Why are the Old and New Testaments in the same book?

sonnyboy

I'm not sure why Christians study and quote from both the old and new Testaments. It's my understanding that the OT applies only to Hebrews. In the NT, Jesus supposedly created a new covenant, so many of the old laws don't apply.

The Old and New Testaments seem to represent two distinct religions. If so, then why do Christians read the Torah at all? Shouldn't they only follow the "Greek" scriptures?

Narkissos

That's part of the questions raised by Marcion in the 2nd century:

http://www.christianorigins.com/marcion.html

Imo there was no agreement between earlier "Christians" whether their faith was meant to be "another religion" or not. Judeo-Christians (most of which would have denied the designation "Christian") were Jews first and meant to observe the Torah. Pauline Christians used the OT, not as a practical authority, but as a "master narrative" which they deemed necessary to make their own doctrine intelligible (cf. Paul's use of the Abraham story).

Satanus

Good question. Paul turned away from the jews toward the greeks. Yet, jesus followed the jewish ways. Jesus is portrayed as reading hebrew. Pauls quotes are from the greek septuigent. Perhaps paul wasn't able to read hebrew. Perhaps the gospels should be placed in the ot; jesus w the other prophets. Paul and his followers making up the nt.

S