The New Testament is liberally sprinkled with references to the Old Testament (‘the scriptures’ for the Jewish people of the time). But the scriptural connections did not necessarily spring fully-formed into the minds of Jesus’ disciples. They needed a layer of understanding, and they needed a new perspective too, given by their experience of the risen Jesus. So it is that in Sunday’s Lectionary, we read, “Then he [Jesus] opened their minds to understand the scriptures…” No scriptures (Old Testament or New Testament) are self-explanatory. They need to be understood, by the community of believers, in the pain of honest and challenging discussion, in the light of the risen Jesus and under the guidance of the Spirit of God – so, a lot of praying, talking and listening, and reflecting on experience. And then we’ll at least be on the road to understanding.
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