A Study of How Jesus Uses Scripture

 

Four stipulations or principles:
Pre-resurrection vs. Post-resurrection?
Is he speaking to Jews, to Gentiles, or to all creation?
That Jesus is the Living Word, the author of all scripture.
4. The best source for understanding the Author’s meaning is the Author himself!

Our Roadmap

Day 1: How Jesus uses scripture to identify himself in the Messianic Jewish tradition. [8-11]
Day 2. How Jesus uses scripture to correct theological error. [8-13]
Day 3. How Jesus uses scripture in spiritual warfare. [8-18]
Day 4. How Jesus uses scripture to heal, inspire, and grow His church. [8-20]

Jesus and Scripture

In the four gospels, Jesus makes “nearly 60” direct quotations from the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament.

The number of allusions or references to the Old Testament is at least twice that number.

Source: “Jesus and the Scriptures” by Steve Moyise,
C 2010 Baker Academic Publishing

Breakdown:

Pentateuch: 21 direct scriptural quotations
The Writings: 16 “ “ “
The Prophets: 15 “ “ “

Total = 52? ///

How Jesus Uses Scripture to Correct Theological Error – Scribes & Pharisees

Example 1: Mercy Toward Sinners
Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 7:5-13
“And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?

Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 7:5-13
“But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Example 1: Mercy Toward Sinners

Hosea 6:4 – 7
4O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
5Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.” ///

Example 2: Seeking a Sign

Matthew 12:38-42 KJV, Matthew 16:1, Luke 11:29,

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth…”

Matthew Henry’s commentary: “They desired a sign of their own choosing. They despised those signs which relieved the necessity of the sick and sorrowful, and called for something else which would gratify the curiosity of the proud. It is great hypocrisy, when we slight the signs of God's ordaining, to seek for signs of our own devising.”

///

Example 3: Rebuking the Money-Changers

Matthew 21:13-16; Luke 19:45-47; John 2:13-16

“13 And He said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”

Example 3: Rebuking the Money-Changers

Isaiah 56:7 “…my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” [Read?]
Psalm 8:2:
“Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.” [NIV] ///

Example 4: Handwashing & Rituals

Matthew 15:1-9, Mark 7:5-13, Luke 11:38
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 6 And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 6 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Isaiah 29:13
“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” [NIV] ///

Example 5: Divorce

Matthew 19:3-9 KJV, Mark 10:2-9, Luke 16:18,

“And He answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 

Genesis 2:24
“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” ///

Example 6: Jesus Sovereign Authority

Matthew 21:42-46 KJV, Mark 11.17

“Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”

Psalm 118:20-24

20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. ///

Applications:

We must know and study ALL of Scripture, in order to share and defend it.
The more someone thinks they know about Scripture, the more you will tend to find yourself referencing Scripture in order to defend your own practices and beliefs.
The theological rebuke of Christ was always an invitation to learn.
“Scribes” or experts often cherry pick, emphasizing one dimension of God’s Word at the expense of another.”
Sometimes all that’s needed is to speak Scripture. ///

Our Roadmap

1. How Jesus uses scripture to identify himself in the Messianic Jewish tradition. [8-11]
2. How Jesus uses scripture to correct theological error. [8-13]
3. How Jesus uses scripture in spiritual warfare. [8-18]
4. How Jesus uses scripture to heal, inspire, and grow His church. [8-20]

Our Roadmap

1. How Jesus uses scripture to identify himself in the Messianic Jewish tradition. [8-11]
2. How Jesus uses scripture to correct theological error. [8-13]
3. How Jesus uses scripture in spiritual warfare. [8-18]
4. How Jesus uses scripture to heal, inspire, and grow His church. [8-20]

Closing Scripture:

Psalm 19: 7-9

8 The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
9 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
10 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.