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Have you ever noticed the effect of repeated use on an object?
Recently, I saw an image of the stairs inside the Leaning Tower of Pisa. A quick glance tells you precisely where the footsteps of pilgrims have fallen over the past 500+ years. Men and women ascending and descending have left no more crisp edges or flat surfaces on the marble — just two adjacent dips on each stair.
Reflecting on this, I was struck by a similarity with my Bible. A few years ago, when reading Scripture, a coloration difference caught my eye. The pages of the New Testament were brown and worn, but those before were white. The dirty edge of my Bible convicted me that day, as it bore witness to the places I spent my time.
It is natural for Christians to do this. We believe that all of Scripture points to Christ. And in the New Testament, it is easy to see Him. The Gospels tell us of His life on earth and His ministry among His people. The remaining books develop what His life, death, and resurrection meant for creation. As I focused on the New Testament, however, I had failed to recognize Christ in the Old Testament. Though He was there, He didn’t seem as obvious.
I missed it, but was reminded by the edge of my Bible and the words of Paul in Acts 20 as he speaks to the Ephesian elders, “For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.” Paul, who wrote so much of the New Testament, used the Old Testament throughout his correspondence. The early church didn’t have the New Testament as we have it today; they poured over the Old Testament. In its pages, God made known to them Christ Jesus. They saw His hand throughout all of history, pointing to the Messiah.
As Christians, let us approach the whole counsel of Holy Scripture, saying to the Lord, “Speak, for Your servant hears."
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