⁴ For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Some have written off the Old Testament (that which “was written in earlier times”) as having little value for Christians today. After all, we even call it “Old.” The presumed difference can be seen by contrasting Solomon’s assessment of life, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl 1:9), with Paul’s proclamation, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor 5:17). While both are inspired Scripture, Solomon wrote before Messiah had come, while Paul penned his truth after Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Jesus considered OT writings authoritative; the NT writers build extensively on the OT teachings. Scholars find it difficult to give an exact number of quotations and allusions, but we would be safe in saying there are hundreds of references to the OT found in the NT. In the book of Romans alone there are in the neighborhood of 70 OT references. So it is obvious that the NT finds great value in the OT.

While the OT teachings provide the foundational instruction upon which NT theology builds, there is also practical value there for Christians today. After all, the apostle Paul wrote later in his ministry, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Tim 3:16). When he wrote this, “Scripture” included the OT writings.

In our passage today, Paul comments on his quotation in the immediately previous verse, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me” (Rom 15:3), which was a direct reference to Psalm 69:9. Obviously he had the Jewish objectors in mind. His teachings are not new, but rather fit well with the OT, though veiled before Christ came.

Paul also saw Psalm 69:9 as providing encouragement and hope to Christians. The principle of living sacrificially for the benefit of others, not to please oneself, is found in prophecies concerning Christ, the Messiah. This ought to encourage us, to give us hope through the study of the OT, particularly when it comes to the gray areas of life about which Christians can vehemently disagree. We need to persevere in the sacrificial lifestyle just as Christ did, which was prophesied from OT times. Paul affirms there is much for Christians to learn in the OT: “These things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor 10:11).

Lord, I commit myself to understand and learn from Your dealings with Israel.