Inspiration of the Scriptures: The Testimony of the New Testament to the Old, Part 1

 •  6 min. read  •  grade level: 9
 
The Testimony of the New Testament to the Old Testament
Let us now take a brief glance at the books of the New Testament, and ascertain what testimony there is to the inspiration of the Old Testament. We shall only take a few examples out of many.
In Matthew 1:2222Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (Matthew 1:22), we read, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Jehovah, by the prophet.” Observe, it is not merely that the prophet’s saying was “fulfilled,” thus to show how divinely true it was, but that it was “spoken of Jehovah.” Is it possible that anything can show more clearly that the prophet Isaiah uttered it by inspiration? In the next chapter we find the same expression (Matt. 2:1515And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. (Matthew 2:15)); “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of Jehovah by the prophet” – the prophet Hosea. In Matthew 5, our Lord so authenticated the testimony of the Old Testament that He said, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.” “The law” is sometimes used to include all the ancient scriptures.
Mark’s gospel begins with quotations from the prophets Malachi and Isaiah, and in Mark 7, our Lord said to the Pharisees, “Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me,” and charges them with rejecting “the commandment of God,” as in Exodus and Leviticus, and setting up instead, “commandments of men.” “Thus,” added our Lord, “making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.” Here our Lord calls the writings of Moses the word of God (Mark 7:6-136He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. (Mark 7:6‑13)). In Mark 12, our Lord declares that David wrote Psalm 90, “by the Holy Ghost” (Mark 12:3636For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Mark 12:36)). Again, we ask, Is it possible to have clearer proofs of divine inspiration?
In Luke 1, we see a man full of the Holy Spirit; his testimony, therefore, must be very important; we find him saying that “He (the Lord God of Israel) spake by the mouth of His holy prophets which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:7070As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: (Luke 1:70)). In Luke 3, we have the testimony of one who was full of the Holy Spirit from his birth, of whom our Lord said, “Among them that are born of women, there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist.” Well, what about him? We read that at a certain time “the word of God came unto John.” What word of God? “As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet,” etc (Luke 3:2,42Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2)
4As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (Luke 3:4)). In Luke 4, the Lord reads in the synagogue part of Isaiah 61, and stops in the middle of a sentence, and closed the hook and sat down, saying, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” What scripture? “The acceptable year of the Lord.” How? Because He came to call sinners to repentance (Luke 4:18-2118The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:18‑21)).
In Luke 16, the Lord again most authoritatively enforces the authenticity of the writings of Moses and the prophets. He says, “They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them .... If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:29-3129Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (Luke 16:29‑31)). Is it possible that such language could be applied to any writings that were not given by God?
In John’s gospel it is recorded that our Lord recognized certain writings which He called “scriptures,” which testified of Himself. He also especially taught that Moses wrote of Him. But more than that; He so recognized that Moses wrote them not by his own will, but by the Holy Spirit, that He ranked Moses’ writings as of equal authority with His own words, when He said, “If ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?” (John 5:4747But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:47)) In John 10, our Lord declared that “the scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:3535If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; (John 10:35)), as He also said elsewhere “the scripture must be fulfilled.”
In Acts 1, the apostles are in a different state as to the truth, because our Lord after His resurrection had “opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures.” Many men in our day think themselves quite competent to understand scripture by natural ability aided by education; but it is a great mistake, for “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)). Did people believe this, how anxious they would be that God would reveal His truth to them by the Holy Spirit’s power!
Well, Peter, the apostle, in Acts 1, gathered from Psalm 41 and Psalm 109, that another should be chosen (“ordained” is not in the Greek) to take the place of Judas the betrayer. His words show that he regarded the Psalms as inspired. He said to the others, “This scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David, spake before concerning Judas” (Acts 1:1616Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. (Acts 1:16)). It was Peter who after this wrote, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.... for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19, 2119We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2 Peter 1:19)
21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:21)).
In Acts 2, Peter and the others have very much advanced spiritually. Why is this? The Holy Spirit had come down and taken up His abode in them, so that they were “filled” with the Holy Spirit, and had a power in ministry, and received gifts which were never known before. Peter stands up to preach! Now, what is it about? He first quotes from the prophet Joel, to explain that it was the coming of the Holy Spirit which had produced all this joy and power in them. He then goes to Psalm 16, 132 and 110, to show that the death, resurrection, ascension, and glorification of Christ was a fulfillment of what had been written concerning Him many hundreds of years before; and we know what vast blessing accompanied this ministry. Observe here, that these Old Testament writings were given by the Holy Spirit and expounded by one full of the Holy Spirit.
In Acts 3, Peter declares to the Jews that even then if they repent, turn to God, and have forgiveness of sins, Jesus will be sent down from heaven, and bring in millennial blessing as their true Messiah – “the restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” Here, again, it is “God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets.” What could more plainly show us that these men were inspired by God to write? (Acts 3:19-2219Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. (Acts 3:19‑22)).
(To be continued.)