The band members include lead singer and lyricist J. Jackson, guitarist/keyboardist Bill Hubauer, bassist Keith Haynie, and drummer Jimmy "Vegas" Tanner. The band played its first concert as ApologetiX in 1992, and its 1000th in 2007. All of the band members grew up in and around Pittsburgh PA, and that is where they make their homes and attend church.
ApologetiX rewrites secular songs with (often comical) Christian lyrics. Some of their parodies include "Corinthians" (parody of "In the End" by Linkin Park), "Look Yourself" ("Lose Yourself" by Eminem), "Smooth Grandmama" ("Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm), "Smells Like Thirtysomething Spirit" ("Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana), and "Bethlehemian Rhapsody" ("Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen). Smooth Grandmama is considered to be their most well-known parody. While maintaining the integrity of fundamentalist "grannies," the song pokes fun at certain aspects.
ApologetiX gets their unusual name from the word apologetics, which means "the defense of the Christian faith." It is based on the Greek word for defense, apologia. The word is used in 1 Peter 3:15, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer (defense or "apologia") to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect..." (NIV). Their logo, a triquetra, is an ancient symbol of the Holy Trinity.
Visit their website for booking, concerts and contact them through email at www.apologetix.com.
Back In The New Testament
ApologetiX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Matthew 5:17, Galatians 3:24-25, 2 Timothy 3:16)
Ooh I finally finished readin' the O-L-D Hebrew Testament last night
All the way I prayed that God would have mercy
Man, I'm glad that we've got Christ
I'm back in the New Testament
You don't know what you got till it's gone, boy
Genesis was long -- I hardly noticed it
Gee, it didn't seem that long
Three weeks later on I'm stuck in Exodus
Wonderin' what the heck went wrong
I'm back in the New Testament
With Matthew, Mark, Luke and then John, boy
Acts of the Apostles, next the Epistles
Last the Apocalypse of John
Well, the Jewish laws came from God's own mouth
Please don't get me wrong
But God's own Son came to live 'em out
He told us that in Ma-ma-matthew 5 verse 17 all along
I'm back in the New Testament
We're only half done with this song, boy
Back in the New Testament
Well, you can't have Jesus Christ without
The Old Testament
The Law was given to point sin out
And lead us all to Christ - Galatians 3:24-25, my oh my
Moses' laws, the Psalms and Prophets they all count
Take them as your Daddy's word
Genesis through Malachi - I read them all
But admit that I prefer
To be back in the New Testament
You don't know what you got till it's gone, boy
Back in the New Testament
*NOTE: To get this song to rhyme correctly, whenever the word "Testament" appears in the chorus, you should pronounce it like this: "Test-a-MONT," so it sounds kind of French. Try it; it works! When the word appears in the verse, just pronounce it the regular way.
Matthew 5:17
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."
The song “Back in the New Testament” by ApologetiX is a parody of The Beatles’ song “Back in the U.S.S.R". The song is about a Christian who has just finished reading the Old Testament and is excited to begin reading the New Testament. The singer understands the importance of the Old Testament as the foundation for the New Testament, but still prefers the latter because of its emphasis on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
The song highlights the importance of Christ’s role in fulfilling the Jewish laws and prophecies. The singer acknowledges that the Jewish laws came from God, but believes that Christ came to live them out and bring us to a closer relationship with God. The song references a number of verses from both the Old and New Testaments, such as Genesis, Exodus, and Galatians 3:24-25.
The song encourages Christians to read and understand the entire Bible, including the Old Testament, but also emphasizes the joy and hope that come from studying the life and teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh I finally finished readin' the O-L-D Hebrew Testament last night
I spent a lot of time reading the Old Testament and finally finished it last night.
All the way I prayed that God would have mercy
I spent the entire time reading the Old Testament praying to God for mercy.
Man, I'm glad that we've got Christ
I am happy that Christ is present in the New Testament.
I'm back in the New Testament
I have now returned to reading the New Testament.
You don't know what you got till it's gone, boy
You don't realize how much you appreciate something until it's gone.
Genesis was long -- I hardly noticed it
Genesis was a long book and I didn't even realize how long it was.
Gee, it didn't seem that long
Despite the length, it didn't feel like it took that long to read Genesis.
Three weeks later on I'm stuck in Exodus
It took three weeks to finish Genesis and now I'm struggling through Exodus.
Wonderin' what the heck went wrong
I don't know why it's been so difficult to read through Exodus.
With Matthew, Mark, Luke and then John, boy
After Exodus, I am now reading the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Acts of the Apostles, next the Epistles
After the Gospels, I will be reading Acts of the Apostles and then the Epistles.
Last the Apocalypse of John
Finally, I will be reading the Apocalypse (Revelations) of John.
Well, the Jewish laws came from God's own mouth
The laws followed by Jews came directly from God.
But God's own Son came to live 'em out
Jesus came to live according to these Jewish laws.
He told us that in Ma-ma-matthew 5 verse 17 all along
Jesus explained this in Matthew 5:17, which I have known all along.
We're only half done with this song, boy
We are only halfway through this song.
Well, you can't have Jesus Christ without
It is impossible to have Jesus Christ without
The Old Testament
the Old Testament.
The Law was given to point sin out
The Law was given to highlight the presence of sin.
And lead us all to Christ - Galatians 3:24-25, my oh my
It is through the Law that we are led to Christ, as explained in Galatians 3:24-25.
Moses' laws, the Psalms and Prophets they all count
The laws of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets are all important.
Take them as your Daddy's word
Take these texts as the words of your father.
Genesis through Malachi - I read them all
I have read all of the books from Genesis to Malachi.
But admit that I prefer
However, I must admit that I prefer
To be back in the New Testament
to return to reading the New Testament.
Contributed by Eli B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SPIKE
on Love the Jews (Parody of "Love Me Do" By the Beatles)
AWESOME!