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Scriptures that Jesus Used

How did Jesus use Scripture? And how does this compare with how we use it? I have extracted references that Jesus made to Scripture, and analysed them. There are three pages:

This page lists (most of) the Scriptures that Jesus referred to during his life on Earth. It is intended for reference and to assist further analysis. It is very interesting to see the spread of Scriptures he referred to, mainly by word but some by action, the diversity of purposes for which he referred to them, and the variety of ways he used them.

Contents:

The Table of Scriptures

The list is in the form of a table, showing the Scripture, where Jesus used it, what purpose he seemed to have, etc. This version is in order of the Scriptures referred to, starting at Genesis and ending in Malachi (the order is that found in the Christian Bible, rather than the Jewish order). There is also a version in order of the Gospel books, and an analysis (the findings of which are summarised below.

The Table has the following columns:

Codes The OT Scripture Jesus' use To / with whom? Kind of argument Purpose
Law (Torah): Genesis - Deuteronomy
l0mm-5 5 books of Moses John 5:46, "Moses wrote about me" To opponents Generally Claim about self
l0bm-5 5 books of Moses. Crowd say "Has not Moses given us the law?" John 7:19 "Yes, but you do not keep it" To hostile crowd General To rebuke
l0dg05 Genesis 1:27 "He made them male and female" Matthew 19:4, Mark 10:6. In the beginning it was not like that: God made them male and femaile To Pharisees who asked him a question of law, maybe to test him A scriptural principle: statement of God's intention To bring questioner back to first principles
l0dg05 Genesis 2:24 "a man shall leave parents, cleave to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7-8. In the beginning it was not like that ... they shall become one flesh To Pharisees who asked him a question of law, maybe to test him A scriptural principle: statement of God's intention, which trumps Moses' law, which Pharisees used to defend divorce (v.4). To bring questioner back to first principles, as God intended
l2uj+5 Genesis Noah Matthew 24:37-40 "As in the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man To disciples Declaring a parallel Telling disciples what to expect
l1kc-5 Genesis re Abraham John 8:56 "Abraham rejoiced to see my day" To opponents Deduction from the character of Abraham? To defend himself and also to explain
l0bv-5 Genesis. "Patriarchs gave us circumcision" John 7:22 To hostile crowd Inference from event To show their inconsistency
l1ng-5 Exodus 3:6 "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob" Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:26 God said this; He is not God of the dead but of the living. To Sadducees who tried to trick him in argument Deducing from God's state3ment about himself (from a part of Scripture they would accept, Torah) . To challenge them to change their minds.
l2uj+5 Exodus. The Passover Matthew 26; Mark 14; Luke 22: Jesus celebrates Passover with his disciples, giving it new and prophetic meaning. To disciples Declaring a new and unexpected fulfilment Telling his disciples that they are linked with one of the main events in the Jews' history, and that that event points to this and is fulfilled by it.
l0dj+5 Exodus 12:24, Lv 24:20, Dt 19:21 Matthew 5:38 "Eye for Eye, but I tell you ..." To interested people Using a given command as springboard To stimulate to right mindset
l0ny+5 Exodus 20,12-15, Leviticus 19:18 Matthew 19:18-19, Mark 10:17-30, Luke 18:18-30, Jesus referred the rich young man to the commandments - interestingly, those commandments about relating to others, but not those that referred to God (I wonder why). Also Mark 10:19. To an interested inquirer Commandments To help the inquirer to see his true state (what he lacked).
l0bg-5 Exodus 20:12, Deut 5:16 "Honour your father and mother"; Exodus 21:17, Lev 20:9 "If anyone curses his father or mother he must be put to death" Mark 7:10 Scripture says "Honour your father and mother" and "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death" but you override that with money To Pharisees and Teachers of Law Giving examples of laws they override To show critics their hearts were not right
l0dj+5 Exodus 20:13 "Do not murder" Matthew 5:21 "You have heard it said ..., but I say ..." To interested people Using a given command as springboard To show people what is important to God: right attitude of heart
l0dj+5 Exodus 20:14 "Do not commit adultery" Matthew 5:27 "You have heard it said ..., but I say ..." To interested people Using a given command as springboard To show people what is important to God: right attitude of heart
l0bg-3 Leviticus 10:10 Caught in adultery, both the man and woman should be stoned. John 8:6-8, When Pharisees brought Jesus a woman caught in act of adultery, and asked whether she should be stoned as the Law requires, Jesus bent down and wrote in the dust. To Pharisees Maybe Jesus' act drew attention to what the Law actually said: man as well as woman. To rebuke, to show up hypocrisy?
l0dj+5 Lev 19:12, Num 30:2, Deut 23:21 "Keep oaths to God" Matthew 5:33 "You have heard ... but I tell you ..." To interested people Using a given command as springboard To show people what is important to God: right attitude of heart
l1dy05 Lev 19:18 "you shall love your neighbour as yourself", preceded by Deut 6:5 Matthew 22:37-39 Most important command is "Love the LORD your God" and second is "Love your neighbour as yourself" To Pharisees who tested him A direct answer to a direct question from the law To point the learned to what is really important to God, not only love for Him but also love for others, in context of answer their question.
l0dj+5 Lev 19:18, Dt 23:6 "Love your neighbour, hate your enemy" Matthew 5:43 "... But I tell you, love your enemy because God is like that." To interested people Using a given permission as springboard To stimulate people towards the heart of God
l0iy+5 Leviticus 14:2-32 Matthew 8:4, Luke 5:12-14 "Go and offer the sacrifice Moses ordered" To healed man Instructing from a command To ensure the man did things properly
l0uv+5 Moses lifted up snake John 3:14 To an interested leader (Nicodemus) Inference from event To explain
l?ng-2 Numbers 28:9-10 This tells what offering to make. Matthew 12:5 The priests desecrate the Sabbath and yet are OK. To opponents Arguing precedent from a law; showing surprising Scripture An inference from what the law permits, showing that one law might obviate (strict interpretation of) another.
l0dy05 Deut 6:4-5 "One Lord; love Him", followed by Leviticus 19:18 "Love neighbour" Matthew 22:37-39, Mark 12:29-30, Most important command is "Love the LORD your God" and second is "Love your neighbour as yourself" To Pharisees who tested him A direct answer to a direct question Replies directly to a question, rather than turning the question around; maybe he knew the questioner was genuine. He also emphasised the heart attitude rather than surface actions.
l0kg-5 Deut 6:13 "Worship only Yahweh" Matthew 4:10, Luke 4:8 "For it is written ..." To the Devil Arguing what to do from a given command To counter temptation to wrong worship.
l0kg-5 Deut 6:14 "Do not test the Lord" Matthew 4:7, Luke 4:12 "It is also written ..." To the Devil Arguing what to do from a given command To counter temptation to presumption.
l0kg-5 Deut 8:3 "Man does not live on bread alone, but on words from God" Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4 "It is written ..." To the Devil Arguing what to do from a given command To counter temptation to wrong values, priorities and thinking.
l0dr05 Deut 12:1-4 "Give divorced wife a certificate" Matthew 19:7-9 Why did Moses allow divorce? Because your hearts are hard. ... To Pharisees who asked a question of law To reveal the reality of situaton, from an event of law-giving To show questioners the reason behind a law
l0ky-5 Deut 17:6 "Testimony of two men is valid" John 8:17 To opponents (Pharisees) Apply specific law To defend himself
l0dj+5 Deut 24:1 "If a man ... writes a certificate of divorce ... he cannot remarry her" Matthew 5:31 "It has been said ... but I tell you ..." To interested people Interpretating a command To show people what is important to God: right attitude of heart
l2uy+5 Deut 29:4 / Jer 5:21, Ezek 12:2 "Though seeing you do not see" Matthew 13:13-15 "Though seeing they do not see ..." To disciples asking a question God's statement about the people To answer a question, showing parallel with OT
History: Joshua - Esther
h0kv-5 I Samuel . David got the priests to let his men have their special bread. Mark 2:25-26 See Matthew 12:3-4 To opponents Inducing from an event To defend his followers, by showing God (Scripture) is less strict than the opponents are.
h0kv-5 I Samuel 21:6. David got the priests to let his men have their special bread. Matthew 12:1-4, Mk 2, Luke 6:1-5. Disciples picking and eating corn on Sabbath. To Pharisee opponents Inducing from an event To defend his followers, by showing God (Scripture) is less strict than the opponents are.
h0nv-5 I Kings 10. Queen of South visited Solomon Matthew 12:39-44 The Queen of South will judge you because she sought God To opponents (Pharisees, Teachers of Law) who refuse to believe Inducing from an event To challenge opponents for attitude
h0nv05 I Kings 17:8-16 Luke 4:25-26 "No prophet is accepted in his home town; Elijah was sent to a foreigner" To surprised members of synagogue Inferred principle from event To challenge them to accept surprising ideas
h2-j01 II Kings 4. Elisha raises widow's son at Shunem. Luke 7:11-16 Jesus raises widow's son at Nain, about half an hour's walk from Shunem. With villagers. (I believe it likely that Jesus did not intend to make the link with Elisha, but God the Father did, and it 'happened' that as Jesus entered Nain, the funeral came out. The people made the connection, and thought Jesus as great prophet. I have found God sometimes acts in this way.) -
h0nv05 II Kings 5:1-14 Luke 4:27 "No prophet is accepted in his home town; Elisha healed a foreigner" To surprised members of synagogue Inferred principle from event To challenge them to accept surprising ideas
Writings: Job - Song
w1dg+3 Psa 24:3-4 "Who can ascend the hill of the Lord ... he who has ... a pure heart" Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God" To interested people Possible allusion to Scriptural principle To stimulate to right mindset
w1dy+3 Psa 37:11 "the meek will inherit the land" Matthew 5:5 The meek will inherit the earth To interested crowds State a Scriptural principle To stimulate to right mindset
w2?m04 Psalm 22:1 "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:41, Mark 15:34, Jesus cries while dying "Eloi, Eloi Lama Sabachtani" To the crowd A statement of pain that might be a prophecy. (a) to express his feeling of abandonment, (b) to direct listeners to the scripture that foretold this.
w2uy+5 Psalm 41:9 "He who shared my bread lifted up his heel against me" John 13:18 About betrayer To disciples Second application: Jesus seems to be taking a text already fulfilled in David's life and giving it second application to himself. To explain an event that will occur, so as to encourage
w2ey+5 Psalm 69:4 "Those who hate me without reason are many" (also Ps 35:19) John 15:25 "This is to fulfil that" To disciples Second application: David's complaint, giving it a second application To show that the current trouble is similar has meaning, by being a fulfilment of Scripture
w1nr-5 Psalm 82:6 "I said 'You are gods'" John 10:34 To opponents Show existence of unexpected statement To explain his claim, And to challenge their inconsistency
w2rg-5 Psalm 8:2 "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise" Matthew 21:16 The young proclaimed Jesus. Criticism. Then "Have you never read 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" To critics (Chief Priests and Teachers of Law) A statement about God doing unusual things To show how God can break our assumptions, and possibly also to defend himself.
w0nr-5 Psalm 110 "The LORD said to my lord, 'sit on throne until your enemies are under your feet'" Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36 "The LORD said to my lord ..." To Pharisees A messianic prophecy To reveal to the intelligentsia that they had paradoxes to answer, and to get them thinking in new ways about Messiah.
w0rg-5 Psalm 118:22-23 "The stone which the builders rejected has become the capstone; this is God's doing, marvellous" Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11 Have you never read 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone'? To chief priests and elders of the people, when they questioned by what authority Jesus acted. A messianic psalm (whether the people of the time would have seen this as messianic, I cannot find out) To show that (with the Messiah) God does surprising things; to challenged them to think and recognise.
Prophets: Isaiah - Malachi
p2uy+5 Isaiah 6:9-10 "The hearts of the people have calloused" Matthew 13:14-15, Mark 4:12 "I speak in parables because / so that 'they might hear but not understand'" To disciples, who asked Jesus why he used parables Applying God's statement about the people To answer a question; to show situation like Isaiah faced
p0uy+5 Isaiah 13:10 "The stars will not give their light, the sun will be darkened"; also ~ Isa 34:4 Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24-25 The sun will grow dark, stars will fall To disciples Applying a prophecy Telling disciples what to expect
p2by-5 Isaiah 29:13 "These people honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me" Matthew 15:8-9, Mark 7:6-7 "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites ..." To Pharisees and Teachers of Law who criticised disciples for not washing Applying God's statement about the people To defend his disciples, but also to challenge critics to see their spiritual state and the root of their problem.
p0my+5 Isaiah 34:5-6; 61 "The blind receive their sight" etc. Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:22 To John the Baptist's followers Applying a messianic prophecy To point to evidence that will stimulate faith, in lieu of direct answer.
p1dc+3 Isaiah 55:1-2 "Come, all you who are thirsty ..." Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; Luke 6: "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied." To interested crowds Possible allusion to Scriptural principle, but there is no mention of 'righteousness' in Isaiah To stimulate to right mindset
p1dc+3 Isaiah 55:1-2 "Come, all you who are thirsty ..." Luke 6: "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied." To interested crowds Inferring from the character of God To encourage them
p1bg-5 Isaiah 56:7 "My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations", also Jer 7:11 Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:17, Jesus cites two scriptures as he upsets the money tables that were in the Place for Gentiles. To people involved in a corrupt system God's statement about His temple To show how the what God intended (and how system had departed from that).
p1uy03 Isaiah 58:11 "You will be a well-watered garden, a spring that never fails" John 7:38-39 Streams of living water shall flow from him To worshipers in Temple Apply a prophecy To explain and encourage
p0um05 Isaiah 61:1-2 "the Lord has anointed me ... to comfort all who mourn" Luke 4:18-19 Jesus chose and read this, said "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" To members in synagogue Apply a Messianic prophecy To announce a prophetic era, and probably who he was
p1dg+5 Isaiah 61:1-2 "the Lord has anointed me ... to comfort all who mourn" Matthew 5:4, Luke 6:21 Those who mourn will be comforted; Blessed are you who weep nor, for you will laugh. To interested crowds Possible allusion to Scriptural principle To stimulate to right mindset, possibly to announce a prophetic era
p0sg+5 Isaiah 66:24 "those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die ..." Mark 9:48 "Better to lose an eye than be thrown into hell 'where their worm does not die ...'". Also Matthew 25:41 To disciples Arguing from general description To urge disciples to take it seriously
p2by-5 Jeremiah 7:11 "Has my house become a den of robbers!", preceded by Isaiah 56:7 Matthew 21:12-13 Jesus cites two scriptures as he upsets the money tables that were in the Place for Gentiles. To people involved in a corrupt system God's statement about His temple To show the way in which the system had departed from God's intentions.
p0sy-4 Jeremiah 17:13 "Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust, for they have forsaken the LORD the spring of living water." John 8:6-8, When Pharisees brought Jesus a woman caught in act of adultery, and asked whether she should be stoned as the Law requires (Lv 10:10), Jesus bent down and wrote in the dust. To Pharisees Action not word, applying the Scripture, maybe drawing attention to "It is written" that they should have brought the man too (Lv 10:10). (This assumes Jesus was aware of this verse when he acted.) To rebuke, to show up hypocrisy? To defend the woman?
p0fm-4 Ezekiel 34:1-16 The self-serving shepherds of Israel; Yahweh will be their shepherd John 10:11,14-15 "I am the good shepherd; I lay down my life for the sheep" To critics Claim fulfilment of a prophecy To make his claim and to challenge his critics
p1um+3 Daniel 7:13 "Son of man" John 1:51 To new disciples A label To explain current situation (himself)
p1nm03 Daniel 7:13 'Son of Man' John 6:27,40 To ordinary people A label To challenge them to think
p1mm-5 Daniel 7:13 Mark 14:62 "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at right of Mighty One and coming with clouds" To those trying him, judging him Applying a prophecy Jesus spontaneously quoted this to tell them his authority, and maybe to shock them.
p0em+5 Daniel 7:13-14 "like a son of man, coming in the clouds, approaching God, given authority, being worshipped" Matthew 16:27 Mark 13:26 "You will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with power and glory" To disciples Claim a prophecy To encourage, claim and give understanding
p0iy+5 Daniel 9,11,12 about the 'abomination of desolation' Matthew 24:15 "When you see the 'abomination of desolation' ..." To disciples Applying a prophecy To instruct his disciples what to do
p1ng-5 Hosea 6:6 "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" Matthew 9:13 "Learn what it means ..." To Pharisees criticising him for eating with sinners Applying a statement by God about what he desires To challenge those who were apt to condemn others, to take a different attitude, more like God's attitude.
p1bg-5 Hosea 6:6 "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" Matthew 12:7 "If you had known what this means, you would not have condemned the innocent" To Pharisees criticising his followers for eating without washing hands A statement by God of what is important to him To defend his followers and rebuke those who criticise them.
p2bv-5 Jonah Matthew 16:4 "A wicked generation seeks signs, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. c.f. Mt. 12:39 (different people) To Pharisees and Sadducees who asked for a sign Giving an event a second application To rebuke their attitude to miracles and understanding the times.
p2bv-5 Jonah, in fish Matthew 12:39-44 "No sign will be given except resurrection" c.f. Mt 16:4 To Pharisees, Teachers of Law who wanted a sign Event with a second application To rebuke for wrong attitude
p0nv-5 Jonah, people of Nineveh repented Matthew 12:39-44 Ninevehians will judge you because they believed the prophet To opponents (Pharisees, Teachers of Law) who refuse to believe Inducing from an event To challenge opponents for attitude
p2ey+5 Micah 6:7 about conflict Matthew 10:35-6 "I have come to turn 'a man against his father ...'" To disciples who were being sent out A claim to fulfil, and justify his strong message
p0my04 Zechariah 9:9. "Your king comes on a donkey" Matthew 21:5, John 12:15 Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. To the public Apply a Messianic prophecy by deed rather than word. Possibly to show who he was
p2uy+5 Zechariah 13:7 "I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered" Matthew 26:31, Mark 14:27 "You will abandon me" To disciples Applying a prophecy Telling disciples what to expect, and possibly to challenge their self-confidence
p0fy05 Malachi 3:1 Matthew 11:10; Luke 7:27 John the Baptist is spoken of in the prophets as precursor To people Applying messianic prophecy To honour John, and perhaps also to set people thinking about himself.
p0ug+5 Malachi 4:6 "I will send Elijah" Matthew 17:10-11, Mark 9:12-13 Yes, Elijah must come first, then I'll suffer To disciples, asking question Claiming a prophecy To answer disciples' question, but also to show them the eschatalogical meaning of the situation they were in.
a0um+5 all Matthew 5:17-18 "I have not come to abolish the Law and Prophets, but to fulfil them; not one piece will pass away" To interested people About entire Law and Prophets as bodies To correct misunderstanding
a0mm-5 LPW All Scriptures John 5:40 To opponents Generally Claim about self
?0fy*5 John 17:12 "only the son of destruction has been lost, so that Scripture may be fulfilled" To God ? To show that events were fulfilling prophecy
??ug+5 Mark 9:12 "Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected ..." To disciples ? To show them what will occur

See also: Table in order of Gospel Books.

See also: Analysis of How Jesus Used the Scriptures.

Description of Table

Please note the following:

1: I include only Scriptures that Jesus himself used or referred to deliberately. I do not include those where the gospel writers are commenting on Jesus' fulfilment of them (e.g. John 19:24, where the soldiers casting lots for Jesus' clothes is seen as fulfilling Psalm 22, but Jesus does not say so). However, where it also seems likely that Jesus was aware of fulfilling them, as in riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, it is included.

2: Mostly, Jesus referred to the Scripture in words, often citing it directly, sometimes speaking similar words. But I also include a few times where what Jesus did seems to refer clearly to a Scripture; an example is when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, obviously fulfilling the prophecy about it.

3: If the same Scripture is referred to in two different gospels, if it is the same incident, I put them together, but if they seem to be different incidents, or they seem to have different purposes or contexts, then I treat them separately.

4. I read the accounts in the gospels 'as written', as accounts by honest people to various readerships. I do not subscribe to the speculative hypotheses that they were written for purposes of power, politics or polemic, hiding what was inconvenient or bigging up what supported their views.

5: The entries in the Table contain the following information:

6: I sense that, nearly every time Jesus uses a Scripture to defend himself, it was not just to defend himself or argue with them, but to challenge them, giving them a basis they could reasonably accept on which to change their minds. To those who would know the Scripture, i.e. those educated.

I may have missed some references, and also duplicated some others; I crave your pardon; use your common sense.

Codes

The codes in column 1 are like "l1kc-5". They are there to assist sorting and analysis. They are six characters (positions 1 - 6), each of which has a different meaning, and each of which can have certain values, as follows:


ANALYSIS

For full analysis, see Analysis of Jesus' Use of Scripture. The following summarises some of the findings:

With Whom Jesus Used Scripture: Scriptures were used by Jesus equally towards those positive and negatively disposed (around 40% each), and about half that for those neutral. The latter were usually the crowds, and perhaps with them, Jesus gave direct teaching rather than Scripture-based.

How Jesus Took Scripture: In the majority of uses of Scripture, Jesus took it as it was written, without expansion or second meaning, though he might have used it to deepen or challenge people to new thinking. 'Second meaning' refers to the Jewish idea that Scripture can have multiple interpretations; for example, a prophecy might refer to something at the time of the prophet, but also to something in Jesus' life or times. The degree to which Scripture was taken as is, expanded or given second meaning, seems not to correlate with whether he was addressing those positive, negative or neutral to him.

About Purposes of Using Scripture: Jesus used Scripture for a wide range of purposes, from giving understanding to challenging, rebuking or defending against attack. He seems to have tried to give understanding mainly for those positively disposed to him (his disciples). As expected, he would used Scripture to rebuke and defend against attack with opponents. What is interesting is that he used Scripture to deepen a perspective with those postively disposed to him, while he challenged to new ways of seeing things mainly with those negatively disposed.

Ways Jesus Used Scripture: It is interesting the variety of ways Jesus used Scripture and the kinds of reasoning he employed. With those positively disposed to him, Jesus might simply apply Scripture, or use a Scripture as a starting point for other thoughts; that might be expected, because those people would be willing to listen. With those negatively disposed to him, Jesus seemed to use stronger kinds of logic, such as deducing something from a generic Scripture and induction from events. Again, perhaps that is to be expected. But it perhaps casts doubt on the way we use Scripture.

For full analysis, see Analysis of Jesus' Use of Scripture. The following summarises some of the findings:



This page is offered to God as on-going work. Comments, queries welcome.

Copyright (c) Andrew Basden at all dates below. But you may use this material subject to certain conditions.

Part of his www.abxn.org pages, that open up discussion and exploration from a Christian ('xn') perspective. Written on the Amiga with Protext.

Created: 6 July 2015. Last updated: 7 July 2015. 12 July 2015 better intro, links, description moved after table. 16 August 2015 Ezek 34:1-16; added re codes. 11 July 2016 Mk 10 God's intention trumps Moses' law.