---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once we truly grasp the message of the…"
description: "\"Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it is impossible to read the Old Testament again without seeing Christ on every page, in every st..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg"
---

#  Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it…

![“Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it is impossible to read the Old Testament again without seeing Christ on every page, in every story, foreshadowed or anticipated in every event and narrative. The Bible must be read as a whole, beginning with Genesis and ending with…” quote by Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg)

> “Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it is impossible to read the Old Testament again without seeing Christ on every page, in every story, foreshadowed or anticipated in every event and narrative. The Bible must be read as a whole, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation, letting promise and fulfillment guide or expectations for what we will find there.”

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Seeing Christ throughout the Bible reveals the unified story of redemption, guiding interpretation from Genesis to Revelation.

**In simple terms:** Christ is the key to reading the whole Bible.

Key Takeaway

Interpret Scripture with Christ at the center.

Themes

redemption Christocentric scripture

Mood

thoughtful inspired

Type

theological educational

When to use this quote

- Bible study
- sermons
- academic courses
- personal devotion

Key Concepts

theology biblical unity

Questions to Reflect On

- How does this perspective change your reading of specific passages?
- What challenges arise when integrating Old and New Testament themes?

A Different Perspective

Some readers may resist a Christocentric lens.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Bible Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible-read-288658/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfillment/) [Genesis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genesis/) [Guides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guides/) [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Pages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pages/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Revelations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revelations/) [Seeing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing/) [Seeing Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeing-christ-2660727/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testament/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/)

## Related quotes

> [Once we truly grasp the message of the 'New Testament', it is impossible to read the 'Old Testament' again without seeing Christ on every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-new-testament-it-is-impossible/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [Let the gentleman go to Revelation to learn the decree of God - let him go to the Bible. . . . I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-davis/let-the-gentleman-go-to-revelation-to-learn-the-decree-of-god-let-him/)

[Jefferson Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-davis/)

> [The violence in the Old Testament and New Testament is descriptive. The violence in the Koran is for all time and it is prescriptive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-geller/the-violence-in-the-old-testament-and-new-testament-is-descriptive/)

[Pamela Geller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-geller/)

> [It seems to me impossible for a civilized man to love or worship, or respect the God of the Old Testament. A really civilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/it-seems-to-me-impossible-for-a-civilized-man-to-love-or-worship-or/)

[Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/)

> [The New Testament is not new anymore' it's thousands of years old. It's time to start calling it the Less Old Testament.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-new-testament-is-not-new-anymore-it-s-thousands-of-years-old-it-s/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [The Old Testament contains fabulous elements. The New Testament consists mostly of teaching, not of narrative at all: but where it is narrative, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-old-testament-contains-fabulous-elements-the-new-testament/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [There is no book which tells of a more infamous monster than the Old Testament, with its Jehovah of murder and cruelty and revenge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-h-gardener/there-is-no-book-which-tells-of-a-more-infamous-monster-than-the-old/)

[Helen H. Gardener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-h-gardener/)

> [The discipline of the Old Testament may be summed up as a discipline teaching us to abhor and flee from sin; the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/the-discipline-of-the-old-testament-may-be-summed-up-as-a-discipline/)

[Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/)

> [The New Testament writers I think conceive of their inspired Scripture writings as flushing out, bringing to articulation, expounding and so on the climactic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-new-testament-writers-i-think-conceive-of-their-inspired/)

[D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/)

> [Angels are spirit beings who are mentioned more than 250 times in both the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-c-neal/angels-are-spirit-beings-who-are-mentioned-more-than-250-times-in/)

[Mary C. Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-c-neal/)

> [The New Testament rests itself for credulity and testimony on what are called prophecies in the Old Testament, of the person called Jesus Christ;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-new-testament-rests-itself-for-credulity-and-testimony-on-what/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [When I speak at my local church, which I try to do 35 to 40 times a year, I try in every lesson to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/when-i-speak-at-my-local-church-which-i-try-to-do-35-to-40-times-a/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [I love the melodies in the Old Testament, how preachers highlight them when they read from the Scripture. But I was influenced forever by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-love-the-melodies-in-the-old-testament-how-preachers-highlight-them/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Which God is the forgiving one, exactly? Old Testament, where He got His rocks off by smiting? Or New Testament, once Our Heavenly Father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomm-quackenbush/which-god-is-the-forgiving-one-exactly-old-testament-where-he-got-his/)

[Thomm Quackenbush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomm-quackenbush/)

> [Who wrote the Bible? Current scholarship, to my knowledge, assumes that the material that constitutes the Old Testament was put together from various oral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/who-wrote-the-bible-current-scholarship-to-my-knowledge-assumes-that/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

## More by Michael Horton

> [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [In such a therapeutic, pragmatic, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps society as ours, the message of God having to do all the work in saving us comes as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/in-such-a-therapeutic-pragmatic-pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [To preach the Bible as 'the handbook for life,' or as the answer to every question, rather than as the revelation of Christ, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/to-preach-the-bible-as-the-handbook-for-life-or-as-the-answer-to/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [My conscience does not render a positive verdict in God’s courtroom when I look inside myself. The only reason I can sleep well at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/my-conscience-does-not-render-a-positive-verdict-in-god-s-courtroom/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [You can't find a YouTube clip to become a craftsman, friend, parent - or disciple of Christ. It's all of grace. And to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/you-can-t-find-a-youtube-clip-to-become-a-craftsman-friend-parent-or/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [I think that the church in America today is so obsessed with being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and perhaps well-liked that it nearly mirrors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/i-think-that-the-church-in-america-today-is-so-obsessed-with-being/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [We need more Christians who take their place alongside believing and unbelieving neighbors in the daily gift exchange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/we-need-more-christians-who-take-their-place-alongside-believing-and/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [ “Faith in Christ is able to endure doubts—it’s able to endure temptations—because it faces \[them\], not because it pretends \[they’re\] not there.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/faith-in-christ-is-able-to-endure-doubts-it-s-able-to-endure/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [God’s Word does not merely impart information; it actually creates life. It’s not only descriptive; it’s effective too, God speaking is God acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/god-s-word-does-not-merely-impart-information-it-actually-creates/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [Ask the proficient athlete, artist, businessperson, or homemaker what creates excellence and they'll all agree: a commitment to long-term goals - and with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/ask-the-proficient-athlete-artist-businessperson-or-homemaker-what/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [A church that is deeply aware of it's misery and nakedness before a holy God will cling tenaciously to an all sufficient Savior, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/a-church-that-is-deeply-aware-of-it-s-misery-and-nakedness-before-a/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [The key to maturity is time and community. Discernment and godly wisdom develop in a community that spans generations. The church is called to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/the-key-to-maturity-is-time-and-community-discernment-and-godly/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [If you want to be an athlete, there's no way around it: You have to go to the gym. You can't Google your way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/if-you-want-to-be-an-athlete-there-s-no-way-around-it-you-have-to-go/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [The power of God unto salvation is not our passion for God, but the passion He has exhibited toward us sinners by sending his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/the-power-of-god-unto-salvation-is-not-our-passion-for-god-but-the/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [God is not a supporting actor in our life movie. We exist for his purposes, not the other way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/god-is-not-a-supporting-actor-in-our-life-movie-we-exist-for-his/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

[Explore all 46 Michael Horton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

## More Bible quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/)

[Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/)

> [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/)

[Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/)

> [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/)

[Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/)

> [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/)

[Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/)

> [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/)

[Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/)

> [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/)

[Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/)

> [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/)

[Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/)

> [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/)

[Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/)

> [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/)

[Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/)

> [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/)

[Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/)

> [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/)

[David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/)

> [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/)

[Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/)

> [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/)

[John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/)

[Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it is impossible to read the Old Testament again without seeing Christ on every page, in every story, foreshadowed or anticipated in every event and narrative. The Bible must be read as a whole, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation, letting promise and fulfillment guide or expectations for what we will find there.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Horton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-new-testament-it-is-impossible-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bible"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-new-testament-it-is-impossible-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/michael-horton-14597_bible_once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-n_2364889.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Once we truly grasp the message of the New Testament, it is impossible to read the Old Testament again…” — Michael Horton",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Horton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Once we truly grasp the message...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-new-testament-it-is-impossible-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/once-we-truly-grasp-the-message-of-the-new-testament-it-is-impossible-2/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
