When the OT and NT Contradict, Which Do We Follow?

Recently, I came across an intriguing question. When the Old Testament and the New Testament contradict, which one holds more authority? If you had asked me several years ago, I would have told you the Tanak for it is the foundation.

The question is leading--it sets up a problem that may or may not exist and asks you to solve it as if it does exist. It then follows along the lines of a black and white fallacy: one book or the other must be more "authoritative" than the other. Either the New Testament is supercessionist or it is plain wrong. Those are the only answers available. Since the question is usually posed to those who have already rejected the first answer, it naturally leads to the second. The New Testament is false because it contradicts the Old.

Unleavened Souls

This is the season for getting rid of leaven. Typically, leaven is seen as a metaphor for sin, however, I want to suggest a different interpretation. I see leaven as teaching or doctrine. That's how it seems to be used in Matt. 16:12. You might say "But teaching isn't always a bad thing." True. Leaven isn't either. Matt. 13:33 uses leaven in a positive context. Lev. 23:17 describes an offering that is to be baked with leaven. Of course, this is all just a picture or midrash.

The Little Feet Walking In My Footsteps

Photo Credit: Eric Chan

I've heard that in the first hour of life, a newborn can be quite alert as she searches for the faces of the people she will soon call mother and father. The question I have been asking myself over the last few months is who will she see when she looks into my face? Will she see a man of integrity who stands by his values and walks out his faith day by day? Or will she see a hypocrite who says one thing and does another?

Portraits: The Saga of Moses (part 2)

"But, that's impossible, Lord. How can a mere man save an entire nation?" Moses asked the bush. It had been nearly forty years since he had last seen any of his brothers. Forty years since he last saw Miriam and Aaron.

A voice echoed from the fire, "Walk before me."

The Little Things of Marriage

#ChickenSoup

It was not a day after our wedding when I came down with some sort of sickness. The details are a little fuzzy (at the time, everything was a little fuzzy), but I remember it was enough to keep me in bed. Less than twenty-four hours earlier, I was taking Brittany as my wife--now we were celebrating our honeymoon with chicken soup. Yet, through it all, Brittany did nothing but shine.

While I stayed in bed and tried to get some rest, Brittany volunteered to go out and get some chicken soup. She took care of me much in her kind and compassionate way. That's one of the reasons I married her--her servant's heart. I love this moment for two reasons. One, I got to see Brittany's character shine. Two, for the first time since moving out on my own, I was not alone. I had someone to care for me and be there for me. I didn't have to bear this burden by myself.

Messianics and the Stop Sign

Photo Credit: Jorge Elías

A long while back I saw an article describing how people of different hermeneutics would approach a simple stop sign. I really liked the concept, so I decided to try to apply it to Messianics. It's good to laugh at ourselves once in a while (all is meant in good fun--I myself fall into several of these groups). Which of these fits you?

The Traditional Messianic
...comes to a complete stop at the stop sign for a minimum of three seconds, says a blessing, then continues on.

The Ultra-Traditional Messianic
...also explains all the ins and outs of who should go first should two, three, or even all four cars approach the intersection at the same time. He also knows how to handle the situation if pedestrians, cats, and/or dogs are thrown into the mix (including the halachic difference between a cat and a dog).

Portraits: The Saga of Moses (part 1)

"You did what!?!" Miriam asked.

"He was hurting one of our brothers!" Moses reacted.

"What did you think you were doing? Have you lost your mind?" Miriam began to pace, speaking more to herself than to her brother. "We'll have to move again. We'll have to hide. I don't know what we'll do. Did you never stop to consider the consequences?"

"Consider the consequences if I had done nothing, Miriam. Consider the consequences if we do nothing. We let these Egyptians walk all over us and treat us like dirt--"

Miriam interjected. "And that justifies killing one of them?"