Judaism is the religion whose Scripture consists of the books Christians call the Old Testament. Jews do not accept the New Testament as Scripture.
Which religion?
The religion commonly described as believing “only in the Old Testament” is Judaism. That wording can be a bit Christian-centered, but it points to a real difference: Christians hold both the Old Testament and the New Testament as Scripture, while Judaism holds only the Hebrew Scriptures.
Tanakh and Old Testament
Judaism’s Bible is the Tanakh. The Tanakh contains essentially the same books as the Old Testament. This is why people sometimes say that Judaism uses the Old Testament: the collection of books Christians call the Old Testament corresponds to what Jews read as their Bible, the Tanakh.
New Testament not received
A defining distinction is that Judaism does not receive the New Testament as Scripture. Judaism also does not receive the New Testament’s claims about Jesus as the Messiah. For this reason, Judaism’s Scripture remains the Hebrew Scriptures (the Tanakh) rather than a two-part Bible that includes both testaments.
How Christians describe it
From a Christian perspective, the Bible includes two sections—Old Testament and New Testament. In that framework, Judaism is the religion that accepts the books Christians call the Old Testament but does not accept the New Testament. So, while Christians hold both testaments, Judaism holds only the Hebrew Scriptures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What religion believes only in the Old Testament?
Judaism. Jews receive the Tanakh as Scripture, which contains essentially the same books as the Old Testament, and they do not accept the New Testament as Scripture.
Is the Jewish Bible the same as the Old Testament?
The Jewish Bible is the Tanakh, and it contains essentially the same books as the Old Testament. That is why the two are often compared closely.
Do Jews accept the New Testament?
No. Judaism does not receive the New Testament as Scripture.
How does Judaism view Jesus in relation to the New Testament?
Judaism does not receive the New Testament or its claims about Jesus as the Messiah.
What do Christians and Jews hold in common and where do they differ?
They overlap in the Hebrew Scriptures: the Tanakh corresponds essentially to the books Christians call the Old Testament. They differ in that Christians hold both the Old Testament and the New Testament as Scripture, while Judaism does not accept the New Testament and holds only the Hebrew Scriptures.