Can you understand the NT without the OT or history?

Ignatius the Kiwi

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Nope. Same goes for any ancient text. Without some knowledge of the time it was written in you can't really comprehend it. If you don't know about the Roman Empire or Israel's and the Jews Status within the New Testament you might be very confused.
 
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Jonaitis

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The New Testament is sufficient to know the basic understanding of the gospel, but you will not make it far in understanding the rest without at least some general knowledge of the Old Testament.
 
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dzheremi

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No. We read the OT in light of the NT, but you cannot just sever one from the other. And history is very important. Christ's earthly context is essential to understand if you are going to understand what He says and does and why He does it that way. His parables, sayings, and so on were given to people in the actually existing world as it was at the time, and hence some knowledge of that time is very helpful to avoid drawing the wrong lessons from the scriptures, as many who read the scriptures without context end up doing.
 
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timothyu

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Jesus is the focus.. His focus was the Gospel of the Kingdom.. even without the OT or the rest, which also talks of man's will vs God's will, it was plainly evident to the followers of Jesus how man's way oppresses and God's way sets us free. A good reason why so many slaves, servants and women followed Him. The Gospel of the Kingdom is all we need. The rest is just suited to a tribal history and man's religion.
 
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Monk Brendan

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I have not read the OT, or history.

Reading the NT I don't know exactly what Isreal is or is like. I don't know the king, Herod.
It's not absolutely necessary, but it helps.
 
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Soyeong

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I have not read the OT, or history.

Reading the NT I don't know exactly what Isreal is or is like. I don't know the king, Herod.

The nice thing about the Bible is that there is a level that anyone can understand, but at the same time there is such depth to it that people can study it their entire lives and still be learning new things each time they read through it. So yes, there are many things that you can understand about the NT without knowing the OT, but there is still much that can still be fleshed out.

In Acts 17:11, the Bereans were praised because they diligently tested everything that Paul said against OT Scriptures to see if what he said is true, so the OT is how we know what is written in the NT is true. About 1/3 of the verses in the NT contain quotes or allusions to the OT and the NT authors did this thousands of times in order to show that it supported what they were saying and to show that they hadn't departed from it either to the right or to the left, so they certainly saw the OT as still being authoritative. Everything taught in the NT is based on and in accordance with the OT, so in that regard the NT serves as commentary on the OT.
 
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eleos1954

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I have not read the OT, or history.

Reading the NT I don't know exactly what Isreal is or is like. I don't know the king, Herod.

It's foundational to the NT ... important and interesting, especially where prophecies are concerned.
 
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bèlla

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I've read the Old Testament. Reading it is one thing but living it is another. I learned more while attending a synagogue than I ever did on my own. It opened up the scripture and provided living examples that aligned with the New Testament and often confirmed them. There are cultural elements that are hard to grasp because we live differently. I experienced a continual affirmation of the gospel and its meaning.
 
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JacobKStarkey

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If one creates a Cult of The One at the expense of context given by the OT and NT and other sources and evidence, one is going to get lost.
Is not the Gospel of the Kingdom self explanatory?
The OP remains "can you understand the nt without the ot . . ."
 
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bèlla

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The absence of understanding of the Old Testament is why we have replacement theologies and other errors. Israel is His bride and He hasn't forsaken her.

But practically speaking, who reads 1/3 of a book and declares himself all-knowing? Context matters.
 
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bèlla

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But is it necessary to understand the Gospel of the Kingdom?

It was the difference between my transition from agnostic to a beloved daughter who found her way Home. I did not believe in Christ when I entered that synagogue and I wasn't sure that God was real either. If it weren't for the things I experienced (devoid of dogma or pressure) which enabled me to make connections to what I recalled in the New Testament. I'd be a humanist and eternally lost.
 
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