American Old Testament Scholars: Oakman Sprague Stearns

New Testament Use of the Old Testament

The present writer has counted 224 direct citations introduced by a definite formula indicating the writer purposed to quote. To these must be added seven cases where a second quotation is introduced by the conjunction “and,” and 19 cases where a paraphrase or summary rather than a direct quotation follows the introductory formula. We may further note at least 45 instances where the similarity ...

The Music of the Old Testament Reconsidered

Surviving examples of musical instruments and representations of them show that during the first half of the first millennium B.C. a considerable range of types was in use in Mesopotamia and Egypt, as well as in north Syria and south-east Asia Minor. Since there are numerous references in the Old Testament to music and musicians it is a reasonable assumption that, though there are few represent...

Sacrificial Worship of the Old Testament

Applying the Old Testament Law Today

HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS APPLY the Old Testament Law? Obviously commands in the Mosaic Law are important, for they make up a substantial portion of God's written revelation. Yet the Old Testament contains many laws that seem strange to modern readers (e.g., "Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk," Exod. 34:26; "Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material," Lev. 19:19; "Make tassels...

The Canon of the Old Testament

What is meant by the “Canon of the Old Testament”? The word, “canon” itself is derived from the Greek, and in that language originally meant a staff or straight rod. In pre-Christian Greek it also bore the connotation “rule,” or “standard,” and in this sense also is used in the New Testament (cf. II Cor. 10:13, 15, 16; Gal. 6:16). Clement of Rome uses it of a rule possessing authority (I:7:2) a...