JESUS: OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT PARALLELS
TORAH
The Law of Moses comprises the first five books in the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The following are some parallels of Jesus given in the Torah and New Testament.
God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; they will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel” (Gen 3:15).
Jesus is the offspring of the woman. “The Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8b).
“Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High” (Gen 14:18).
Jesus is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek of old – “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 7:17).
God told Abram, “I will maintain my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting covenant, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Gen 17:7).
“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. It does not say, ‘And to descendants,’ as referring to many, but as referring to one, ‘And to your descendant,’ who is Christ” (Gal 3:16).
Jacob told his sons, “The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people’s obedience” (Gen 49:10).
“It is clear that our Lord arose from Judah” (Heb 7:14).
The oracle of Balaam, “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel” (Num 24:17).
This star is Jesus. “Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, [our] God, the Almighty” (Rev 19:6).
PROPHETS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT IN JESUS
“The Prophets” is the second and largest division of the Old Testament. Its subdivisions are the Former and Latter Prophets. The Former Prophets are Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. The Latter Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Matthew, who wrote the gospel for Jewish-Christian readers, gives references to the prophesies on the Messiah and their fulfilment in Jesus:
Isaiah 7:14 – “The virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” (Mt 1:23).
Micah 5:1 – Jesus Christ was born in “Bethlehem of Judaea” (Mt 2:5-6).
Hosea 11:1 – “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Mt 2:14-15).
Jeremiah 31:15 – “Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled” (Mt 2:16-18).
Isaiah 40:3 – “A voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord …” (Mt 3:3).
Isaiah 9:1-2 – “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light” (Mt 4:15-16).
Isaiah 53:4 – “He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases”
(Mt 8:7).
Malachi 3:1 – “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you …” (Mt 11:10).
Isaiah 42:1-4 – “He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles” (Mt 12:18-21).
Isaiah 6:9-10 – “You shall indeed hear but not understand, …” (Mt 13:14-15).
Isaiah 29:13 – “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mt 15:7-9).
Zechariah 9:9 – “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass” (Mt 21:4-5).
Zechariah 13:7 – “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the
flock will be dispersed” (Mt 26:31).
Zechariah 11:13 – “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man” (Mt 27:9-10).
Besides Matthew’s direct quotes from the Prophets, there are several other prophetic references to Jesus’ ministry in all the gospels.
PSALMS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT IN JESUS
The third section of the Hebrew Scriptures is the Writings (Ketuvim or the Hagiographa) that also include the 150 Psalms. Out of these, seventy-three are from David. A majority of the Psalms is composed for liturgical worship praising God or praising Zion, the city where God dwelt among his people. Other Psalms are for thanksgiving or lament. Sixteen of the Psalms are Messianic, and some others refer to the life, rejection, passion, and resurrection of Christ. So, they are cited in the New Testament. Besides Psalms, Hagiographa comprises Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles.
Matthew quotes the following psalms in his text:
Mt 13:34-35 – “I will open my mouth in a parable” (Ps 78:2).
Mt 21:42 – “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone …” (Ps 118:22-23).
Mt 22:44 – “Sit at my right hand, while I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps 110:1).
Mt 27:35 – “They divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots” (Ps 22:19).
Besides the above, there are references to the Psalms and other books of the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus. Examples:
Mt 2:11 – Wise men would worship Jesus and present him gifts (Ps 72:10).
Mt 21:16 – “Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise” (Ps 8:3).
Jn 1:11 – “His own people did not accept him” (Ps 69:9).
Mt 21:42 – “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Ps 118:22-23).
Jn 2:17 – “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Ps 69:10; 119:139).
Mk 15:29-32 – “Likewise the chief priests, with the Scribes, mocked him” (Ps 22:7-8).
Lk 23:34 – “They divided his garments b
JESUS: OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT PARALLELS
TORAH
The Law of Moses comprises the first five books in the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The following are some parallels of Jesus given in the Torah and New Testament.
God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; they will strike at your head, while you strike at their heel” (Gen 3:15).
Jesus is the offspring of the woman. “The Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8b).
“Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High” (Gen 14:18).
Jesus is a priest according to the order of Melchizedek of old – “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb 7:17).
God told Abram, “I will maintain my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting covenant, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Gen 17:7).
“Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. It does not say, ‘And to descendants,’ as referring to many, but as referring to one, ‘And to your descendant,’ who is Christ” (Gal 3:16).
Jacob told his sons, “The scepter shall never depart from Judah, or the mace from between his feet, until tribute comes to him, and he receives the people’s obedience” (Gen 49:10).
“It is clear that our Lord arose from Judah” (Heb 7:14).
The oracle of Balaam, “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel” (Num 24:17).
This star is Jesus. “Alleluia! The Lord has established his reign, [our] God, the Almighty” (Rev 19:6).
PROPHETS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT IN JESUS
“The Prophets” is the second and largest division of the Old Testament. Its subdivisions are the Former and Latter Prophets. The Former Prophets are Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. The Latter Prophets are Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve Minor Prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Matthew, who wrote the gospel for Jewish-Christian readers, gives references to the prophesies on the Messiah and their fulfilment in Jesus:
Isaiah 7:14 – “The virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” (Mt 1:23).
Micah 5:1 – Jesus Christ was born in “Bethlehem of Judaea” (Mt 2:5-6).
Hosea 11:1 – “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Mt 2:14-15).
Jeremiah 31:15 – “Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled” (Mt 2:16-18).
Isaiah 40:3 – “A voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord …” (Mt 3:3).
Isaiah 9:1-2 – “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light” (Mt 4:15-16).
Isaiah 53:4 – “He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases”
(Mt 8:7).
Malachi 3:1 – “Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you …” (Mt 11:10).
Isaiah 42:1-4 – “He will proclaim justice to the Gentiles” (Mt 12:18-21).
Isaiah 6:9-10 – “You shall indeed hear but not understand, …” (Mt 13:14-15).
Isaiah 29:13 – “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mt 15:7-9).
Zechariah 9:9 – “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass” (Mt 21:4-5).
Zechariah 13:7 – “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the
flock will be dispersed” (Mt 26:31).
Zechariah 11:13 – “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man” (Mt 27:9-10).
Besides Matthew’s direct quotes from the Prophets, there are several other prophetic references to Jesus’ ministry in all the gospels.
PSALMS AND THEIR FULFILLMENT IN JESUS
The third section of the Hebrew Scriptures is the Writings (Ketuvim or the Hagiographa) that also include the 150 Psalms. Out of these, seventy-three are from David. A majority of the Psalms is composed for liturgical worship praising God or praising Zion, the city where God dwelt among his people. Other Psalms are for thanksgiving or lament. Sixteen of the Psalms are Messianic, and some others refer to the life, rejection, passion, and resurrection of Christ. So, they are cited in the New Testament. Besides Psalms, Hagiographa comprises Proverbs, Job, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles.
Matthew quotes the following psalms in his text:
Mt 13:34-35 – “I will open my mouth in a parable” (Ps 78:2).
Mt 21:42 – “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone …” (Ps 118:22-23).
Mt 22:44 – “Sit at my right hand, while I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps 110:1).
Mt 27:35 – “They divide my garments among them; for my clothing they cast lots” (Ps 22:19).
NEW TESTAMENT
Besides the above, there are references to the Psalms and other books of the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus. Examples:
Mt 2:11 – Wise men would worship Jesus and present him gifts (Ps 72:10).
Mt 21:16 – “Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise” (Ps 8:3).
Jn 1:11 – “His own people did not accept him” (Ps 69:9).
Mt 21:42 – “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Ps 118:22-23).
Jn 2:17 – “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Ps 69:10; 119:139).
Mk 15:29-32 – “Likewise the chief priests, with the Scribes, mocked him” (Ps 22:7-8).
Lk 23:34 – “They divided his garments by casting lots” (Ps 22:19).
Jn 19:28 – “In order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I thirst’” (Ps 22:15).
Mt 27:34 – “They gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall” (Ps 69:22).
Lk 23:46 – “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Ps 31:6).
Jn 19:37 – “They will look upon him whom they have pierced” (Ps 22:17).
Mt 28:6 – “He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said” (Ps 16:10).
Mk 16:19 – He “was taken up into heaven” (Ps 24:7-10).
Mk 16:19 – He “took his seat at the right hand of God” (Ps 110:1).