Jesus and the Old Testament

Overview

Unlocking the Ancient Lens: Jesus and the Old Testament

“Jesus and the Old Testament” explores how the earliest followers of Jesus read, reinterpreted, and reimagined Israel’s scriptures to understand who Jesus was and what his life meant. For them, the Old Testament wasn’t just background information—it was the essential lens through which they made sense of his teachings, death, and resurrection. In this course, you’ll see how New Testament authors, deeply rooted in Jewish traditions, used scripture in surprising and sometimes subversive ways. They weren’t merely quoting texts to prove a point; they were retelling Israel’s story through the lens of Jesus, often giving new meaning to familiar passages.

You’ll learn how this approach was part of a broader Jewish practice of creative interpretation, especially during times of crisis. Rather than discarding the Old Testament, the early Christians claimed it afresh, showing how the story of Israel reaches its fulfillment—not in the way anyone expected—but in the person of Jesus. Whether you're a serious Bible student, a curious believer, or simply someone interested in how ancient texts shape faith today, this course will give you the tools to read both Testaments with new eyes and deeper understanding.

What You'll Learn

• How the New Testament's message is inseparable from the Old Testament's story.
• Understand why early Christians re-read Israel’s scriptures in light of Jesus.
• Discover how Jewish traditions of interpretation shaped the Gospels and Paul.
• Learn why “fulfillment” doesn’t always mean “prediction came true.”
• Examine how Israel’s crises elevated the role of scripture and its reinterpretation.
• Reflect on how the New Testament reframes, not replaces, the Old Testament.
• Explore what faithful interpretation of scripture means for readers today.