third Hour    ||    Sixth Hour    ||    Ninth Hour    ||    Vespers (Eleventh Hour)    ||    Compline (Twelfth Hour)    ||    The First Watch of the midnight prayers    ||    The Second Watch of the midnight prayers    ||    The Third Watch of the midnight prayers    ||    The Prayer of the Veil    ||    Various Prayers from the Agbia    ||    Synaxarium