Yes — we study the Old Testament because, as Romans 15:4 says, whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.
Les Feldick teaches that the Old Testament is not our doctrine, but it is the background and bedrock for all New Testament doctrine, especially from the apostle Paul. Through the patience and comfort of these Scriptures we have hope. He also says you cannot understand the New unless you understand the Old.
Romans 15:4 — Paul directly says the Old Testament writings were written for our learning, giving the foundational answer to the question.
Romans 15:4 says, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Paul is writing to believers and pointing back to the Old Testament scriptures, which were already written in his day. The clear biblical answer is that these earlier writings exist for our learning. They are not merely historical records; they produce patience, comfort, and ultimately hope in the reader.
Les repeatedly emphasizes that Romans 15:4 applies to the whole Old Testament — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus — even though those books were written to Israel under the Law. He says these things "were written for our learning" but not for our doctrine. Doctrine is what we must have straight for eternal destiny and Christian living; learning is the background that explains why we have that doctrine. The Old Testament is therefore not where you find the Gospel, grace, the Body of Christ, or the Rapture, but it is still essential because it is the bedrock for the New Testament.
Les points to Romans 15:4 and says the Old Testament is for our learning, not doctrine. He distinguishes the two: doctrine is what we believe for our eternal destiny and how to live the Christian life today; learning is understanding why we have that doctrine. Because of this, you won't find the plan of salvation, grace, the Body of Christ, or the Rapture in the Old Testament, but you will find pictures and background that help these New Testament truths fall into place.
Les says the Old Testament is "a bedrock for the New," and that you cannot understand the New unless you understand the Old. He loves to tie the old and new together because they fit intrinsically. He describes Scripture as a progressive revealing, built like building blocks, so there is no use trying to study the Gospels without the Old Testament foundation.
Romans 15:4 itself says the Old Testament was written for our learning so that "through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Les highlights this as the purpose of Old Testament study. The Old Testament accounts and background give the believer patience and comfort, which in turn produce hope.
Les answers with an emphatic "No way!" He says the fact that the Old Testament doesn't contain grace, the Body of Christ, or the Rapture does not mean we ignore it. He loves to teach Genesis and says Paul's letters are primary for doctrine, but then we "funnel back and forth" through all the rest of Scripture. Every part of the Bible is good for all of us.
Why Romans 15:4 tells us to study the Old Testament
Les reads Romans 15:4 and says the things written aforetime refer to the Old Testament, written for our learning and to provide background for doctrines later written by Paul.
Old Testament as the bedrock for the New
Les applies Paul's words to Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus: they are for our learning, not our doctrine, and you cannot understand the New without the Old.
Doctrine versus learning
Les contrasts doctrine (what we believe for eternity and Christian living) with learning (the background for why we have that doctrine), showing the Old Testament is for the latter.
Salvation under different circumstances
Les notes that Old Testament believers had salvation, but under different spiritual and physical circumstances than believers today.
Tying the Old and New together
Les explains that Paul references Exodus to teach a lesson and to show how all the Scriptures tie together intrinsically.
Progressive revelation and building blocks
Les says there is no use studying the Gospels without the Old Testament because Scripture is a progressive revealing built like building blocks.
Old Testament not doctrine but still essential
Les says you won't find grace, the Body of Christ, or the Rapture in the Old Testament, but that doesn't mean we don't study it — he loves teaching Genesis.
Funneling from Paul's letters through all Scripture
Les says we should spend the best part of our time in Paul's epistles, then funnel back and forth through all the rest of Scripture.
Romans 15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
This is the key verse Les uses to show that the Old Testament was written for our learning and gives hope.
Les teaches that even though the Old Testament was written to Israel under the Law, it was still written for our learning. It provides the background for all the doctrines that come later, especially through Paul's letters. It also gives patience, comfort, and hope.
No. Les says you won't find the Gospel, grace, the Body of Christ, or the Rapture in the Old Testament. You will find pictures of these truths, but the Old Testament is not our doctrine — it is for our learning and background.
Yes. Les says "No way!" to the idea that we should ignore the Old Testament. He loves to teach Genesis and says all Scripture ties together, with Old Testament accounts fitting intrinsically with New Testament truth.
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