How the NT authors used the OT scriptures
How the NT authors used the OT scriptures [∞]
After encountering Jesus on the road to Emmaus, the men returned to Jerusalem, eager to share what He had revealed—that all Scripture testified of Him. Reflecting on His teachings, they realized He had been showing them these truths all along, yet they had neither understood nor remembered. At Pentecost, Jesus sent them the Holy Spirit to remind them of all He had taught.
As they studied the Scriptures, they began to see Christ more clearly within them. Initially, they recognized Him in direct prophecies. However, they soon realized that Greek-speaking churches were not benefiting from their discoveries. To address this, they compiled the teachings they had been sharing in Jewish congregations—primarily those of Peter—into a written account. This first Gospel, Mark, was intended for Gentiles who did not know Hebrew, and it began with the ministry of John the Baptist.
Over time, they made a significant discovery: Israel itself was a shadow of Christ. This revelation prompted them to expand upon Mark, starting their account with Abraham instead. Thus, they composed Matthew, incorporating deeper insights into Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. In the process, they removed the long ending of Mark, recognizing it as a riddle: “You will be tempted (serpents) and will learn bad things (poison), yet you will not be harmed.” The Greeks, taking it literally, had put themselves at risk. Additionally, the apostles reinterpreted Jesus’ actions through the lens of Him being the fulfillment of Israel.
Later, they realized that the men before Abraham were also shadows of Christ. This understanding led them to extend Jesus’ genealogy back to Adam. They omitted “Yeshua-Emmanuel” since its significance depended on Hebrew wordplay, which the Greek audience would not grasp. These additions reflected their growing understanding of Christ as the second Adam and the federal head of all humanity.
Then John, having mastered the study of Hebrew word formations, wrote his Gospel. Since the details of Christ’s ministry had already been recorded multiple times, he focused instead on doctrinal revelations, seeing Christ in the Old Testament. He opened his account with the wordplay in Genesis 1:1, forming John 1:1-4.
The apostles were in communication with one another, yet skeptics claim that the Gospels were not written by eyewitnesses and attempt to date them late to undermine their credibility. They fabricate the so-called “Synoptic Problem” to support their argument. However, it is more accurate to view Matthew as Mark 2.0 and Luke as Mark 3.0.
When studied together, the Gospels reveal a deepening understanding of Christ over time. Small yet profound additions enrich the simple Gospel originally taught by Peter and Mark. These were not the result of “fading memories” or “newly invented knowledge.” Rather, each Gospel builds upon the last, refining and expanding its message.
This challenges skeptics, as memories typically fade rather than grow richer. To account for the increasing depth of the Gospels, they fabricate a lost Gospel of Q—effectively calling Jesus a liar when He said His word would not pass away.
In truth, the Holy Spirit reminded the apostles of Jesus’ works as they studied the Old Testament and saw Him in it. Their deeper understanding of Christ came through this Spirit-led study. This process also extended beyond the Gospel authors. When later writers referenced the Old Testament, they had access to the ongoing teaching taking place within the Jewish church, where Christ was being revealed in the Scriptures. Depending on how much time had passed between the writing of the Gospels and their own works, they saw Christ in the Old Testament with varying levels of clarity. Analyzing their use of Old Testament references may help in estimating the relative dates of their writings compared to the Gospels.
This should encourage us, for we too can seek insight through diligent study and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we grow in understanding, Scripture will continue to reveal Christ in greater depth, just as it did for the apostles and early believers.
