New Testament is knowledge of life


 The New Testament’s Knowledge of Life: Why Christians Should Prioritize Jesus’ Revelation

When Jesus declared, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6), He made a bold claim about His central role in knowing God and attaining eternal life. This statement, coupled with John 17:3—where Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God and Himself—underscores a critical truth in Christian theology: Jesus is the definitive path to God. While both Jewish and Christian traditions value the Old Testament for its revelation of God’s character and covenants, some argue that an overemphasis on the Old Testament risks missing the New Testament’s transformative “knowledge of life.” This article explores the Christian approach to Scripture and argues that prioritizing the New Testament, with its focus on Jesus, unlocks the fullest understanding of eternal life.

The Christian Approach: Balancing Old and New Testaments

For many Christians, the Bible is a unified whole, with the Old and New Testaments together telling the story of God’s relationship with humanity. The Old Testament lays the foundation, revealing God’s character, creation, and covenants with Israel. Passages like Psalm 19, which celebrates God’s glory in creation and His perfect law, and Isaiah 40, which exalts God’s sovereignty and compassion, provide deep insights into who God is. Christians value these texts for their historical and theological context, seeing them as essential to understanding God’s plan.

The New Testament, meanwhile, presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament’s promises. Through His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus embodies the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17), offering salvation and a direct relationship with God. Christians see the New Testament as the culmination of God’s redemptive story, with Jesus as the mediator between humanity and the Father (1 Timothy 2:5).

Scripture itself supports the value of both testaments. Romans 15:4 states, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Similarly, 2 Timothy 3:16 declares, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” These verses affirm the Old Testament’s enduring relevance for Christians, providing wisdom and context for faith coming?

However, an overemphasis on the Old Testament can sometimes dilute the New Testament’s core message: Jesus as the way to eternal life. In John 5:39-40, Jesus critiques those who diligently study the Scriptures (the Old Testament at the time) but fail to recognize Him as their fulfillment: “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” This warning suggests that while the Old Testament is vital, it points to Jesus, and missing Him risks missing the essence of eternal life.

The New Testament as the Key to Eternal Life

The argument for prioritizing the New Testament rests on Jesus’ unique role as the embodiment of God’s truth and the sole path to the Father. John 14:6 is unequivocal: “No one comes to the Father except through me.” This exclusivity doesn’t negate the Old Testament’s value but positions Jesus as the lens through which God’s full revelation is understood. The New Testament centers on Jesus’ teachings, death, and resurrection, offering a direct route to knowing God and receiving eternal life (John 3:16, 17:3).

Jesus Himself reinforces this in John 14:9, saying, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” The New Testament reveals both Jesus and the Father, making it a powerful tool for understanding God’s nature and plan. Acts 4:12 further emphasizes Jesus’ singular role: “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” By focusing on the New Testament, Christians can grasp the “knowledge of life” that comes through faith in Christ.

This isn’t to say the Old Testament is irrelevant. It provides the rich backdrop of God’s covenants with Abraham, Moses, and David, which Jesus fulfills (e.g., Galatians 3:24, where the law is a guardian leading to Christ). But the New Testament’s clarity about Jesus as the mediator and source of eternal life makes it the capstone of God’s revelation. Prioritizing it ensures Christians don’t miss the forest for the trees, as Jesus warned in John 5:39-40.

Are Christians Missing Out?

While Christians rightly study both testaments, an overemphasis on the Old Testament can sometimes overshadow the New Testament’s focus on Jesus. For example, excessive focus on Old Testament law or history might lead some to prioritize works or ritual over the grace and salvation offered through Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). The New Testament, by contrast, keeps Jesus at the center, clarifying that eternal life comes through knowing Him and the Father (John 17:3).

This perspective also highlights a contrast with traditional Jewish approaches, which rely solely on the Old Testament (Tanakh) for knowing God. While the Old Testament offers profound insights, Christians believe it points to Jesus as its fulfillment (Luke 24:44). Without the New Testament, one might miss the complete picture of God’s redemptive plan through Christ.

Conclusion: Embracing the New Testament’s Knowledge of Life

The Old Testament is a treasure trove of God’s character and promises, but the New Testament brings these into sharp focus through Jesus Christ. His declaration in John 14:6 and definition of eternal life in John 17:3 make the New Testament indispensable for understanding the path to God. Christians who balance both testaments gain a fuller picture, but prioritizing the New Testament ensures they don’t miss Jesus—the way, the truth, and the life.

By centering on the New Testament, Christians can fully embrace the “knowledge of life” that comes through knowing Jesus and, through Him, the Father. The Old Testament sets the stage, but the New Testament delivers the climax: Jesus as the sole path to eternal life. For those seeking God, the New Testament offers not just a partial view but the complete revelation of His love and salvation.





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