Understanding the Tanakh and the Christian Old Testament
1. The Tanakh
The Tanakh is the sacred Hebrew Bible, the foundation of Jewish faith and identity. The name Tanakh is an acronym from its three main parts:
- Torah (Teaching/Law): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy — the core of our covenant and law
- Nevi’im (Prophets): Includes Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets — the voice of God’s messengers
- Ketuvim (Writings): Includes Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles — diverse sacred writings expressing our history, poetry, and wisdom
2. The Christian Old Testament
The Christian Old Testament shares many of the same books as the Tanakh but arranges and groups them differently into:
- Pentateuch (Law)
- Historical Books
- Wisdom and Poetic Books
- Prophets (Major and Minor)
Though the order and names differ, both collections bear witness to God’s covenant with Israel and His ongoing plan.
The Jewish Book — The New Testament (HaBrit HaChadasha)
1. Written by Jewish Authors
- The New Testament was penned almost entirely by Jewish authors deeply rooted in our heritage—Matthew, Mark, John, Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and likely the writer of Hebrews.
- Luke, likely a Gentile, shared close fellowship with Paul and expressed a Jewish understanding of the Messiah and God’s promises.
2. Set in a Jewish World
- The New Testament unfolds in Israel, among Jewish communities living under Torah law.
- Yeshua (Jesus) was born into this Jewish world: He observed the Torah, taught in synagogues, celebrated Jewish festivals such as Passover, Sukkot, and Hanukkah, and worshiped in the Temple in Jerusalem.
- The first followers of Yeshua were Jewish, worshipping and proclaiming the coming of the Messiah within Jewish life and tradition.
3. Fulfilment of the Tanakh Prophecies
- The New Testament constantly points back to the Tanakh, showing that Yeshua is the Mashiach (Messiah) foretold by our prophets.
- Prophecies from Isaiah, Psalms, Zechariah, Micah, and others are quoted to show how Yeshua fulfils these promises and hopes.
4. Jewish Foundations of New Testament Theology
Key spiritual concepts in the New Testament come directly from Jewish thought:
- Mashiach (Messiah): The Anointed One sent by God
- Malchut Shamayim (Kingdom of Heaven/God): God’s reign and promise for the future
- Brit (Covenant): God’s everlasting promise to His people
- Chatat (Sin), Kapparah (Atonement), and Selicha (Forgiveness) — themes rooted deeply in our tradition
- Techiyat HaMetim (Resurrection of the Dead): A hope expressed in the prophets and sages
5. The Early Kehillah (Community) Was Jewish
- The earliest followers of Yeshua were Jewish believers who continued to observe Torah and live in the heart of Jewish worship and culture.
- The early Jerusalem community remained Jewish for many years before Gentiles were gradually included, always under Jewish leadership and understanding (Acts 10–15).
In Summary:
The New Testament is a deeply Jewish text—written by Jews, about the Jewish Messiah, fulfilling Jewish Scriptures, and rooted in the rich soil of Jewish faith, culture, and hope.
Yeshua in Tanakh Prophecies and New Testament Fulfilments
| Prophecy | Fulfilment |
| Born of a woman | |
| Bereishit (Genesis) 3:15 — “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” | Galatians 4:4 — “God sent His Son, born of a woman…” |
| Born of a virgin | |
| Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 7:14 — “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son called Immanuel.” | Matthew 1:22–23 — “The virgin will conceive and bear a son called Immanuel.” |
| Born in Bethlehem | |
| Micah 5:2 — “From you, Bethlehem, shall come a ruler over Israel.” | Matthew 2:1,5–6 — “Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, as the prophet declared.” |
| Descendant of Avraham | |
| Bereishit (Genesis) 12:3; 22:18 — “Through your offspring all nations will be blessed.” | Matthew 1:1; Galatians 3:16 — “Yeshua the Messiah, son of Avraham.” |
| From the tribe of Yehuda | |
| Bereishit (Genesis) 49:10 — “The scepter will not depart from Yehuda…” | Luke 3:33; Revelation 5:5 — “The Lion of the tribe of Yehuda…” |
| Called God’s Son | |
| Tehillim (Psalm) 2:7 — “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.” | Matthew 3:17 — “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” |
| A prophet like Moshe | |
| Devarim (Deuteronomy) 18:15 — “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me.” | Acts 3:20–22 — “Yeshua… the prophet like Moshe.” |
| Rejected by His own | |
| Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 53:3 — “Despised and rejected by men…” | John 1:11 — “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” |
| Suffered and bore our sins | |
| Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 53:4–6 — “Pierced for our transgressions…” | 1 Peter 2:24 — “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree.” |
| Pierced | |
| Zechariah 12:10 — “They will look on Me whom they pierced.” | John 19:34,37 — “One of the soldiers pierced His side.” |
| Resurrected | |
| Tehillim (Psalm) 16:10 — “You will not abandon my Holy One to decay.” | Acts 2:31 — “He was not abandoned to the realm of the dead.” |
God’s Salvation Plan for Humanity
The Message of God’s Chesed (Lovingkindness) and Our Purpose
The Good News in Brief:
- Created for Relationship
God created us B’tzelem Elohim (in His image) to know Him and walk in loving relationship (Bereishit 1:27; John 3:16). - The Challenge: Sin (Cheit)
Sin separates us from God and brings death (Yeshayahu 59:2; Romans 6:23). - God’s Promise of Redemption
From the very beginning, God promised a Moshiach who would restore the broken relationship (Bereishit 3:15). - God’s Solution: Yeshua (Jesus)
Yeshua, the Son of God, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose again in victory (John 1:14; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4). - Our Response
We are saved by faith—turning away from sin and trusting in Yeshua as Adonai (Lord) (Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 3:19). - The Outcome: Eternal Life
Those who believe in Yeshua receive forgiveness and eternal life as beloved children of God (John 3:16; Romans 10:9).
Key Verse: John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Who Yeshua Truly Is — Revealed by God, Not Human Wisdom
The true identity of Yeshua—the promised Messiah, Son of God, and Master—is not discovered by human wisdom, study, or tradition. It is revealed by God alone.
Essential Scriptures:
- Matthew 16:16–17
“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Yeshua answered, “Blessed are you… for this was revealed to you not by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.” - John 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6
“God… made His light shine in our hearts to give us the knowledge of His glory in the face of Messiah Yeshua.” - 1 Corinthians 2:14
“The natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God… they are spiritually discerned.”
How to Know Yeshua Personally
1. Acknowledge your need for forgiveness and desire for God
2. Pray honestly, asking God to reveal Yeshua and help you believe
3. Trust in Yeshua as your Messiah, Saviour, and Lord
4. Begin reading the Tanakh and New Testament with an open heart
5. Seek a community of Jewish believers in Yeshua (Messianic Kehillah) for fellowship and growth
Application:
To truly know Jesus, we need spiritual revelation, not just information. Pray for your heart to be opened by the Holy Spirit. Faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8–9), and recognizing Jesus is the result of His personal revelation.