Did Jesus come to do away with the Old Testament writings?
Matthew 4 and verse 4, “But he answered and said, It is written ….”
Now here’s Jesus talking and He’s quoting the Old Testament of all things!
Quoting the Old Testament. And He says, “It is written, Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”
There was no Word of God except for the Old Testament, as far as the written word.
And here He’s quoting that. And He’s saying, Look, you had better live by every word
that has come from God. Every word. Talking specifically here about the Old Testament.
The Apostle Paul writing to a younger minister, Timothy. 2 Timothy 3:15
“And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures ….” From a child,
Timothy had known the holy scriptures, the Old Testament. “Which are able
to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
Something that can make you wise unto salvation.
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“The Old Testament was done away at the cross by Christ’s death.”
This is what most teach.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable”—all of it is profitable.
For what? “[F]or doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
Well that sounds pretty important towards salvation: instruction in righteousness, correction,
right doctrine. That’s what it’s there for. “[F]or instruction in righteousness,” verse 17,
“That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
Christ said, Well, why do you call me lord, lord, and do not the things that I say? Why do you
call me lord? See, why do you say you believe in me? Why do you say I’m your master?
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“Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints,
and of the household of God.” Now this is talking about the Church of course. “Fellowcitizens
with the saints, and [with] the household of God,” v 20, “And are built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.”
Now those prophets, that’s Old Testament. Those are the Old Testament writers. That’s the
foundation. If the Church is not built on that foundation, the writings of the prophets and the
apostles, then it’s not the Church of God. That’s the foundation upon which it’s built.
The true Church is built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets and Jesus
Christ Himself is the chief corner stone. And of course this was said to Gentile-born
Christians. This was predominately a Gentile congregation.
2 Peter 1:21 “For the prophecy came not in old,” this is in old time, talking about
the Old Testament. “The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man.”
That prophecy of the “old time” didn’t come “by the will of man:
but by holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
“But the word of the Eternal endures for ever.” God’s Word endures forever.
Do you know search, there are over 300 passages in the New Testament
that directly quote or paraphrase or refer to the Old Testament
John 5:39 This is Christ talking, “Search the scriptures.” Well, what scriptures is he
talking about? The only ones that were there is the Old Testament. Search scriptures
“for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
Christ said, Look, if you want to know who I am, you better go back and search the
scriptures. Search that Old Testament. Search the writings of those holy men.
Search that Word of God that endures forever.
“For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me.”
Because Christ believed in the Old Testament. Christ quoted the Old Testament. Christ
lived by those words. He lived by it and He told others, You better live by every word.
And He’s very clear here. He said, Look, if you don’t believe the writings of Moses,
how is it that you can believe my words? Pretty pointed question, isn’t it?
Luke 24: “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken.”
“O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
[26] Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
[27] And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all
the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
Christ, He expounded—He expounded beginning with the writings of Moses—right
there in Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy—beginning right
there and then going all the way through all of the other prophets, He expounded unto
them in all of the Scriptures. I mean how much more clear could it be?
Paul said that the Church is built on that foundation.