The Pontifical Biblical Commission has defended the authority and interpretation of the Holy Bible for over 100 years, convening to study, analyze, and discuss the interpretation of Scripture in the modern world, or to evaluate a potentially controversial interpretation or pronouncement on Scripture. These three volumes express unique research into the study of Scripture and its interpretation and meaning for us in the twenty-first century. The Jewish People and their Sacred Scriptures in the Christian Bible departs from the traditional and popular Christocentric analysis of the Old Testament in order to bring scholars back to the Jewish roots and Jewish purpose of the Old Testament. Saying that “without the Old Testament, the New Testament would be an unintelligible book, a plant deprived of its roots and destined to dry up and wither,” in the preface (written by Joseph Ratzinger), the study analyzes the nature of the authority of the Old Testament, as well as the meaning of the “fulfillment” of the Scriptures.
“The Christian faith, then, is not based solely on events, but on the conformity of these events to the revelation contained in the Jewish Scriptures.” (source)
“The axis of instruction gathers up three types of meditative prayer: syntheses of sacred history, instruction for personal and communal moral choices (frequently including prophetic words and messages), description of the conditions necessary for participation in the cult.” (source)
“Pontifical Biblical Commission introduced by this Preface declares: ‘Without the Old Testament, the New Testament would be an unintelligible book, a plant deprived of its roots and destined to dry up and wither’ (no. 84).” (source)
“The earliest rabbinic attestation of exegetical method based on Old Testament texts, is a series of seven ‘rules’ traditionally attributed to Rabbi Hillel (d. 10 A.D.).” (source)
“Among the Gospels, Matthew shows greatest familiarity with the Jewish techniques in utilising Scripture” (source)