Most Bible reading plans include an Old Testament column, but strange names, ancient customs, and unfamiliar history can make it the hardest part to read well. In this episode, Mark and Emily explain why the Old Testament is essential for understanding God, the gospel, and the New Testament. They also share practical tools for reading it with depth, from cross-references and study Bibles to paying attention to genre and the bigger story pointing to Christ.
Episode Highlights
00:40 — Why the Old Testament column in the Spiritual Workout Plan feels so challenging
01:52 — Reason #1: It's part of the Bible God wrote
02:47 — Why you can't fully understand the New Testament without the Old
04:56 — The Samaritan woman and what Jesus meant about worship
05:36 — Reading someone else's mail: the point is who it's from
06:41 — What the Old Testament teaches us about God and human dignity
07:54 — New Testament words as "hyperlinks" to the Old Testament
09:45 — Best practice: Let people who know it well help you
11:34 — Reading by genre: law, history, wisdom, poetry, and prophecy
13:01 — Narrative describes, it doesn't always prescribe
14:33 — David and Goliath in the bigger story of 1 Samuel
16:20 — How the Old Testament points forward to Christ
17:35 — Echoes, not allegory: Song of Solomon and Ephesians 5
19:26 — Encouragement for the lifelong work of digging into God's Word
Resources
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