Jesus Christ, attitude to OT

Jesus Christ's teaching was based largely on the OT, which he treated as God's inspired and authoritative word, but which he had the authority to interpret.

Jesus Christ recognises the OT as Scripture

Jesus Christ calls the OT ``Scripture''

John 10:35 See also Mark 12:10, Mark 12:24 parallel Matthew 22:29; Luke 4:21; John 5:39, John 7:38, John 13:18

If he called them gods to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken —

Jesus Christ underlines the authority of the OT

John 5:46–47

If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”

The OT is authoritative over Jesus Christ's opponents

Matthew 23:23 See also Matthew 5:19–20, Matthew 23:2–3; Mark 2:24–27 parallels Matthew 12:2–6, Luke 6:2–4

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

The OT is authoritative over Satan

Matthew 4:4 parallel Luke 4:4 See also Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:7 parallel Luke 4:12; Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:10 parallel Luke 4:8; Deuteronomy 6:13

But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Jesus Christ regards the OT as being fulfilled in himself

Jesus Christ regards his ministry as fulfilling the OT

Matthew 5:17–18 See also Matthew 11:4–6 parallel Luke 7:22–23; Matthew 26:56 parallel Mark 14:49; Luke 4:17–21; Isaiah 61:1–2; John 15:25; Psalm 35:19, Psalm 69:4

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. For I tell you truly, until heaven and earth pass away, not a single jot, not a stroke of a pen, will disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Jesus Christ regards his death as fulfilling OT prophecy

Luke 18:31–32 See also Matthew 12:39–40, Matthew 26:28 parallel Luke 22:20; Matthew 26:31 parallel Mark 14:27; Zechariah 13:7

Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.

Other aspects of the OT fulfilled or affirmed by Jesus Christ

Matthew 7:12, Matthew 11:10 parallel Luke 7:27; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 13:14–15 parallels Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10; Isaiah 6:9–10; Matthew 17:11–12 parallel Mark 9:12–13; Malachi 4:5; Matthew 24:15 parallels Mark 13:14, Luke 21:20; Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, Daniel 12:11

Jesus Christ confirms the OT teaching about judgment

Matthew 12:41–42 parallel Luke 11:30–32 See also Matthew 11:23 parallel Luke 10:12–15

The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and now One greater than Solomon is here.

Jesus Christ interprets OT teaching

Jesus Christ refers to the OT in his teaching

Matthew 19:18 parallels Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20; Exodus 20:12–16; Deuteronomy 5:16–20; Matthew 22:31–32 parallels Mark 12:26–27, Luke 20:37–38; Exodus 3:6; Matthew 24:37–39 parallel Luke 17:26–27

Jesus Christ uses the language of the OT

Matthew 27:46 parallel Mark 15:34; Psalm 22:1; Mark 4:29; Joel 3:13; Mark 8:18; Isaiah 6:10; Mark 9:48; Isaiah 66:24

Jesus Christ appeals to the OT in its entirety

Luke 11:50–51 The murders of Abel and Zechariah occur in the first (Genesis 4:8) and last (2 Chronicles 24:21) books of the Hebrew OT (Chronicles comes at the close of the OT according to the Hebrew arrangement). See also Luke 24:27, Luke 24:44 The Law, the Prophets and the Psalms are the three divisions of the Hebrew OT.

As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Jesus Christ treats the OT as a true historical record

The patriarchs: Matthew 8:11; John 8:56, John 8:58; Matthew 8:4 parallels Mark 1:44, Luke 5:14; Matthew 19:8 parallel Mark 10:5; Matthew 6:29 parallel Luke 12:27 Solomon; Matthew 5:12 parallel Luke 6:23; Luke 4:25–27; John 6:45