THE Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to Mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the old Fathers did look only for transitory promises. Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touching Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.

Article VII contains a huge amount within its single paragraph, albeit in two parts.  The initial statement that the Old Testament is not contrary to the New Testament feels like a response to the opinion of some of the Reformers that it was perfectly legitimate to discard the Old Testament, Martin Luther being the most famous in his desire to reshape the biblical canon.  This Article stresses the important of keeping the Old Testament.

The importance of this can be seen in the season of Advent, when there is a general tone of reflecting on the foretelling of the coming of Jesus.  But that only makes sense if we know that he was foretold, and the context into which he was being sent by the Father.  Without the Old Testament it is impossible to see where the Incarnation fits into the meta-narrative of the story of God’s salvation of the world.

It also prevents a theology of supersessionism, because it means even whilst acknowledging that Christians read the Old Testament through the lens of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, we must reflect seriously on the promises made by God to the people of Israel, and the roots of the Christian faith onto which we are grafted.  Without the Old Testament we will lack vital information about who Jesus was and is.

The second part of the Article, however, goes off in a completely different direction, and it speaks about the law.  It’s easier and more comfortable to gloss over this topic because this is one of the major struggles in our Church today – which of the laws of the Old Testament do we continue to abide by, and which do we decide that we can ignore because, as St Paul so clearly puts it in Roman 6, we now live under grace?

The Article divides the law into those dealing with Ceremonies, Rites and Morals, but doesn’t going any further in clarifying what falls under each, leaving it to us to determine which laws we will still abide by.  This is where a full reading of the Bible becomes critical.  As a Christian with that hermeneutic lens of Jesus, I naturally read the Old Testament laws through what I know of Christ, his life and his teachings.  We need to reflect on whether they are laws that he later taught about and gave us new insight on.  Or are they laws he never mentioned at all, but perhaps other of his teachings may give us an indication of how we are to interpret them, ensuring that we live under the spirit of the law, and not only the letter.

Even today our Church doesn’t apply these rules consistently.  Some laws which could have been considered to do with morality have been discarded (the wearing of a man’s clothing, for example, from Deuteronomy 22), whilst others have been maintained.  Likewise some ceremonial and ritual laws still have a place in our social code, whilst much has been put aside (such as the dashing of blood against the altar in rituals).

Article VII’s main purpose is to remind us that both Old Testament and the wisdom and laws that it contains are still part of our faith, and that means they need to be studied and reflected upon.  For just as Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil,” (Matthew 5.17) he also made it clear that this would show itself in all we do: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22.37-40)

 

ALMIGHTY God, who madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised, and obedient to the law for man; Grant us the true circumcision of the Spirit; that, our hearts, and all our members, being mortified from all worldly and carnal lusts, we may in all things obey thy blessed will; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect for the Feast of The Circumcision of Christ, Book of Common Prayer