Unveiling the Mystery: What the Bible Doesn't Say About NT - Christian Insights
Published: 27 June 2024
What the New Testament Doesn't Say
When it comes to discussing biblical creation with those who deny it, Christians often point to the words of Jesus and the New Testament authors as evidence for belief in biblical creation. However, skeptics may argue that certain details are not mentioned in the New Testament or that these references are not made in certain contexts, such as evangelism. This is sometimes used as an argument against taking a historical view of Genesis as important for the Gospel and the Christian worldview. So, is what the New Testament doesn't say a problem for biblical creation?
An Incomplete Record?
It's important to note that there are details in Genesis 1-11 that aren't directly referenced in the New Testament. For example, the New Testament authors do not mention specific details like the presence of animals on Noah's Ark or God confusing languages at Babel. Additionally, most of the names and numbers in the genealogies are left out. However, does this mean that these "omitted" details are unimportant for Christians' faith?
To answer this question, we need to consider the nature of the New Testament documents and how they use the details of Genesis that they do specifically cite. The New Testament writings are occasional, meaning they were written for specific audiences and purposes. The Gospels argue that Jesus is the Messiah, Acts records the spread of the Gospel after Jesus' ascension, and the epistles address specific problems faced by individuals or congregations. While these writings are beneficial to all readers throughout time, we wouldn't expect to find exhaustive treatises about Genesis if the audience already had a background understanding of it.
The New Testament as Occasional Writings
The New Testament authors often refer to events in Genesis that establish precedents for their particular arguments. For example, when Paul wants to explain how salvation works, he points back to Adam's sin spreading to everyone and compares it to Christ's righteousness spreading to believers. Jesus, when discussing His return, refers to the global Flood to illustrate how people will be caught unaware, just as they were in Noah's time.
When Jesus and the apostles spoke to Jews, they assumed a common foundation of belief that Genesis is an accurate historical record. Therefore, there was no need for them to extensively explain all the details of Genesis. The fact that Jesus cited Genesis as authoritative without needing to prove its authority demonstrates that both He and His Jewish audience considered it authoritative.
Genesis and Greeks
However, when the Gospel began to spread to Gentiles, it was a different story. Gentiles may have been raised with beliefs in the Greek pantheon or various pagan philosophies. In these cases, Paul still went back to Genesis as a foundation. For example, when he spoke at the Areopagus, he referenced the "unknown god" inscription and used it as a starting point to proclaim the truth about the God who made everything.
Genesis and Christians
The goal of evangelism was to make Christians out of Jews and Greeks. Once someone was converted, the apostles didn't leave them with their existing beliefs but proceeded to teach them an entirely new worldview based on the entirety of God's Word, including the Old Testament. This is evident in the New Testament letters addressed to Christians.
Even in churches like Corinth, which consisted mostly of Gentiles with little exposure to Genesis before conversion, Paul cited Genesis multiple times in his letters. This suggests that at least a basic knowledge of Old Testament history was part of their instruction. It was crucial for establishing Christian doctrines that were founded on the historicity of Genesis.
The Genesis Foundation of the Gospel
The New Testament authors considered the entire Old Testament inspired, frequently citing it with the expectation that their audience would understand. This means that especially Gentiles needed instruction in what they were supposed to believe in order to understand the New Testament letters. If we abandon Genesis, we also have to question the authority of the New Testament.
The fact that many references to Genesis in the New Testament are passing or lack extensive context beyond what is necessary for the argument actually demonstrates that the early church taught believers about Genesis and considered it authoritative. Paul doesn't argue with the Corinthians about whether they should believe Genesis because he assumes they already do. For him, it's just part of being a Christian. So, in a sense, what the New Testament doesn't say is a powerful affirmation of the importance of Genesis in the earliest church. If believing Genesis was good enough for Jesus and the Apostles, then it should be good enough for us.
Why This Matters
Understanding the relationship between the New Testament and Genesis is crucial for Christians who believe in biblical creation. It helps us see that the New Testament authors assumed a belief in the historical accuracy of Genesis and used it as a foundation for their arguments. Recognizing this strengthens our confidence in the reliability and authority of both Old and New Testaments.
Think About It
- Do you believe that the New Testament authors saw Genesis as historically accurate? Why or why not?
- How does recognizing the connection between the New Testament and Genesis affect your understanding of biblical creation?
- Can you think of any other reasons why details from Genesis might not be explicitly mentioned in the New Testament?
