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Why would a lack of knowledge of the Old Testament weaken our understanding of the New Testament?
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A lack of knowledge of the OT can affect the understanding of the NT because they are one and the same. They are not standalone books by themselves, they both make up the Bible as a whole. There were 400 years of silence between the OT and the NT however, the need for both books is cohesiveness. The foundation of the NT is built in the OT and the comprehension of the OT is solidified by the new teachings of the NT and Jesus’ words, ministries, and teachings.
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As a Jew, Jesus studied and preached from the books of the Old Testament. Furthermore, Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
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We would lack the foundation, the history and the character development. It’s like walking into a movie half way through and trying to figure out what is going on. You would experience the conclusion but have no idea how truly great the whole movie was.
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The Old Testament lays the foundation for the need of a Savior and points to Jesus as the Messiah. Without it we would understand less about God and his purpose or that Jesus is the bedrock of those plans. We would also know less of Jesus because we wouldn’t fully appreciate the time and culture that he was born into.
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We would not understand the significance or purpose of Jesus’ coming. The cultural context and history of the Jewish people gives great insight into Jesus’ words and actions. For example, the sacrifices in the OT point to Jesus sacrifice on the cross.