The Old Testament Isn’t Old News: Why Kids Need It to Know Jesus

As parents, we want our children to know the Bible. We want them to love Jesus, understand the gospel, and grow into adults who confidently follow Christ. But sometimes, when we teach our kids the Bible, we can unintentionally make it feel like the Bible is divided into two separate books: the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The Old Testament becomes the collection of stories about Noah, Moses, David, Daniel, and Jonah. Then the New Testament becomes the “Jesus part.” But Jesus didn’t arrive in the New Testament as a completely new idea.

The New Testament is built on the foundation of the Old Testament.

And if we want our children to understand who Jesus is, why He came, and what He accomplished, we need to teach them how the Old Testament helps us understand the New Testament.

Jesus Didn’t Begin in Matthew

John opens his Gospel with some of the most profound words in Scripture:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” — John 1:1 CSB

John is intentionally connecting Jesus to the very beginning of the Bible.

The opening words of his Gospel—“In the beginning”—echo Genesis 1:1.

John wants us to understand that Jesus isn’t simply a man who showed up in Bethlehem. He is the eternal Son of God who was present at creation.

Then John 1:10–11 says:

“He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.”

That statement makes much more sense when we understand the story that came before it.

God created humanity for Himself

Humanity rebelled against God. God chose Israel and entered into covenant with His people. He gave them His law, called them to worship Him, and promised that one day He would send a Redeemer. The Old Testament is not a collection of disconnected stories. It is the beginning of the story that leads us to Jesus.

Teach Your Kids to Ask, “Where Have We Seen This Before?”

One of the greatest Bible-reading skills we can teach our children is to look for connections. When your child reads something in the New Testament, encourage them to ask:

“Where have we seen this before?”

John 1:14 says:

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

That word “dwelt” is incredibly significant. John is pointing us back to God’s presence dwelling among His people in the Old Testament.

God’s presence was associated with the tabernacle. Later, it was associated with the temple.

But now John says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God’s presence has come near in the person of Jesus.

That connection helps our children see something beautiful: Jesus isn’t disconnected from the Old Testament story. He is the fulfillment of it.

The sacrifices point forward to Jesus. The Passover points forward to Jesus. The priesthood points forward to Jesus. The temple points forward to Jesus. The promises to Abraham and David point forward to Jesus. The prophets point forward to Jesus. The entire storyline of Scripture is moving toward Christ.

Don’t Skip the Old Testament

It’s tempting to focus almost exclusively on the New Testament with our kids because we want them to know Jesus. But here’s the irony:

• We help our children understand Jesus more deeply when we teach them the Old Testament.
• Without the Old Testament, the cross can become simply a story about Jesus dying.
• With the Old Testament, our children begin to understand sacrifice, sin, covenant, holiness, redemption, and God’s promises.
• Without the Old Testament, Jesus can seem like a good teacher who performed miracles.
• With the Old Testament, our children see Him as the promised Messiah, King, Savior, and Son of God.
• Without the Old Testament, John 1 can sound like beautiful poetry.
• With the Old Testament, John 1 becomes a declaration that the God who created the world has come to dwell among His people.

Give Your Kids a Biblical Framework

Parents, don’t worry about knowing every theological term or understanding every difficult passage.

Start simple.

When you read the Bible with your kids, help them see the big story:

Creation > Fall > Redemption > Restoration

Show them that the Bible isn’t primarily a collection of moral lessons.

David isn’t simply teaching them to be brave. Daniel isn’t simply teaching them to stand up for what they believe. Joseph isn’t simply teaching them to forgive. These stories are part of God’s unfolding plan of redemption that ultimately finds its fulfillment in Jesus.

John 1:16 says:

“Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness.”

That’s where the story is headed.

Grace.

Jesus came not merely to give us a better example but to bring us salvation and reveal the glory of God.

Make This Practical at Home

This week, try something simple. Choose a familiar New Testament passage and look for its Old Testament connections.

• Read John 1:14 and then talk about the tabernacle in Exodus.
• Read about Jesus as the Lamb of God in John 1:29 and then read about Passover in Exodus 12.
• Read about Jesus as the Good Shepherd in John 10 and then read Psalm 23 or Ezekiel 34.

Ask your kids:

“What does the Old Testament help us understand about Jesus?”

You may be surprised by the conversations that follow.

Parents, your goal isn’t simply to help your children know more Bible facts. Your goal is to help them see the Bible’s story, and how every part of it ultimately points us to Jesus.

John 1:18 reminds us:

“No one has ever seen God. The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side—he has revealed him.”

Jesus is the revelation of God.

And one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is teaching them to read all of Scripture with their eyes fixed on Him.

Don’t skip the Old Testament. Teach your kids to see Jesus in the whole story of Scripture.