The Uses of the Old Testament in the New

by Walter C. Kaiser Jr.

Publisher:

Wipf and Stock

, 2001

Overview

Were New Testament writers’ Old Testament quotations accurate? Both redaction and canon criticism have made this question one of their starting points. The apostles were utterly convinced that Old Testament writing anticipated the marvelous events they proclaimed. Did they give meaning to meaningless Old Testament texts? Did they squeeze fulfilled prophecy out of dry passages? Walter Kaiser traces the development of redaction and canon criticism, answering their bold questions head on.

Contents

Top Highlights

“For the NT writers the church already was in the ‘last days.’” (Page 93)

“To appreciate Matthew’s use of Hosea 11:1, the following points need to be kept in mind: (1) both Israel and Jesus are intimately related to God in the title ‘My Son’; (2) both are intimately interrelated in a corporate solidarity in the use of this technical and theological term, ‘My Son’; and (3) both Hosea and Matthew are emphasizing not so much the departure point, Egypt, as they are stressing the gracious act of God’s preservation in a time of great distress, oppression, and opposition.” (Page 52)

“The word ‘to receive’ (dechomai) in 1 Corinthians 2:14 means ‘to welcome with pleasure, willingly, and earnestly.’ Had the word been lambanō, then the idea would have been simply ‘to receive something.’ Furthermore, the word for ‘know’ (ginōskō) means not just perceiving a thing as such but ‘embracing things as they really are.” (Page 28)

“The title ‘My Son’ was just as messianic as ‘Seed’ in Genesis 3:15” (Page 49)

“Thus, it is safe to conclude that there are approximately 300 formal citations in the NT from the OT in addition to an almost incalculable influence on the language, modes of expression, and thought in the NT. Earl Ellis estimates that approximately one-third of all the NT citations are found in Paul’s epistles—93 OT references.¹³ Over against the Pauline usage stands the book of Revelation, which probably contains more OT imagery and phrases than any other NT writing, yet it does not contain a single formal quotation from the OT!” (Page 3)

Product Details

• Title: The Uses of the Old Testament in the New
• Author: Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Print Publication Date: 2001
• Logos Release Date: 2015
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. O.T. › Quotations in the New Testament; Bible. N.T. › Relation to the Old Testament; Bible › Hermeneutics
• ISBNs: 9781579108250, 1579108253
• Resource ID: LLS:SSLDTSTMNTNW
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:09:29Z

About Walter C. Kaiser Jr.

Walter C. Kaiser (1933–) is an evangelical Old Testament scholar, writer, speaker, and educator. He earned degrees from Wheaton College and Brandeis University.

Kaiser taught Bible and archaeology at Wheaton College and taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in several capacities. He currently serves as the Colman M. Mockler Distinguished Professor of Old Testament at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in 2006 retired as their President.

Kaiser has contributed to numerous publications like Journal for the Study of Old Testament and Westminster Theological Journal. He has also written over 30 books including Toward an Exegetical Theology and A History of Israel: From the Bronze Age through the Jewish Wars.