Understanding the Bible-2
By Timothy Glover
Paul wrote “Wherefore, be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). He even thought that a child could understand the Scriptures as indicated in 2 Timothy 3:15, “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” It is important in understanding the Bible that we first become acquainted with the Old and New Testaments.
The Old Testament is generally classified today into four parts: 5 books of law, 12 books of history, 5 books of Wisdom Literature, and 17 books of the prophets. The New Testament can be divided into four parts: 4 books of the life of Jesus, 1 book of history (Acts), 21 letters, and 1 book of prophecy.
In Colossians 2:14, in discussing the new life, having been buried with him in baptism (verse 12-13), Paul explains that Jesus “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” It is clear from the context that the ordinances he refers to is the law of Moses for in verse 16 he writes, “Let no man therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy day, or a of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come....” Since “blotting out” the handwriting of ordinances and “taking it out of the way” caused him to conclude that no man should judge another with respect to the new moon, Sabbath, etc., it is too clear that Paul understood that the Law of Moses was no longer in force. We are no longer to be judged by it. Romans 7:14 teaches the same thing using the illustration of marriage. A wife is bound to her husband “as long as he lives”. God’s people were married to the law of Moses. But, at death, the wife is loosed from the law of her husband just as Israel is loosed from the law of Moses. Death having occurred, she is free to be married to another just as we are free to be married to Christ. The implication is also quite clear that if she were married to two, she would be called an adulteress. Many people want to hold on to both the old and the new law and make themselves an adulteress (figuratively).
To illustrate, suppose a father writes a will stating that his estate is to go to his wife and child. Later, after he has other children, he writes a new will in which he changes it and provides for all the members of the family. When he dies, which will is in force? Although there are some similarities between the two wills, the first is no longer in effect. Similarly, when Jesus died, the first was void and the second came into force.
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