Why Study the Whole Bible? (Jesus and the Old Testament)

Today believers can look back and see Christ depicted in many Old Testament themes. But the Jews of Jesus’ day did not understand the whole view. For some, the idea that Jesus came to fulfill the Old Testament Law and the Prophets was long-awaited news. But for others, it was blasphemy!

The scribes’ and Pharisees outward righteousness consisted of conformity to the Mosaic Law. But believers are made righteous based on Christ’s righteousness. Obtained by faith (Rom. 3:21–22), Christ’s righteousness enables believers to live righteously (Rom. 8:2–5).

By preaching the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7), Jesus appeared as a second Moses (Deut. 18:15; John 1:45). God gave Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Ex. 20). Moses then gave the Law to the people. In the people’s minds, no authority was greater than Moses. The people accepted rabbis as chief interpreters of this Law (Matt. 23:1–2; John 9:28). However, when Jesus taught, He claimed an authority that did not come from the religious establishment. He asserted His own authority over the rabbis: “But I tell you . . . “ (Matt. 5:22, 28, 32, 34, 39, 44). Jesus’ teachings angered the religious leaders (Matt. 12:14; John 7:23), which confused the people (Matt. 7:28–29). In Matthew 5:17–20, Jesus explained His viewpoint on the Law. He made a clear statement about His authority related to Old Testament Scripture.

This passage of Scripture is important for believers to understand because it helps develop a comprehensive view of Scripture with Jesus Christ at the center. The passage teaches that Jesus is God and Savior, and He alone fulfills [the Law and the Prophets]. Jesus established this fact by saying, “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” (Matt. 5:17). Jesus’ statement about the Law and the Prophets refers to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Law), as well as all of the rest of the Old Testament. In other words, Jesus said He came to fulfill the entire Old Testament. So how does Jesus’ fulfillment of the Old Testament establish the truth that Jesus is God and Savior? Jesus fulfilled specific prophecies of the Old Testament, proving that He indeed was the Messiah.  

The first Messianic prophecy came shortly after the Fall of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 3:15, God told the serpent (Satan) that the Seed of the woman would crush his head, though the serpent would strike His heel. This prophecy foreshadowed Satan’s defeat and Christ’s victory through His death and Resurrection. Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14) and that He would be God (Isa. 9:6). The Book of Isaiah also depicts the Messiah as the Suffering Servant (Isa. 52:13–53:12) who would bear the weight of our sins (Isa. 53:4–5). In Daniel’s vision he saw one who was like a “son of man” (a human being) who was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him.” Daniel further wrote that His dominion will never pass away and that His Kingdom will never be destroyed (Dan. 7:13–14). Micah foretold of the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2–4).

Because Jesus is God, He is the completely holy, righteous Creator of all things seen and unseen. And because He is Savior, He has redeemed His fallen creation. He became the righteousness humanity could never achieve. He set the standard. Then He fulfilled it for all humanity. If believers do not understand the Old Testament with Christ as its fulfillment in the New Testament, they will not fully understand the magnitude of grace available in Christ.

This passage also touches on other key truths: The Bible is God's Word and Salvation is by Faith Alone.

Matthew 5:17 Jesus emphatically approved the Scriptures. He said He did not come to “abolish the Law or the Prophets” (v. 17). The Law referred to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, known collectively as the Pentateuch. The Prophets included all the remaining books that make up the Old Testament. Jesus distinguished Himself from the Samaritan religious sect. They rejected the prophets as authoritative. The Samaritans relied solely upon their own version of the Law of Moses (John 4:22). But Jesus went far beyond mere approval of the Jewish Scriptures. He daringly declared He had come “to fulfill them.”

God gave the Law to His people 430 years after He first made His covenant with Abraham (Gal. 3:17). His people lived in sin. They could not enjoy a right relationship with Him because of their sin. The Law revealed God’s holiness. It was not intended to provide the way of salvation. Its purpose was not to set aside or take the place of the covenant God made with His people. The purpose of the Law was “to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law” (Gal. 3:24–25).

Jesus fulfilled the Law. He accomplished its purpose—He lived a completely sinless life. But He also surpassed the Law. He fulfilled the Law to overflowing, achieving its goal. He embodied the Law’s standard of righteousness as the perfect, one-time sacrifice for our sins.

Jesus claimed an authority greater than the former teachings. In Matthew 21–24 He contrasted the former things (“You have heard that it was said . . .”) with His own teaching (“But I tell you . . .”). The Pharisees particularly observed the letter of the Law (Matt. 23:23; John 7:23). But Jesus recognized that by doing so, the Pharisees did not always keep the Law’s spiritual purposes (Matt. 12:1–14; Luke 13:10–17; John 9:14–16).

Matthew 5:18 Jesus further affirmed the Law’s authority. The Law’s smallest details would be accomplished. The “smallest letter” and the “least stroke of a pen” translate literally in Greek “iota” and “one tittle of a letter.” Jesus emphasized the Law would not fall short in its smallest aspect. Even earth and heaven will pass away first.

The Old Testament contains foreshadowing images and prophecies. Jesus brought all of them to realization (Luke 24:44; Col. 2:16–17). His crucifixion supplied the perfect sacrifice. It achieved salvation for those who repent and believe in Him. The need for animal sacrifices under the old covenant was set aside because of Christ’s superior sacrifice (Heb. 10:1–14). Only His blood could remove sin forever in God’s eyes.

Matthew 5:19 Jesus continued to elevate the Law. He tied observance of the Law to a person’s status within the Kingdom. He gave a warning to any teacher who would lead others to break or neglect God’s Law. The teachers He referred to included members of the Kingdom who follow Him. Christians who fail to lead others “in paths of righteousness” (Ps. 23:3) lose their influence in the Kingdom.

Jesus also had in mind the corrupt religious leaders of the day who were outside the Kingdom. He specifically referred to them in verse 20. By example the ruling Pharisees misled people regarding the nature of true righteousness (Mark 12:38–40).

Matthew 5:20 The righteousness of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law was not enough. They would not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven this way. They believed they themselves set the standard of righteousness as Abraham’s descendants (Matt. 15:1–6; John 8:31–41).

The Apostle Paul was a Pharisee. He acknowledged that no one exceeded the Pharisees in strict observance of the Law (Acts 26:1–3). If the righteousness of the Pharisees was deficient, how could anyone possibly enter into the Kingdom? Further, Jesus condemned the Pharisees. He said they hindered others’ entrance into the Kingdom: “You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces” (Matt. 23:13).

Jesus’ controversy with His opponents was both political and theological. If the people followed Jesus' teaching, the religious leaders would lose their power over the people. The Pharisees had a different understanding of how to receive God’s righteousness. They did recognize the Old Testament ideas of grace and mercy. But the Pharisees also relied on their Jewish heritage as the children of Abraham (Matt. 3:7–12) and their strict observance of the Mosaic Law (Gal. 2:21).

As the Messiah, Jesus completed the salvation promises made to Abraham (John 8:56–58; Gal. 3:16). The Law and Prophets testify to Jesus as Lord (John 5:39–40). Jesus said the Pharisees had an incorrect understanding of salvation. They thought salvation relied on their interpretation of the Scriptures. But a true understanding of the Scriptures would lead them to Jesus. Because Jesus is the Christ, salvation exists in Him alone. The Apostle Paul explained that salvation was not based on the Law. Salvation is not about any code of conduct. All people are sinners by nature. No one can perfectly observe any moral code. God’s grace is the only way people can be made righteous. When people repent from their sins, God credits Christ’s righteousness to them (Rom. 3:21–22). God set salvation in motion through His covenant with Abraham and his descendants. Christ fulfilled the covenant’s promise.

The Old Testament is not a series of ancient, outdated history lessons. The Law and the Prophets point toward Jesus’ arrival as the true Messiah. The Old Testament offers a witness to Jesus as the long-awaited Savior. It lays the groundwork for the salvation available to those who believe in Jesus. Through studying the Old Testament we learn about God’s character. But we also learn about God’s Son and the future made available through a relationship with Him.

We live in a culture where secularists claim there are no moral absolutes. Even the Ten Commandments have been rejected as a standard moral compass. This leaves each person to rely on his or her own imagination to decide right from wrong. As a result, the culture resembles a shifting sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Christians, however, have a firm foundation to live by and to determine right from wrong. Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecies made hundreds of years before His arrival helps us see that God is powerful and sovereign over all things. As a result, His Word is trustworthy and useful in the decisions we make each day. His Word provides direction and stability for every person.