The Book Jesus Trusted

If we look closely at the recorded words of Jesus, and especially in the 1 in every 10 that are quotations from the Old Testament, we can see that the Bible was Christ's Book that He constantly relied upon.

Jesus built His life and ministry upon the foundation of this Book that He believed was FLAWLESS from Genesis to Malachi. The words of our Lord Jesus were filled with the Scriptures. Jesus used this Book at all times in His ministry. Some key places He used them are:

In His Temptation: In Matthew 4, Jesus met and overcame Satan in the Wilderness of Temptation using three verses from Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 8:3; Deuteronomy 6:16; Deuteronomy 6:13).

In His Following God's Will: In Matthew 4, Jesus goes on and launched His ministry by saying that He was following what God has said He would do (Matthew 4:16 quotes Isaiah 9:1-2).

In His Teachings: In Matthew 5, Jesus used Old Testament passages to teach the truths of the Sermon on the Mount (for example: Matthew 5:21 is Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17; Matthew 5:27 is Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 5:8; Matthew 5:38 is Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21; and so on).

In His Sorrows: In Matthew 26, to prepare for Gethsemane, Jesus sang from the Scriptures at the Last Supper with His disciples. (Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 use the greek word #5214 humneo) which means they were literally singing the paschal hymns of Psalms 113-118, and 136. These Psalms are what the Jews called the "great Hallel."

In His Prayers: After the Passover Supper, Jesus walked and prayed His mighty intercession of John 17, and to do so He uses the Scriptures of Psalms 41:9.

In His Pains: In Matthew 27, to endure the horrors of Golgotha, Jesus had the words of the Scriptures flowing from His lips on the Cross (Matthew 27:46 and Luke 23:46 quote Psalms 22:1 and Psalms 34:5).

In His Discipleship: And finally we see at the end of the Gospel account, to comfort the confused and sorrowful disciples in Luke 24:44, Jesus reminds them that the Scriptures often speak of Him. And then opens their minds to understand and see Him in the Scriptures.

So, by observation we can clearly see that Jesus was a Man of this Book, He used it, trusted and affirmed it, and taught us the same.

Dr. John S. Barnett of discover the book ministry has served as pastor for 31 years in 3 congregations and has systematically studied and taught God's Word daily for over 30 years.