Jesus & The Old Testament

Christians share the Old Testament scriptures with two other religious people, Jews and Moslems. So is there anything distinctive about the Christian view of the Old Testament?

Also, since we have a NEW Testament, what do Christians do with the OLD one? Is the Old Testament like an old street directory? It was accurate once, it served people well once, but things have changed. If you used a twenty-year-old street directory in the city of Sydney today, it would send you the wrong way up one-way streets and fail to show you a dozen freeways, overpasses and bridges. An old street directory is worse than useless, it is misleading. Is that how Christians view the Old Testament?

Jesus speaks against any view that sees the Old Testament as old hat, irrelevant or only of interest to archaeologists and historians. In one sentence Jesus claims a remarkable uniqueness in the light of other religions, and speaks the strongest possible affirmation of the Old Testament...
"Don't think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Matthew 5:17

Jesus full-fills OT expectation
and the
OT fills out our knowledge of Christ

Genesis 3:14-15	Waiting for the Crusher: the One who will crush the serpent's head despite being bitten on the heel
Genesis 12:1-3	Waiting for the One born in the land, born a descendant of Abram, born to bless people of every nation of the world
Exodus 12:1-13	They thought they needed to remember so they wouldn't forget. But they needed to remember the Passover Lamb so that they would recognise Him when He came
Deuteronomy 18:14-19	Waiting for the Prophet like Moses: the One who would speak from God to His people
2 Samuel 7:11-13	Waiting for the King, the Son of David, who will rule forever
Hosea 2:14-20	Waiting for the Husband who woos back His unfaithful wife
Joel 2:28-32	Waiting for the One who baptises with the Holy Spirit

Jesus fulfills all the expectations and longings of the Old Testament. He is its focus and fulfilment. So Christians read the Old Testament very differently to Jews or Moslems. Like reading an Agatha Christie who done it for the second time or watching a movie we have seen before, we know who did it! Christians value the Old Testament and make sense of it because we know who to look out for. Once you've met Jesus, you can read the Old Testament asking the right questions. Not so much, What do I do to live a good life? or, How do I live a life that pleases God? but, How does this point to Jesus and in light of Jesus how then will I live?

Jesus shows us that the Old Testament is anything but obsolete. It points to him and he fulfills it. Like the pencil sketches of a great artist the Old Testament provide the outlines that Jesus fills with dazzling colour and life. Jesus full-fills the Old Testament like the wine from a great harvest fills and matures in the strong barrels prepared for it.