The Bible was projected before the public recently because of the appearance of the New English Bible. In that translation we feel benefited by the clarity that has been brought to some of Paul’s epistles, but deplore the frequent colloquialisms, and it is to be hoped that our public readings are never made from it.
The Old Testament revision is not yet ready and we await that work with keen anticipation.
The revisers explain that they strove to report “what the authors wrote”, so then we may hope to have the Old Testament as it would appear, in substance, to the eyes of the most interested reader of all, to Jesus himself.
I think we gain much from the Old Testament if we remember sometimes that Jesus also read it, for then everything becomes full of added interest and, most precious of all, it helps us in some measure in coming to know him, for we have common ground, so to speak, with him there.
Many times his acts had Old Testament parallels: for instance, he knew that his ministry would have the power and justification to calm a sea-storm as he did on Galilee; had not the sea calmed immediately when Jonah was cast into it, and the Red Sea and flooded Jordan were compelled to obey Divine behest?
He would be three days and nights in the grave, as was Jonah within the great fish; and, again from Jonah, who brought about repentance of Nineveh, he declared judgement upon that “generation” because a “greater than Jonas” was present, and it repented not.’
In Isaiah he saw the rejection of himself foretold—”We hid as it were our faces from him”—and the death, from which he did not flinch.
In seeking to know Jesus by reading the Old Testament with him, by joying where he joyed in the salvation of the righteous, and glorying where he gloried in the triumph of the Spirit, we sometimes feel so close that we could almost, in a manner, touch him, and we think immediately of the woman in a crowd who did touch him. A glance at this invalid woman is rewarding in its human values. She thought she could furtively touch him and no one would know; having heard of Jesus’ powers and that he was to pass that day through her locality, she would not tell a soul, but just go and wait in the crowd and seize what opportunity afforded to touch him. The crowd’s murmuring rose in volume . . . yes . . . he’s there alright . . . her pulse quickened would her courage equal her convictions. . . would she be close enough. He drew nearer her faith and the realities of her sickness rallied her courage. . . he was passing. Now, tremulously she managed to touch him. It was not presumption, not a demand, but the hope of a poor mortal weakened by twelve years of sickness. The passing had suddenly stopped . . . “Who touched me“ . . . the disciples dared to remonstrate with Jesus about anyone touching him in such a crowd.
The tense silence was too much, she was healed and could not be hid, so then a confession of the reason for her act was made before them—and before the immense multitude who have seen her since, through the record, reminding us of the precept, “There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed” (Matt. 10. 26). Happily liberated from bondage, she made her way homeward, as on air, and we will smile with her, in sympathy and understanding, another precept coming- to mind that, as faith without works is dead, being alone, so we must do something about our salvation as this woman did.
But the group moved onward. What would be the imagery before the mind of Jesus, and the spiritual exaltation within him as he read of the events in Eden: about Noah, the Flood, Babel’s tower, Abraham’s calling, the sojourn in Egypt, the Exodus, the conquest of strong, heathen people, Saul’s defection, the stirring action and warfare of the great spiritual man—his own ancestor—David?
As Jesus read of the wisdom of Solomon, he knew that he had to be “greater than Solomon”, and of Samson, that he must be stronger than he.
Reading of Moses, he knew that, faithful as that servant was, He was the Son himself, greater than any servant.
As he read of Law, he knew he must perfectly obey not only the ordinances, but also the spirit of law, which is the true glorifying of the law-giver.
Jesus was, in the ultimate sense, prior to the prophets, and their acts of healing were by his Spirit. He healed the sick, so had some of the prophets. He raised the dead, so had Elisha and Elijah (I Kings 17, 22; 2 Kings 4. 35). He fed a multitude from a small amount of food as had Elisha (2 Kings 4. 43). He healed leprosy; Elisha did likewise in the case of Naaman, the Syrian (2 Kings 5. 14).
He would read of the great principles of righteousness by which he answered his adversaries, as in Psalm 119. 68: “Thou (God) art good and cloest good”, and he answered those who called him “good”, “There is none good but one, that is God”.
His precept, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded from the mouth of God”, appears in Deut. 8. 3 . . . “fed thee with manna which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God doth man live”.
Reading the Old Testament with Jesus gives a perspective which really makes us feel that we have come to know him better, and so beget stronger fealty and love for him and, as we endeavour to touch him by the hand of faith as the invalid woman did, he will answer us with the same gracious he’p as to the woman. May we be healed as she was, and cleansed and made a spiritual Temple to gain his acceptance in a day of choosing.
Reflections on the Potter and the Clay