Before the book of Genesis, the publishers of most Bibles include a title page with the designation “Old Testament.” The term “old” is relative, implying there is something newer; the term “testament” involves the expression of one’s will in a contract.  This designation is supported by the words God used in communicating through inspired men. In writing to the Corinthians about how most of his fellow Jews were blind to Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of Scripture, Paul stated, “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ” (2 Corinthians 3:14). Notice Paul used the phrase “the old testament” with the Corinthians. They were familiar with the expression. There was an understanding even among the earliest Christians that they were living under the New Testament of Jesus Christ and the former testament was thus old (cf. Hebrews 8:13; 9:15-18). The weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper reminds Christians of Jesus’ blood of the New Testament (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). Paul had written earlier in this chapter to the Corinthians about how God had selected his work, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Thus, Paul and other apostles and prophets were aware that God was using them to reveal a new testament that replaced His former testament (Ephesians 3:4-5; 1 Corinthians 14:37). In this context (2 Corinthians 3), Paul is contrasting their ministry with the ministry of the Old Testament by Moses. It is evident from verses such as 2 Peter 3:16 and 1 Timothy 5:18 that New Testament writers considered each other’s writings Scripture, inspired by God as the Old Testament was (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

When Christ came to earth, the Old Testament had been a closed catalogue of books for years. Jews would often refer to it by its twofold division: the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17-18; 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; Luke 16:16-17; John 1:45; Acts 13:15; 24:14; 28:23; Romans 3:21). Christ Himself, in prophesying of the destruction of Jerusalem, said of that generation God would require the blood of all Old Testament martyrs, explaining, “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:35). The first one murdered was Abel in Genesis 4. The account of king Joash killing Zecharias son of Barachias is found in 2 Chronicles 24:17-22. Second Chronicles is not the latest stage of the recorded history of the Jewish people in the Old Testament; however, even though it was not the last book written, it did occupy the last place in the order of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible begins with Genesis and ends with Second Chronicles. Jesus is referring to the two ends of the Old Testament library in Matthew 23:35, the first book to the last book. The Jews accepted only these as divine.

Within these Old Testament books, God warned man not to add to His words (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5-6). It is obvious that if God has gone to the care of expressing His will to man in a written testament, then He disapproves of anyone tampering with it. Alleged additional books, or lost books, of the Old Testament will be the focus of the second installment of this study on the Old Testament.

-Mark Day