The Old in the New: Understanding How the New Testament Authors Quoted the Old Testament

The Old in the New

Author: Michael Vlach

"Evangelical scholarship has had over fifty years of extensive (and at times, heated) discussion over the usage of the Old Testament in New Testament. However, now with the appearance of Professor Vlach’s book The Old in the New: Understanding How the New Testament Authors Quoted the Old Testament, perhaps we have now come to a grand summary of that extensive dialogue. Michael J. Vlach has carefully summarized seven key positions held by various evangelicals (including my own view) and has given a legitimate critique of each view. But more than that, he has also taken up a wide sample of most, if not all, of the passages usually raised on this subject and has given a reasonable solution in Scripture text after Scripture text—in a succinct, but credible manner. I cannot endorse Vlach’s work too highly, for I found that he had hit the nail on the head in case after case. In years to come, theological students and pastors will turn to this excellent treatment of this subject and they will find it is exactly what they had been looking for. Thank you, Professor, for carrying out this task so successfully."

—Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., President Emeritus, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Hamilton, Massachusetts

–––––––––– Table of Contents ––––––––––                                                                                      

PART ONE: Seven Views on New Testament Use of the Old Testament

1. History of the Study of the Various Views
2. Single Meaning / Multiple Implications
3. Human Meaning Plus Fuller Divine Meaning
4. Second Temple Judaism
5. Canonical Interpretation
6. Inspired Sensus Plenior Application
7. Historical-Exegetical and Theological-canonical
8. New Testament Reinterpretation of the Old Testament
9. Test Cases

PART TWO: How the New Testament Uses the Old Testament

1. The View of This Book
2. What the OT and NT Authors Understood
3. Literal Prophetic Fulfillment
4. Affirmation That an Old Testament Prophetic Text Not Yet Fulfilled Will Be in the Future
5. Literal Application of Timeless Moral or Theological Point
6. Literal Reliance on an Old Testament Event or Statement
7. Divine Correspondence between Israel and Jesus
8. Divine Correspondence between David and Jesus
9. Generational Fulfillment

PART THREE: Case Studies

1. The Messiah and the Right Hand of God
2. Man’s Right to Rule
3. Betrayal and Thirty Pieces of Silver
4. Resurrection of the Messiah
5. The Servant, Jesus, and Paul
6. The Salvation of Israel
7. The Coming Prophet
8. Resurrection and David’s Throne
9. Messiah’s Coming Reign
10. Christian Ministers and Ox Muzzling
11. “Stone” in the New Testament
12. Paul’s Use of “Seed” in Galatians 3:16
13. What Law Are Christians Under?
14. Jesus as New Covenant Lawgiver in Matthew 5:21–48
15. Giving Gifts to Men
16. Israel, Gentiles, and the People of God
17. “Do This and Live”
18. “Allegorically Speaking” in Galatians 4:21–31
19. Looking on the Pierced One
20. The Coming Man of Lawlessness
21. The Day of the Lord in the New Testament
22. “You Are Gods”
23. Marriage and Jesus
24. Applying Israelite Titles to New Testament Believers