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Description:The concept of Pesher in the New Testament is an interesting one. Pesher refers to a method of interpretation used by various Jewish groups during the Second Temple period, including the Essenes, Scribes, and Pharisees. It involved interpreting biblical texts in light of contemporary events and applying them to specific situations. In the New Testament, we see Jesus and the apostles using the Old Testament in their teachings and discussions. They often drew on the prophecies and stories from the Jewish Bible to support their message and demonstrate how Jesus fulfilled those prophecies.
It is important to note that Jesus and the apostles were not misusing the Tanakh, as some critics may suggest. Rather, they were using a method of interpretation that was familiar to the Jewish context of their time. They were drawing on the rich tradition of Jewish exegesis and applying it to their understanding of Jesus’ identity and mission. The New Testament writers believed that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection were the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and promises. They saw Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah and interpreted the Scriptures through this lens.
While there may be different interpretations and debates about specific passages and their fulfillment, it is generally accepted among Christians that Jesus and the apostles used the Old Testament in a careful and precise manner. It is worth noting that the Pesher method of interpretation used by other Jewish groups during that time, although they found a greater level of acceptance among the people, sharply differed from New Testament Pesher’s premises, outlook, or expectations. The ‘accepted groups’ i.e., the Essenes, Scribes, and Pharisees, had their own Pesher traditions and understandings of the Scriptures, but their predictions and interpretations did not stand the test of time in the same way as those of Jesus and the apostles. Understanding the concept of Pesher can provide insights into the interpretive methods used in the New Testament and the ways in which first century Christians understood and applied the Old Testament to their faith.