How to Glean from the Old Testament like Jesus

The recent sermon series (Inspired) challenged me to reevaluate a number of my long held beliefs regarding scripture. Do I treat the Bible like it is Jesus Himself? Do I make it so central to everything I do above and beyond any other sources of inspiration? Do I submit to its authority, especially when it comes to applying the words literally to my life? And finally, do I overly emphasize its inerrancy, i.e. the scripture in its original manuscript contains no error?

Since my early days after becoming a Christian (as a 25 year old adult), I had been taught to believe in the Bible - its truths and its power to transform life (mine and others). The scripture is my primary source to learn about who Jesus was and what He did while He was on earth. The rest of the Bible was put together by godly men and women early on in church history (referred to the Biblical Canon). I believe (I still do) that God is the same in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Although I was from time to time intrigued how differently God dealt with man in the Old Testament days. Jesus brought a new understanding to scripture (which was primarily the Old Testament in His days). For example, in the famous Sermon on the Mount Jesus said repeatedly (there were six of these): "You have heard that it was said... but I tell you..." (Matthew 5:21-48). "What Jesus is doing in this portion of the sermon is unpacking the true and full meaning of the law as it was originally intended—especially in contrast to the limited, narrow, and woodenly literal approach of the Pharisees. Their hermeneutic (the method by which they interpreted Scripture) was laden with sophistry. They could expound for hours on the law’s invisible fine points while inventing technical twists and turns to make exceptions to some of the law’s most important moral precepts." (from John Macarthur).

This is helpful. Whenever I read scripture (especially in the Old Testament) I would try to understand the meaning and the principles behind it with "what would Jesus say" as a reference. There will be times when the scripture stories just don't make any sense at all. In these situations I will use these 5 simple pointers (SPECK - think Matthew 7:3-5) to uncover what God is trying to teach me:

• Sin I need to avoid or repent of?
• Promises I can be encouraged by?
• Examples to follow, or avoid?
• Commands I need to obey?
• Knowledge of God, the world, or myself?

So in today's scripture reading (Exodus 21–22; Matthew 19) I learn:

• Treatment of Servants (more like slaves in those days, Exodus 21:2-11) - the Bible seems to be saying... but Jesus tells me that I must treat those under my authority with respect as they are made in God's image. God loves them and wants them to have a relationship with Him. God wants me to be generous with them. If they owe me their service I should always consider generosity a better way. Women deserved equity and protection, especially when equity does not exist.
• Justice on Personal Injuries (Exodus 21:12-36) - the Bible seems to be saying "an eye for an eye" (vv. 23-25)... but Jesus tells me to love even my enemies and to turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:38-42). God has provided us with a trustworthy judiciary system but He Himself is the final judge. I should look to God, the righteous judge, to provide divine justice rather than retribution and proportional punishment. I should treat those who injured me with grace as I myself have received grace.
• Protection of Property (Exodus 22:1-15) - the Bible seems to say what is mine is mine (v. 9)... but Jesus tells me that God provides richly all my needs. It is better to give than to receive.
• Social Responsibility (Exodus 22:16-31) - the Bible seems to be saying that I will gain God's favor by following strictly to a list of rules but Jesus tells me that these rules are but a shadow of what is to come (Hebrews 10). They are impossible to be followed strictly, I will fail at least one of the them at some point. But Jesus has done what it takes for me to enter into a right relationship with God already. Perfection will come as I learn from Jesus until I see Him face to face.

Interestingly, the New Testament passage also contains a teaching on Divorce (Matthew 19:1-12). The religious people (the Pharisees) tested Jesus by quoting a law from the Old Testament: "Why then did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”" and Jesus answered them: “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”. Jesus tells me that from the beginning when God created Adam and Eve, He knew that we all need relationship (procreation was only secondary). God's intention is that the married couple is a special relationship. But many will choose to remain single and focus their relationship with other people in a non-sexual way. Jesus teaches me that I can learn from the perfect relationship which is found in the one Jesus had with the Church:
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." (Ephesians 5:25-33)