Introduction

  • I Peter 3:15-16 – “to give an answer” – apologia – “verbal defense, a speech in defense”

  • Jesus was an actual historical being.

  • Jesus is the reason …

    • I believe in God.

    • I believe the Old Testament is a revelation from God.

  • Three things make the Old Testament unique.

    • Claims of inspiration

    • Claims of prophecy

    • Claims of miraculous historical events

  • What is the best evidence that these claims are valid?

Jesus and Old Testament inspiration

  • II Peter 1:20-21

  • Luke 24:44-45 – “Scriptures” here refers to the Old Testament

  • The Old Testament was viewed as three parts:

    • The Law of Moses – Genesis through Deuteronomy

    • The Prophets – Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 minor prophets

    • The Psalms – Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentation, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles

Claims of inspiration in the law

  • Exodus 24:4; Leviticus 1:1; Numbers 1:1; Deuteronomy 4:2

Claims of inspiration in the prophets

  • “Thus says the Lord” – 3,308 times!
  • Zechariah 7:12; Nehemiah 9:30

Claims of inspiration in the psalms

  • Acts 1:!6 – the Holy Spirit spoke by David
  • Psalms 95:7, referenced in Hebrews 3:7
  • Psalms 45:6, referenced in Hebrews 1:8
  • Psalms 102:23, 27, referenced in Hebrews 1:10-12
  • Spoken to you by God – Matthew 27:31-32 refers to Exodus 3:6
  • The scripture says
    • John 6:42 is the same as “God says,” Micah 5:2; 1:1
  • David in the Spirit
    • Jesus quotes David, Psalms 110:1, and says he was “in the spirit,” Matthew 22:43
  • Jesus quoted from each of the three sections.

Jesus and Old Testament prophecy

  • Matthew 24:15 – Daniel the prophet

Prophet

Fulfillment

Date B.C.

David – Psalms 41:9

John 13:18

1,000

Isaiah – Isaiah 61:1; 6:9-10

Luke 4:16-21; Matthew 13:14-15

750

Daniel – Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11

Matthew 24:15

605-530

Zechariah – Zechariah 13:7

Matthew 26:31

520

Malachi – Malachi 3:1

Matthew 11:10

445-432

Prophecies in the book of Daniel

605 B.C

549 B.C.

547 B.C.

506 B.C.

Daniel 2:36

Daniel 7:4

Babylon, 626-539 B.C.

Daniel 2:39

Daniel 7:5

Daniel 8:3, 4, 20

Daniel 11:1-2

Media-Persia, 5390330 B.C.

Daniel 2:39

Daniel 7:6

Daniel 8:5, 21-22

Daniel 11:3-4

Greece, 330-63 B.C.

Alexander the Great

Daniel 11:5

Egypt, 323 B.C.

Daniel 11:6

Syria, 204 B.C.

Daniel 8:23-25

Daniel 11:21-35

Antiochus Epiphanes, 175 B.C.

Daniel 11:32-35

Maccabees, 168 B.C.

Daniel 2:40

Daniel 7:7-8, 24-25

Daniel 11:36-45

Rome, 63 B.C.

Daniel 2:44

God’s kingdom, 33 A.D.

Media-Persia

  • Daniel’s first prophecy of Media-Persia – 605 B.C.
  • Media-Persia ascended to prominence – 539 B.C.
  • 605-539: 66 years prior to fulfillment

Greece

  • Daniel’s first prophecy of Greece – 605 B.C.
  • Greece ascended to prominence – 330 B.C.
  • 605-330: 275 years prior to fulfillment

Alexander the Great

  • Daniel’s first prophecy of Alexander the Great – 547 B.C.
  • Alexander the Great ascended to prominence – 330 B.C.
  • 547-330: 217 years prior to fulfillment

Rome

  • Daniel’s first prophecy of Rome – 605 B.C.
  • Rome ascended to prominence – 27 B.C.
  • 605-27: 578 years prior to fulfillment

Jesus and Old Testament historical events

  • The preaching of Jonah – Luke 11:32

Old Testament events

Jesus’ reference

Creation – Genesis 1-2

Mark 13:19

Ark and flood – Genesis 6-8

Matthew 24:37-39

Sodom/Gomorrah – Genesis 19

Luke 17:29

Lot’s wife – Genesis 19

Luke 17:32

Manna – Exodus 16

John 6:31-32

Brazen serpent – Numbers 21

John 3:14

Jonah and fish – Jonah 1-2

Matthew 12:39-41

Conclusion

  • Was Jesus wrong about

    • Old Testament claims of inspiration?

    • Old Testament claims of prophetic messages?

    • Old Testament claims of miraculous historical events?

  • Did He know better and was lying?

  • Did He think they were true and was a fool?

  • Was He sane and telling the truth?

  • To believe in the sanity and veracity of Jesus is to believe God is the Divine author of the Old Testament.