Jesus & the Prophets – closing the commentary … (10/22/18)
In closing, while there are many additional references Jesus makes to “the prophets” in the Gospels (references that just as clearly illustrate his ministry’s primary goal of expanding the Jewish people’s adherence to the edicts of the Old Testament scriptures)1, the case has been soundly made that Jesus did not blindly support the texts of the Hebrew Bible as much as he encouraged others to transcend them in order to truly fulfill them; to live lives in harmony with his newer & better covenant (based in selfless service for others – see John 15:8-17 & Hebrews 8:8-13) instead of merely being legally obedient to the older covenant of the “Law & the prophets” (for one’s own benefit &/or salvation).
“I must proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other regions as well, for I was sent for that very purpose … Indeed, for this I was born and for this I came into the world: to testify to the Truth … Know that my teaching is not mine, but rather His who sent me … And know that whomever believes in me believes not in me but rather in Him who sent me … And on that day you will know that I am in the Father, and that you are in me, and that I am in you … Indeed, among all those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist, and yet even the very least of those in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he … And yet my yoke is easy and my burden is light … So if any of you wish to be my followers, simply deny yourself by taking up your cross daily, and then come and emulate me.” ~ Jesus Christ (Luke 4:43, John 18:37, John 7:16, John 14:20, Matthew 11:11, Matthew 11:30, & Luke 9:23)
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1 Consider: Jesus cites Psalm 6:8-9 in Matthew 7:23 … He recalls Hosea 6:6‘s “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” in Matthew 9:13 & Matthew 12:7 … The first plank of his two-part Gospel (that “the Kingdom of Heaven is already here at hand” – noted in Matthew 10:7) reflects numerous passages from Ezekiel 40 & Isaiah 40-55 … Matthew 10:26‘s “nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered” (referring to the deeper Truths of the Scriptures being hoarded & intentionally hidden by the priests & elders) alludes to the “hidden riches” of Isaiah 45:3 … The inter-familial discord Jesus mentions in Matthew 10:35-36 & Luke 12:52-53 recalls the similar conflicts noted in Micah 7:6 … The episode recalled by Jesus in Matthew 12:3 (also Mark 2:25-26 & Luke 6:3-4) directly refers to 1 Samuel 21:6 … The primary passage of Matthew 13:14-15 (also found in Mark 4:11-13 & Luke 8:10) directly cites to Isaiah 6:9-10 … As further evidence that Jesus felt the Psalms to be part of “the prophets,” he quotes Psalm 78:2 as the same in Matthew 13:34-35 (see also Mark 4:33-34) … Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:3 to his hypocritical religious adversaries in Matthew 15:7-9 (also Mark 7:6-7) … While not a traditional reference to “the prophets,” it is worth noting that Jesus alludes to both Genesis 1:27 & Genesis 2:24 in Matthew 19:4-6 & Mark 10:6-8 … Jesus specifically alludes to Jeremiah 32:17‘s “Nothing is too difficult for [God]” in Matthew 19:26 (also Mark 10:27 & Luke 18:27 – appropriately tied to John 14:20-26) … Jesus contrastingly conjoins Isaiah 56:7‘s “house of prayer” with Jeremiah 7:11‘s “den of thieves” in Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, & Luke 19:46 … He refers to Psalm 8:2‘s “out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants” in Matthew 21:16 (almost certainly hearkening back to the “toddlers” he lauded in Matthew 18:3-4) … Jesus summons up Isaiah 5:1-2‘s “vineyard watchtower” in Matthew 21:33, Mark 12:1, & Luke 20:9 … He uses the histories of Genesis 4:8 & 2 Chronicles 24:21-22 (admittedly also not officially recognized portions of “the prophets”) to lambast the scribes & Pharisees in Matthew 23:35 & Luke 11:51 … The “desolate house” & the “name of the LORD” mentioned in Matthew 23:38-39 & Luke 13:35 refer to Jeremiah 12:7, Jeremiah 22:5, & Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 118:26, respectively … Jesus strongly hints at Isaiah 51:16 in Matthew 24:35 … The massive destruction of Genesis 7:4 is recalled by Jesus in Matthew 24:37 … The “scattered sheep” of Zechariah 13:7 are pseudo-prophetically utilized by Jesus in Matthew 26:31 & Mark 14:27 … In Mark 8:18 Jesus hearkens his listeners back to Jeremiah 5:21 & Ezekiel 12:2 … Jesus employs the words of Isaiah 66:24 in Matthew 18:8 & Mark 9:44-48 (where he directly speaks of Gehenna – the ever-burning trash heap located just outside Jerusalem at the time) … In notable contrast to 1 Samuel 15:22 (where obedience to God is “better than sacrifice”), Jesus notes in Mark 12:33 that it is loving God by caring for one’s neighbor that is truly better than the same … Jesus alludes to the warnings of Jeremiah 29:8 in Mark 13:5 … The betrayals mentioned in Mark 13:12 & Luke 14:26 hearken back to those stated in Micah 7:6 … Jesus’ promise in Mark 13:31 confirms the same one proclaimed by Isaiah 40:8 … In the only time Jesus is seen publicly reading Scripture in the Bible in Luke 4:17-19, he cites Isaiah 61:1-2 (purposefully & fittingly omitting the “vengeance of our God” mentioned therein) … Just after that reading, Jesus potently alludes to the events of 1 Kings 17:1-9, 1 Kings 18:1-2, & 2 Kings 5:14 in Luke 4:25-27 … Luke 6:24‘s “woe to you who are wealthy” recalls Amos 6:1 … Jesus’ seemingly callous phrasing of Luke 10:4 is actually a reference to 2 Kings 4:29 … Jesus’ reference to the fall of Satan in Luke 10:18 alludes to similar descriptions provided by Isaiah 14:12-15 & Ezekiel 28:11-19 … Jesus’ call to humility in Luke 14:8 directly recalls the similar encouragement of Proverbs 25:6 … Isaiah 53:12‘s “and he was numbered with the transgressors” is directly mentioned by Jesus in Luke 22:37 … Jesus also explicitly refers to Isaiah 54:13 in John 6:45 (though the former mentions that “children” would be “taught by God” while the latter has Jesus proclaiming that everyone would be taught by Him) … Jesus overtly quotes from Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34 … Jesus’ mention of being purposefully “hated without a cause” in John 15:25 was a direct reflection of the same phrase in Psalm 35:19.
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