The Old Testament as Gospel Prefiguration in Christian Theology
The concept of the Old Testament as a prefiguration of the Gospel is rooted in the understanding that the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, tells a unified story of God's redemption plan. The Gospel, or "good news," is not limited to the New Testament accounts of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection, but is also prefigured and foretold in the Old Testament [1].
The Old Testament contains numerous prophecies and types that point to the coming Messiah and the salvation He would bring. For instance, the prophet Isaiah foretold the good tidings of the Gospel, saying, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news" (Isa 41:27; 52:7). The writer of Hebrews notes that the Gospel was "preached beforehand" to the Israelites, who "were not united with faith in the one who heard" (Heb 4:2). This indicates that the Old Testament contains Gospel content, even if it was not fully understood or appreciated by its original hearers [1].
The New Testament writers frequently cite the Old Testament to demonstrate how Jesus Christ fulfills the hopes and expectations of Israel. For example, the Apostle Paul writes that the Gospel was "promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures" (Rom 1:2) [3]. The writer of Hebrews explains that the New Covenant, mediated by Jesus Christ, is "established on better promises" than the Old Covenant (Heb 8:6) [4].
The relationship between the Old and New Testaments is not merely one of prediction and fulfillment, but also of typology and shadow. The Old Testament contains types and shadows that prefigure the reality of Christ and the Gospel. The writer of Hebrews notes that the Old Covenant was a "shadow of the good things to come" (Heb 10:1), while the Apostle Paul describes the Law as a "shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ" (Col 2:17) [6].
Different Christian traditions have understood the relationship between the Old Testament and the Gospel in various ways. Some, like the Presbyterian commentator Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, emphasize the continuity between the two testaments, noting that the Gospel is "founded on the law, in the spirit and essence of the latter" (Heb 8:6) [4]. Others, like the Nonconformist/Puritan commentator Matthew Henry, highlight the contrast between the Old and New Testaments, describing the Gospel as a "new and last will and testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Heb 9:15) [5].
The understanding of the Old Testament as Gospel prefiguration has significant implications for Christian theology and practice. It underscores the unity and coherence of the Bible, demonstrating that the entire Scripture testifies to the person and work of Jesus Christ. As the Baptist/Reformed commentator John Gill notes, the Old Testament "testifies of Christ, his person, office, sufferings, and death" (Ps 78:5) [7].
The early Christian preachers, including Jesus Himself, frequently appealed to the Old Testament to demonstrate the fulfillment of God's promises in Jesus Christ. The Gospel accounts of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are thus seen as the culmination of a long narrative that begins in the Old Testament. As the Easton's Bible Dictionary notes, the term "Gospel" originally referred to the "welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers" [2].
The Old Testament's prefiguration of the Gospel serves as a reminder that God's redemption plan is not limited to a single event or era, but is a unified and coherent narrative that spans centuries. This understanding encourages Christians to read the Old Testament in light of the Gospel, and to see the person and work of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel.
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospel — A word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek evangelion, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The term is often used to express collecti”
- Romans “Romans 1:2 (BSB) — the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 8:6: now--not time; but "as it is." more excellent ministry--than any earthly ministry. by how much--in proportion as. mediator--coming between us and God, to carry into effect God's covenant with us. "The messenger (angel) of the covenant." which--Greek, "one which" [ALFORD]: inasmuch as being one which. established--Greek, "enacted as a law." So Rom 3:27, "law of faith"; and Rom 8:2; Rom 9:31, apply "law" to the Gospel covenant. It is implied hereby, the Gospel is founded on the law, in the spirit and essence of the latter. upon--resting upon.”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 9:15: In these verses the apostle considers the gospel under the notion of a will or testament, the new or last will and testament of Christ, and shows the necessity and efficacy of the blood of Christ to make this testament valid and effectual. I. The gospel is here considered as a testament, the new and last will and testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is observable that the solemn transactions that pass between God and man are sometimes called a covenant, here a testament. A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties about things that are in”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 1:17: For, &c.--The Law elicits the consciousness of sin and the need of redemption; it only typifies the reality. The Gospel, on the contrary, actually communicates reality and power from above (compare Rom 6:14). Hence Paul terms the Old Testament "shadow," while he calls the New Testament "substance" (Col 2:17) [OLSHAUSEN].”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 78:5: For he established a testimony in Jacob,.... So the law is called, being a testification of the divine will, Exo 25:16 and the Scriptures, the writings of the Old Testament, which testify of Christ, his person, office, sufferings, and death, Isa 8:20 and particularly the Gospel, which is the testimony of God, of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of his apostles, Ti2 1:8 which bears witness to the love and grace of God in the salvation of men by Christ; to the dignity of Christ's person, to the fulness of his grace, to each of the offices and relations he bears and stands in ”