Old and New Testaments

For these reasons the Bible will always remain relevant. To qualify its nature as “old” or “new” is nonsense. The Bible, if it is inspired from the Almighty, cannot be “Old Testament” or “New Testament,” because God, the Eternal remains always the same.

During the fourth century C.E., when Eusebius of Caesarea utilized the expression “Old Testament” for the first time to designate the Hebrew Bible, it was with a clear anti-Semitic attitude to diminish what had been until then commonly called the Scriptures, with the intent to exalt the “New Testament.” In fact, nothing in the New Testament foresaw such an opposition. The authors are Jews as are the ones in the Old Testament; the events are situated in the extension of the history of Israel and are interpreted in reference to ancient prophets. In addition, the Law is always observed. A pious Jew could also consider these writings as those of the prophets of old and equally venerate them. What has been called the New Testament bears all the qualities met in the Hebrew Bible: the ethical ideal that pierces an open heart, the victories over disease and death, the fulfilled prophecies, and also the extraordinary preservation of the documents. All these are arguments in favor of inspiration from above. 

But the proof can never be found in arguments alone: its confirmation by archaeology and history, the miracle of its unity, its high ethical and spiritual ideal, its fulfilled prophecies, and its actuality. Indeed, proof is found essentially at the level of each one of us, Jew or Christian, believer or nonbeliever, to the measure that we will wager on that Word and accept it. For if we open this old Book and venture our eyes and our soul into the journey of its pages, we will then discover more convincingly than ever, its power and its truth.