Jesus explained his identity and purpose using Old Testament scripture as reference and resource material. Here are some indicators.
In Luke’s account an occasion is mentioned which occurred soon after Christ’s resurrection from the grave. Jesus appeared to two disciples as they walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus, seven miles away. They had left Jerusalem unaware of the resurrection and they were discussing the horrors and the sadness that had transpired over the past several days.
They remembered some women who went to the tomb where Jesus’s body had been placed, returning to the other disciples and reporting that Jesus' body was no longer there. They recalled some disciples hurrying to verify this and to their astonishment they found the report to be accurate. At that moment in their conversation, coming up alongside them, Jesus gently interrupted their conversation with this remark, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
Then as he walked with them,
Then as he walked with them, employing the writings of Moses and other prophets in the Old Testament, explained details concerning himself that are found in those texts (Luke 24:25). It must have been an unusual third person type of explanation because still these two people were unaware it was Jesus walking and talking with them. It was only when they arrived at their destination and chose to invite him to join them for a meal and he accepted, that the lights came on. It was in that instant that he took bread from the table and blessed it and broke it, and handed it to them that they recognized him. And then he vanished. They said to each other things such as, “Weren’t our hearts strangely warm while he was speaking to us as we walked and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us.” The only scriptures there were, were Old Testament.
Then as he walked with them, employing the writings of Moses and other prophets in the Old Testament, explained details concerning himself that are found in those texts (Luke 24:25). It must have been an unusual third person type of explanation because still these two people were unaware it was Jesus walking and talking with them. It was only when they arrived at their destination and chose to invite him to join them for a meal and he accepted, that the lights came on. It was in that instant that he took bread from the table and blessed it and broke it, and handed it to them that they recognized him. And then he vanished. They said to each other things such as, “Weren’t our hearts strangely warm while he was speaking to us as we walked and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us.” The only scriptures there were, were Old Testament.
That Jesus himself supports the inspiration of Old Testament scripture may be the strongest support for this belief. He repeatedly referred to scripture in his teaching ministry, giving evidence that he believed it to be inspired and trustworthy and applicable. It follows naturally it seems to me, that faith in Jesus requires a response to the Old Testament that is consistent with his.
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