Jesus’ View of Scripture

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Is the Bible a mere curiosity piece of superb, ancient literature? Is it an irrelevant document, good for its contemporaries, but now a mere relic without modern use or application? If we could sit down with Jesus and interview Him about the Bible, what would He say to us? Would His evaluation of it make any difference? A personal interview is impossible, we can do the next-best thing—read what He said about it in the Gospel records.

The Bible He had was the Old Testament, but he came as “the mediator of a better covenant”— the New Testament (Heb. 8:6). We correctly infer that His evaluation of the New would not differ from that of the Old. How did Jesus view the Bible?

• The Bible is authoritative. In His wilderness temptations, He met and answered each one with Scripture (Mat. 4:4, 7, 10). He declared that the smallest marking (of the Old Testament) text would not disappear until He fulfilled it all (5:17–19). He called a statement in the Psalms “law,” and said “the scripture cannot be broken” (Psa. 82:6; John 10:34–35).  
• The Bible Is of Divine Origin. Critics, many claiming to be its friends and defenders, say it is a collection of myths and traditions, filled with errors and forgeries—a mere product of literary evolution. Jesus had full confidence in the historical accuracy of the Bible, as seen in references to Solomon’s riches (Mat. 6:29), the destruction of Sodom (11:23–24), David’s eating the shew bread (12:3), Jonah’s being swallowed by the great fish (v. 40), the meeting between the Queen of Sheba and Solomon (v. 42), and many others. He said that all things written in the Old Testament must be fulfilled concerning Him (Luke 24:44). His every statement about Scripture indicates absolute confidence in every word as revealed by God, not merely written or collected by men.
• Jesus read the Bible. He regularly attended the synagogue, and He sometimes read publicly (Luke 4:16–21). He expounded Scripture from beginning to end to the apostles (24:27). The Gospel accounts quote more than 400 Old Testament passages, most of which He quoted and applied. Í
• Jesus commended the Bible. “Keep the commandments” (Mat. 19:17). “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures” (22: 29). Do what the law commands (23:2–3). “This do, and thou shalt live” (Luke 10:28).

Those who have Jesus’ view of the Bible accept it as the authoritative, God-inspired Word. They are pleased to read and obey it, following His perfect example.

[Note: I wrote this article for and it was published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, Denton, TX, February 19, 2016.]

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