The Old Testament
(Romans 1:2)
“Wait—weren’t the Pharisees and scribes the ones who knew the Old Testament best? If the Old Testament really spoke about the gospel, then why didn’t they recognize Jesus? Why did they even reject the gospel? Could it be that the Old Testament wasn’t really connected to the gospel after all?”
Fellowship with God
What the Pharisees and scribes valued was not truly the Scripture, but the traditions of the rabbis. The Lord rebuked this, calling it the “tradition of men.” It was not from God at all, but a strict system of rules shaped by the desires of religious leaders to control people. Though it wore the appearance of God’s word, it lacked what mattered most—fellowship with God.The One at the Center of the Gospel
Had the Pharisees and scribes truly honored the Scripture, they would have at least dimly recognized Jesus. For the Scripture has spoken again and again through countless prophecies of what the gospel is and who its central figure would be. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Remarkably, this was not written by Jesus’ disciples, but by the prophet Isaiah—seven hundred years before He came.The Gospel Promised in Advance
Paul was accused in this way: “This man speaks against Moses and tells things not in the Scripture.” But Paul emphasized that the gospel was promised beforehand “in the Scriptures” through the prophets. This is the gospel now delivered to us. To those whom the world counts as nothing, God has been running for a long time to give His gospel. No matter how much the world tempts us with its pleasures, no matter how much it threatens us with its terrors—let us not turn away from the gospel. Let us remain in it to the end and partake of God’s eternal joy.
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
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