Moses did not teach the distorted creation account found in the Old Testament; instead, he shared a simple narrative to encourage worship of the Creator, the Lord God of Israel. [1]
The apostles were shocked to learn that the Scriptures are faulty and altogether human in origin, causing them to sit in bewildered silence before Jesus. [2] Descendants of Salem missionaries inscribed Psalms on stone, later discovered by Hebrew priests during captivity and incorporated into Jewish hymns. [3] The teachings of the Scriptures were not in existence before Abraham, and must be carefully selected for the gospel of the kingdom. [4] Ptolemy had the story of creation translated into Greek by 70 scholars, impacting the beliefs of Hebrew and Christian religions. [5]
The real beginning of the Jewish and Christian Bibles emerged as Elijah, Amos, and Hosea started their secret writing as a response to the gangster-nobility ruling in Samaria alongside the suppression of freedom of speech. [6]
The Old Testament was written to bolster Jews' courage in captivity, with Hebrew priests and scribes aiming to restore their nation's pride and exalt their racial history. [7]
Despite the intense battle between Ahab and Shalmaneser being omitted from the Old Testament, it symbolized the ongoing conflict between Israel and other nations during a turbulent period of civil unrest. [8] The contrasting narratives on David's ascension to kingship in the Old Testament reveal the distinction between sacred and profane history. [9] The Old Testament underwent en masse editing in Babylon, altering the true narrative of Abraham's interactions with Melchizedek. [10]
The apostles were shocked to hear how the concept of God evolved in Jewish minds, with God or Satan provoking David to number Israel in the Old Testament. [11] The Hebrew scribes edited out Melchizedek to exalt themselves as the chosen people of God. [12] Some intellectually dishonest teachers of Old Testament knowingly mislead their students by withholding the truth about its limitations. [13] The Old Testament is not sealed books of mystery, but rather a source of divine truth dimmed by prejudice and superstition. [14]
The Old Testament was not written as a book of supposedly infallible teachings, but rather as a textbook aimed at improving the national spirit and morale of the Jewish nation. [15]
The teachings of Moses, translated into Greek for Ptolemy's library in Alexandria, had a profound influence on Occidental peoples through the sacred scriptures of the Hebrew and Christian religions. [16] The Old Testament's treatment of women reflects the herder mores of the Hebrew patriarchs. [17]
The renaissance of Judaism, beginning with the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, shaped the cultural and theological landscape towards the West, influencing both Jews and Christians to philosophize and systematize their religion. [18]
Interpreting Hebrew history as sacred or profane has led to confusion in understanding history, as the lack of secular Jewish history led to the rewriting and destruction of existing records. [19] The Old Testament is a sacred record of men seeking God, presenting their highest concepts of righteousness, truth, and holiness. [20] Jesus, addressing the Sadducees, only cited Moses to emphasize God's eternal relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. [21]
The growth in the concept of God throughout the Old Testament scriptures is a testament to the ever-expanding nature of our understanding of our Father in heaven. [22]
Do not doubt the love of the Father just because ignorant man fails to understand; it is our mission to help men solve their spiritual problems and be inspired to go about solving their material problems. [23] Cain’s emigration to the land of Nod hints at a pre-Adamite civilization that Moses wisely avoided delving into in his teachings to the Hebrews. [24]
Conversations between Abraham and God in the Old Testament were actually conferences with Melchizedek, later perceived as synonymous with God, and visits with “the angel of the Lord” were encounters with Melchizedek. [25]
The narratives of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph provide a more reliable account compared to those of Abraham, despite intentional and unintentional alterations by Hebrew priests during the Babylonian captivity. [26] Confusion of months and years led to the belief in extraordinarily long human lifespans in ancient records and genealogies. [27]
It is astonishing that relics of barbarism like the practice of detecting suspected marital unfaithfulness were retained in the Old Testament as sacred writings, despite being primitive techniques of justice administration from three thousand years ago. [28]
The Mosaic code provided instructions for marrying women captives, with the option to release them if unsuitable, showing a small advancement in civilization. [29] The Old Testament is full of mentions of things clean and unclean, reflecting early taboos rooted in religious beliefs. [30] In the Old Testament, a marital guilt test involved a woman drinking a concoction to determine her faithfulness. [31]
The Hebrew narrative of Jephthah and his daughter illustrates the tragic clash between religious customs and advancing civilization, as records show the Lord approving of human sacrifice among supposedly civilized people. [32] Women considered as property in the Old Testament reflected the mores of the herdsmen. [33]
Jesus appropriated the cream of the Old Testament teachings for the new gospel of the kingdom, repudiating the lesser parts and emphasizing positive, proactive action in his followers' lives. [34] Jesus came to fulfill the law and prophets, not to set them aside, but to enlarge and illuminate them in the hearts of his followers. [35]
Jesus constantly appealed to written Scriptures to encourage adherence to high and ideal concepts of marriage, without engaging in conflicts about social practices around divorce privileges. [36]
On His fifteenth birthday, Jesus fearlessly presented the Greek translation of the scriptures to the Nazareth synagogue, showcasing His maturity and dedication to the Lord. [37] Jesus was given a Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures in Alexandria before returning to Palestine. [38]
Jesus acquired a deep understanding of the Old Testament scriptures from both Joseph and Mary, impressing the temple teachers with his wisdom and youth. [39] Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament were distorted to fit Jesus long after his life. [40] The possession of the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures in Jesus' home attracted truth seekers to him. [41] Much in the Scriptures would have instructed you if you had only read with discernment, quoted from Old Testament. [42]
Jesus skillfully selected passages at synagogue, often rendering comments unnecessary by illuminating one with the other, and took siblings on nature strolls. [43]
Ganid's selection from the Old Testament includes teachings on the goodness of God, the importance of love, and the eternal mercy and righteousness of the Lord. [44] Jesus had a meaningful talk with Nathaniel concerning the truth about the Scriptures. [45] Different schools of Messianic teaching invoked to support contending views of Messiah. [46]
For books named from Old Testament in The Urantia Book see links.