What Is the Old Testament and Why Does It Matter?
What Is the Old Testament in the Christian Bible?
The Old Testament is the first of two main divisions of the Bible, featuring 39 books that document God’s relationship with ancient Israel.
In fifteen years of teaching this text, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern: many readers treat the Old Testament as a distant, dusty relic, yet it forms the entire theological foundation for the New Testament. It is not merely a collection of stories, but a structured narrative of covenant, promise, and expectation. Understanding the books of the Bible requires starting here.
- The Old Testament comprises 39 distinct books written over roughly 1,000 years.
- It accounts for approximately 75% of the total length of the entire Christian Bible.
- The collection includes 17 historical, 5 poetic, and 17 prophetic books in total.
- It serves as the necessary context to understand the life and mission of Jesus Christ.
How are the books of the Old Testament organized?
The 39 books are traditionally grouped into four thematic categories: Law, History, Poetry/Wisdom, and Major/Minor Prophetic books.
The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, follows a different order than the English versions most readers are familiar with today. Christian canons generally follow the order established in the Greek Septuagint, which emphasizes historical progression over liturgical function.
- The Pentateuch: The first five books, attributed to Moses, establishing the law.
- Historical Books: 12 books detailing Israel’s settlement and monarchy.
- Poetry and Wisdom: 5 books addressing the human experience and divine worship.
- Prophetic Books: 17 books split into major and minor works of divine declaration.
What does the Old Testament reveal about God?
The Old Testament reveals God as the sovereign Creator, a righteous Lawgiver, and a faithful Covenant-maker who pursues wayward humanity.
Far from the misconception that the God of the Old Testament is exclusively wrathful, the text is saturated with accounts of divine mercy and patience. This section of scripture sets the stage for the theological themes of holiness and redemption.
| Attribute | Biblical Evidence |
|---|---|
| Sovereignty | Genesis 1:1 |
| Faithfulness | Deuteronomy 7:9 |
| Righteousness | Psalm 11:7 |
Why Is the Old Testament Still Relevant Today?
The Old Testament provides the essential vocabulary, moral framework, and prophetic expectations required to interpret the New Testament.
How does it connect to the New Testament?
The Old Testament acts as the promise, while the New Testament functions as the fulfillment, revealing Jesus as the promised Messiah.
You cannot fully grasp the identity of Jesus without the background provided by the Hebrew prophets. From the promise in Genesis 3:15 to the final prophecies in Malachi, the entire structure points toward an eventual restoration of humanity.
What moral lessons are found in the Old Testament?
The Old Testament offers timeless wisdom on human nature, justice, suffering, and the necessity of walking in obedience to divine truth.
Books like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes explore the practicalities of life in a fallen world with brutal honesty. They do not shy away from the complexities of life, often mirroring the questions we ask in our own modern context.
How should a modern reader approach these texts?
Modern readers should approach the text with historical awareness, sensitivity to its literary genre, and a focus on its central themes.
As I often tell my students, you must respect the original context before attempting to extract personal application. Engaging in deep scriptural study requires understanding the difference between the moral law and the ritual laws of the ancient covenant.
What Are the Most Frequently Asked Questions?
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Is the Old Testament different for Jews and Christians?
Yes, the Jewish Tanakh consists of the same 39 books but follows a different arrangement into three parts: Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim.
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Why are there 39 books in the Protestant canon?
The 39-book count is based on the Hebrew canon, excluding the Apocrypha, which is accepted in Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
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Who wrote the first five books?
Traditionally, the Pentateuch is ascribed to Moses, who recorded the events and divine revelations under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
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What is the oldest book in the Old Testament?
Scholars often identify the book of Job as the oldest text based on its content and lack of reference to later Israelite history.
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Do these books contradict the New Testament?
No, the Christian view is that both testaments form a unified story, with the Old Testament providing the foundation for New Testament grace.
— Pastor Thomas Whitfield, M.Div.
How Was the Old Testament Canon Formed?
The Old Testament canon emerged through a gradual process of recognition by Jewish communities and later affirmation by Christian councils.
Initially, Jewish leaders grouped sacred writings into the Torah (Law), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings). By the first century CE, these three divisions were largely fixed, though debates continued over certain books such as Esther and Song of Songs. The Greek Septuagint, used by early Christians, included additional writings that later became the deuterocanonical books.
Christian leaders affirmed the Hebrew canon at various synods; the Council of Hippo (393 CE) and the Council of Carthage (397 CE) listed the 39 books as authoritative. Reformers in the 16th century upheld this list, rejecting the Apocrypha as protocanonical, which solidified the Protestant 39‑book Old Testament.
