In previous episodes of the Naked Bible Podcast, Mike and I spent a lot of time observing how the Old Testament builds a “messianic profile.” It’s important for readers of the New Testament to have a working knowledge of that profile because it aids in understanding how, exactly, Jesus of Nazareth brings the biblical story to completion and how he fulfills the hopes and expectations of Israel. If we don’t become familiar with the Old Testament’s portrait of the Messiah, then we might not fully grasp everything we need to about the ministry of Jesus in the New Testament.
In this episode below, we chat about election and messianism in the book of Malachi. As you will see, Malachi makes an invaluable contribution to the Old Testament’s portrait of the Messiah. In fact, I think it does this and so much more. A thorough study of Malachi goes a long way in helping us understand how New Testament writers like Paul can reconfigure important Jewish concepts, stories, and scriptural texts around Christ. We see this often when Paul quotes Scripture in his letters. And in more ways than one, I’m convinced Malachi offers us a preview of sorts for what we see Paul do with his (sometimes enigmatic) reading of Old Testaments texts. In my forthcoming book, Paul and the Meaning of Scripture, I talk a lot about Paul’s hermeneutics, so this topic is one that I’m fascinated with. In future episodes, Mike and I will dive into Romans to explore this further. In the meantime, check out the Malachi episode below. It sets the stage for future discussions.
Episode Description:
The book of Malachi closes our English Old Testament. Because of its position and status as one of the “minor prophets,” this book is one of the more neglected in the Bible. What possible relevance could it have for the messianic profile discussed in preceding episodes of this series? How does it relate to Paul? Surprisingly, Malachi is the perfect set up for what Paul does with the Old Testament in his writings. Listen to find out how!
Episode description: