Our Basis of Fellowship (Part 1 of 0)

The New Testament Witness of the old – Part Two

In the last issue of the “Tidings”, we discussed the Bible’s claim of inspiration, particularly in respect to the Old Testament. The witness of the New Testament, however, is by far the most convincing, and compels the student of prophecy to accept all that is written in the Old Testament as divinely given.

The Witness of Jesus

The whole attitude of the Son of God was one of complete acceptance of all things written in the Scriptures. His seal of approval is found on many Old Testament records that have been relegated to he area of myths by many higher critics of modern theology. Following is a list Old Testament events and individuals which have received unqualified endorsement by Jesus:

  1. The flood: Matthew 24:37-39
  2. The work of Elijah and of Elisha: Luke 4:25-27
  3. Noah, Lot (and his wife), Sodom and Gomorrah: Luke 17:26:32; Matthew 11:21-24
  4. Jonah in the belly of the fish: Matthew 12:39-40
  5. Moses’ account of the creation of man: Matthew 19:3-6; Mark 10:6-9
  6. Abel: Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51

The constant appeal that Jesus made to the Old Testament Scriptures during His ministry stamps them as authoritative and conclusive. We are left with no other course to follow than that of complete acceptance of all which is written in the Old Testament from the very attitude displayed by Christ to it. “It is written”, and similar phrases used by Jesus in the following texts clearly display His high regard for the Jewish oracles:

  1. His temptation in the wilderness: Matthew 4:2-10
  2. Of John the Baptist: Matthew 11:10, 11
  3. The temple violators: Matthew 21:13
  4. Concerning His sufferings at Jeru­salem: Luke 18:31; Mark 9:12; 14:21
  5. To the two on the way to Emmaus after His resurrection: Luke 24: -25-27
  6. Concerning His divine descent: Matthew 22:42-45

Not only did Jesus endorse particular events and prophecies in the Old Testa­ment ‘writings, but His reference to and assertions regarding the Jewish oracles as a whole amply illustrate His acceptance of all that is written therein.

  1. Moses’ writings equated with the Word of God: Luke 16:29 (“They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.”); Luke 24:25-27 (“And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”); Mat­thew 22:24-29 (“Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures . . . have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying . . . ?”); Luke 24:44 (” . . . that all things must be fulfilled, which were writ­ten in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms con­cerning me.”)
  2. The Scriptures as a whole: John 10:35 (” . . . the scripture cannot be broken.”) ); Matthew 5:17,18 (“Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be ful­filled.”)

The Old Testament – The Backbone of the New

In addition to the witness Jesus Him­self, we have the testimonies of the apostles and other New Testament writ­ers, who show the same reverence and respect for the Jewish oracles.

Peter.. This apostle made many allu­sions to the Old Testament, recognizing that the present salvation has been the diligent search of the Old Testament prophets, as they foretold ” . . . before­hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow” (1 Peter 1:10-­12). In regard to the Old Testament in general, Peter declared: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of men: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20, 21).

Paul: The apostle to the Gentiles quo­ted more from the Old Testament than any other New Testament writer. In at least 93 instances, Paul made a direct quote from the Old Testament. His epis­tles are virtually filled with these, with­ out which they would collapse. In the 14th chapter of Romans alone there a 14 quotations. Before Felix, Paul confessed his unreserved acceptance of a things written in the Old Testament “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call here-self so worship I the God of my father believing all things written in the law and the prophets” (Acts 24:14).

Although confined to his house as a prisoner, Paul was allowed to have visitors to whom the apostle witnessed his belief and trust in the Old Testament oracles. “And when they had appointed him day, there came many into his lodging to whom he testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening” (Acts 28:23).

We are, of course, indebted to Paul for that classic statement found in his letter to Timothy, which so powerfully expresses the whole confidence of Christian trust:

“And that from a child thou has known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration on God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2nd Timothy 3 15-17).

James: The Lord’s brother, in his speech at the Jerusalem council, made use of the Old Testament prophets in the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. “And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things” (Acts 15:15-17)

In his epistle, James calls on the experience of Abraham and Rahab: James 2 1-25 : and of Job: James 5:11.

Jude: In his short letter, Jude menn­ons Moses, Cain, Balaam, Core and Enoch; the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. All in all there are 280 direct quotations from the Old Testament round in the New, some of which are known in the chart below: No of in N.T.

N.T. Book quoted or alluded to Times Books

Genesis ………………………………………… 19 in 9

Exodus ———————————— 24 in 24

Leviticus ———————————- 12 in 9

Numbers  ————————————— 9

Deuteronomy —————————- 26 in 13

Psalms’ ———————————- 59 in 12

Isaiah   ———————————– 50 in 11

Proverbs  ……………………… …………………………. 6 in 6

Zechariah ……………………   …………………………. 6 in 4

In addition to these, there are at least 76 allusions, more or less distinct.

In every instance they are alluded to by he writer or speaker to support, strengthen prove the thought being presented.

Never do we find an Old Testament quotation mentioned for the purpose of correcting or rejecting it! This is an extremely important point, for it displays he high regard for and complete accept­ance of these writings by the New Testa­ment authors as authentic and above criticism. The great import of the Old Testament Scriptures can be best appreciated if we should imagine deleting :hem completely from the New Testament. We would have nothing but an shell remaining! The temptations of  Jesus would leave the Lord without recourse, since all His answers to the temper were Old Testament quotations. There would be no answer to the Jews recorded in the frequent contests between them and the Lord Jesus. The brilliant and overwhelming force of the book of He­brews would be destroyed in its dynamic arguments concerning the superiority of the Melchisedec priesthood over that of the Levitical. Indeed, it is apparent that the New Testament either stands or falls With the Old. Accept one, and we are Compelled to accept the other.

Paul’s record of the risen Lord

The resurrection of Jesus Christ authenticated His claims to being the Messiah and the Son of God. This great event furthermore establishes beyond all ques­tion His authority to direct the writing of the New Testament Scriptures. The Apostle Paul in 1st Corinthians 15:3-8 bears testimony to the fact that there were over 500 brethren, most of whom were still alive when Paul wrote the letter, who had seen the risen Lord at one and the same time. Should Paul have been guilty of misrepresenting the facts, his letter would never have been accepted by the Corinthians as authentic. The alleged witnesses to the resurrection of Christ would immediately deny such proof, and the epistle would have been rejected as fraudulent. However, we have unassail­able proof that the epistle was received by the Corinthians as true and reliable, and was subsequently included in the canon of inspired writings. In Clement’s First let­ter dated 96 A.D., there are found sev­eral excerpts taken from 1st Corinthians. Clement describes Peter and Paul as out­standing examples of Christian disciple­ship in our generation”. In chapter 5, verses 1 through 6, Clement writes (in part) : “‘Let us take the noble examples of our own generation . . . Let us set before our eyes the noble apostles: Peter, who by reason of wicked jealousy, not only once or twice but frequently endured suffering . . . By reason of rivalry and contention Paul showed how to win the prize for patient endurance.”

Since Clement’s First letter to the Ec­clesia at Corinth was dated before the close of the first century and makes men­tion of certain apostles as heroes in their generation, and inasmuch as there are quotations from Paul’s First Epistle to the same community of believers, it is evident that 1st Corinthians was accepted as Scripture prior to that time. Paul’s letter, therefore, stands as an authentic and reliable witness to the resurrection of Jesus. It was the resurrected Lord who authored and directed the writing of the New Testament Scriptures, which, the Lord willing, will be the subject of our thoughts in the next issue of “Tidings”.