Jesus’ Lessons from the Old Testament
Jesus Quotes the Scriptures Throughout His Ministry
Much of what Jesus taught were lessons and commands from the Old Testament. As you study the words and commands of Jesus, it is important to know when He used an Old Testament truth to teach a lesson that applies for everyone of every generation.
Often, when Jesus was quoting the Old Testament to the religious leaders, it was with the expectation that they knew the context of the entire passage from which the quote was taken. When you study a quote, from the Old Testament, of Jesus it is vitally important that you read the entire passage in the Old Testament so you can understand the complete meaning of the quote.
Jesus’ lessons from the Old Testament are many and some are not direct quotes but principles taught. We will give you a list of some of the most popular Old Testament quotes Jesus gave while He was here on earth and look into some ways He interpreted the Old Testament scriptures differently than the hypocritical Pharisees and religious leaders.
Some Important Old Testament Quotes of Jesus
Jesus never treated the Old Testament Scripture as something that no longer applies. Instead, He treated it as the authoritative Word of God, the promises made eternally relative, the commands to be heeded and the truth within it alive.
A Few Key Reasons Jesus Quoted the Old Testament Was to:
- Defeat Temptation
- Define His Identity
- Clarify God’s Law
- Expose Hypocrisy
- Fulfill Prophecy
- Interpret His Suffering
- Ground Faith in Scripture
As you read these quotes of Jesus, think of how you can apply the discipline of memorizing scripture to quote the truths of God when needed in your life.
TEMPTATION & SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Matthew 4:4 — Deuteronomy 8:3
“Man shall not live by bread alone…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To reject Satan’s temptation to misuse divine power and affirm dependence on God’s word over physical needs.
Matthew 4:7 — Deuteronomy 6:16
“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To correct Satan’s misuse of Scripture and show that faith does not manipulate God.
Matthew 4:10 — Deuteronomy 6:13
“You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To refuse idolatry and affirm exclusive worship of God.
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JESUS DEFINING HIS MISSION
Luke 4:18–19 — Isaiah 61:1–2; 58:6
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To publicly declare His Messianic identity and mission.
Matthew 11:10 — Malachi 3:1
“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To identify John the Baptist as the promised forerunner of the Messiah.
Matthew 26:31 — Zechariah 13:7
“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep…will be scattered.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To prepare the disciples for His arrest and their coming failure.
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AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE & MORAL TEACHING
Matthew 5:21 — Exodus 20:13
“You shall not murder.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To deepen the Law, showing that sin begins in the heart.
Matthew 5:27 — Exodus 20:14
“You shall not commit adultery.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To reveal that lust violates God’s intent, not just physical acts.
Matthew 19:4–5 — Genesis 1:27; 2:24
“From the beginning, God made them male and female…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To define marriage and refute casual divorce.
Mark 12:29–30 — Deuteronomy 6:4–5
“Hear, O Israel… love the Lord your God…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To declare the greatest commandment.
Mark 12:31 — Leviticus 19:18
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To show that love fulfills the Law.
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CONFRONTING RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY
Matthew 15:7–9 — Isaiah 29:13
“This people honors Me with their lips…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To rebuke Pharisees for elevating tradition over God’s commands.
Matthew 21:13 — Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11
“My house shall be called a house of prayer… but you have made it a den of robbers.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To justify cleansing the Temple and condemn corruption.
Matthew 23:39 — Psalm 118:26
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To warn Israel that they will not see Him again until repentance.
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REVEALING HIS IDENTITY AS MESSIAH
Matthew 22:44 — Psalm 110:1
“The Lord said to my Lord…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To confound the Pharisees and show the Messiah is greater than David.
Luke 20:17 — Psalm 118:22
“The stone the builders rejected…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To predict His rejection and exaltation.
Matthew 13:14–15 — Isaiah 6:9–10
“You will indeed hear but never understand…”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To explain why He speaks in parables—judgment on hardened hearts.
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SUFFERING, BETRAYAL, AND CRUCIFIXION
Matthew 26:24 — Psalm 41:9
“He who eats My bread has lifted his heel against Me.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To show Judas’ betrayal fulfilled Scripture.
Matthew 27:46 — Psalm 22:1
“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To express real suffering and point witnesses to a Messianic psalm.
Luke 23:46 — Psalm 31:5
“Into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To entrust Himself to the Father at death.
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POST-RESURRECTION TEACHING
Luke 24:27 — Moses & the Prophets (summary)
“He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To show that His entire life, death, and resurrection were foretold.
Luke 24:44 — Law, Prophets, Psalms
“Everything written about Me must be fulfilled.”
Why Jesus quoted it:
To anchor the disciples’ faith in Scripture after the resurrection.
Jesus’ Interpretation of Old Testament Scripture Verses the Hypocrisy of Pious Religious Leaders
The Pharisees saw the scriptures as information and laws they outwardly used to gain earthly advantage and control over others, while Jesus saw scripture as a revelation of who God is, how to have a relationship with God and about Himself as the Messiah sent to save the world.
HEART INTENT vs. EXTERNAL COMPLIANCE
Example: Murder & Anger
Scripture: Exodus 20:13
Pharisees:
Focused on the external act (physical murder)
Jesus:
“Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”
(Matthew 5:21–22)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Behavior-based righteousness
• Jesus: Heart-based righteousness
Jesus taught that sin begins internally, not at the moment of action.
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SPIRIT OF THE LAW vs. LETTER OF THE LAW
Example: Sabbath
Scripture: Exodus 20:8–11
Pharisees:
Defined righteousness by detailed Sabbath restrictions
Jesus:
“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
(Mark 2:27)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Law as a burden
• Jesus: Law as a gift
Jesus did not abolish the Sabbath—He restored its purpose.
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MERCY OVER RITUAL PRECISION
Example: Eating with “Sinners”
Scripture: Hosea 6:6
Pharisees:
Separation to preserve holiness
Jesus:
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
(Matthew 9:13)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Holiness through distancing ones-self from others
• Jesus: Holiness through restoration
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SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE
Example: Divorce
Scripture: Deuteronomy 24:1
Pharisees:
Used Moses’ concession to justify divorce
Jesus:
“Moses permitted this because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.”
(Matthew 19:8)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Isolated proof-texts
• Jesus: Genesis interprets Deuteronomy
Jesus traced God’s will for marriage back to creation, not legal loopholes.
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TRANSFORMATION OVER TRADITION
Example: Hand-Washing
Scripture: Levitical purity laws
Pharisees:
Treated oral tradition as equal to Scripture
Jesus:
“You nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition.”
(Matthew 15:6)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Tradition protects the Law
• Jesus: Tradition can obscure the Law
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COMPASSION DEFINES RIGHTEOUSNESS
Example: Healing on the Sabbath
• Pharisees: Rule-keep
Pharisees:
Healing = work = violation
Jesus:
“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?”
(Matthew 12:12)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Rule-keeping
• Jesus: Doing good to help others is the law
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PEOPLE OVER SYSTEMS
Example: Temple Cleansing
Scripture: Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11
Pharisees:
Maintained temple economy
Jesus:
“You have made it a den of robbers.”
(Matthew 21:13)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Preserve institution and personal gain
• Jesus: Protect God’s purpose
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HUMILITY vs. SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
Example: Prayer
Scripture: Psalmic prayer tradition
Pharisees:
Public displays of righteousness
Jesus:
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled.”
(Luke 18:14)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Righteousness as status
• Jesus: Righteousness as dependence
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LOVE AS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW
Example: Greatest Commandment
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18
Pharisees:
Ranked laws, debated weight
Jesus:
“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
(Matthew 22:40)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Law as hierarchy
• Jesus: Law as relational love with God and your neighbor
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SCRIPTURE POINTS TO HIM
Example: Messiah’s Identity
Scripture: Psalm 110
Pharisees:
Messiah as David’s son only
Jesus:
“How is He David’s Lord?”
(Matthew 22:45)
Difference:
• Pharisees: Scripture as information
• Jesus: Scripture as revelation of Himself as Messiah
Let’s learn from Jesus’ teaching about the Old Testament that it is not a rule book with a list to keep but a guide for a loving relationship with God.
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