How Does Biblical Theology Maintain a Christ-Centered Focus When Interpreting Both Old and New Testaments?
Biblical theology is the theological interpretation of Scripture in and for the church, proceeding with historical and literary sensitivity while keeping sight of the Bible’s overarching narrative and Christ-centered focus. It does not simply examine isolated texts but seeks to understand how all of Scripture—Old and New Testaments—unites in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This Christ-centered approach shapes the church’s understanding of God’s plan of redemption, guiding faith, worship, and obedience.
1. Centrality of Christ in the Storyline of Scripture
The storyline of the Bible moves from creation, fall, and promise to redemption and consummation. Biblical theology maintains that Jesus Christ is the center and climax of this story. From Genesis 3:15’s first gospel promise to the final vision of the Lamb on the throne in Revelation 22, Christ is the focal point of God’s saving purposes. Reading the Old Testament in light of the New does not erase its original meaning but reveals its fulfillment in the Messiah.
2. Unity of God’s Covenant Purposes
Biblical theology emphasizes that God’s covenant purposes are consistent throughout history. The promises to Abraham, the law given through Moses, the kingship promised to David, and the hope spoken by the prophets all find their ultimate realization in Christ. This unity of purpose ensures that both Testaments speak with one voice concerning salvation, and it prevents the church from treating the Old Testament as obsolete or disconnected from the Gospel.
3. Fulfillment of Prophecy and Promise
A Christ-centered reading of Scripture recognizes that the Old Testament is filled with promises that anticipate Jesus’ coming. Prophecies of the suffering servant (Isaiah 53), the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34), and the outpouring of the Spirit (Joel 2:28–32) are directly connected to events in the New Testament. Biblical theology shows how the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles interpret these prophecies as fulfilled in the life, death, resurrection, and reign of Christ.
4. Typology and Foreshadowing
The Old Testament contains people, institutions, and events that serve as types or shadows of Christ. Adam is a type of the one to come (Romans 5:14), the Passover lamb prefigures Jesus’ sacrificial death (1 Corinthians 5:7), and the temple anticipates His dwelling presence among His people (John 2:19–21). Biblical theology traces these connections without forcing artificial parallels, showing how God’s wisdom has woven hints of Christ throughout redemptive history.
5. Integration of Old and New Testament Theology
Christ-centered biblical theology does not interpret the New Testament in isolation. Instead, it reads the New Testament as the fulfillment and continuation of the Old Testament. This integration guards against interpretations that ignore historical context or neglect the theological depth of the Hebrew Scriptures. It also enables the church to see that the mission of Jesus and the birth of the church are not departures from God’s earlier work but its divinely planned culmination.
6. Thematic Convergence on the Person and Work of Christ
Virtually every major biblical theme—victory, peace, glory, kingdom, sacrifice—converges on Christ. In the Old Testament, these themes are rooted in God’s dealings with Israel; in the New Testament, they are fulfilled and expanded in Jesus. Victory is achieved through His resurrection, peace is established through His cross, glory is restored to God’s people through union with Him, and the kingdom is inaugurated in His reign. Biblical theology shows that these themes cannot be fully understood apart from Christ.
7. Impact on Preaching and Teaching
A Christ-centered focus changes the way the Bible is preached and taught. Biblical theology equips preachers to proclaim Christ from all of Scripture, not by forcing Him into every text, but by showing how every text contributes to the larger redemptive story. This approach feeds the church with the whole counsel of God and guards against moralistic or fragmented readings that miss the Gospel’s fullness.
8. Shaping Faith and Worship Around Christ
When both Old and New Testaments are interpreted with Christ at the center, faith is rooted in the unchanging character and promises of God. Worship becomes a response to the completed work of Christ, celebrated in the church’s prayers, songs, sacraments, and mission. Old Testament psalms and New Testament hymns alike lead the congregation to glorify the Lamb who was slain and is now exalted.
9. Guiding Obedience in Light of Christ’s Reign
A Christ-centered biblical theology shows that obedience flows from belonging to the risen Lord. The law’s moral vision, the prophets’ calls to justice, and the apostles’ ethical instructions are all unified in Christ’s command to love God and neighbor. This shapes Christian living not as legalism but as Spirit-empowered faithfulness, awaiting the final renewal of all things when Christ returns.
10. Anticipation of the Consummation in Christ
The Old Testament’s prophetic visions and the New Testament’s apocalyptic hope both point toward the day when Christ will return to judge, restore, and reign. Biblical theology maintains that the end of the story—new creation, the marriage supper of the Lamb, and God dwelling with His people—is only understood rightly when seen as the consummation of all God’s promises in Jesus.
