Scripture

Lore & Background

Jesus consistently treats scripture as the authoritative word of God that must be fulfilled. In Matthew 26:54 and 26:56, he declares that his arrest and the disciples' flight happen 'that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.' Similarly, in Mark 14:49, he states, 'the scriptures must be fulfilled.' This theme continues in the Gospel of John, where specific events—the betrayal by Judas (John 13:18), the casting of lots for his garments (John 19:24), his thirst (John 19:28), the fact that no bone was broken (John 19:36), and the piercing of his side (John 19:37)—are all presented as fulfillments of scripture. Jesus also uses scripture to correct misunderstanding and to reveal his identity. In Matthew 22:29 and Mark 12:24, he tells the Sadducees they err because they 'know not the scriptures, nor the power of God.' In Luke 24:27, after his resurrection, he 'expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself,' and later 'opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures' (Luke 24:45). The apostle Philip likewise uses scripture to preach Jesus, beginning with Isaiah 53 (Acts 8:32-35). The passages emphasize that scripture is not merely historical but is living and prophetic. Jesus says in John 5:39, 'Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.' In John 10:35, he affirms that 'the scripture cannot be broken,' underscoring its inviolable authority. The disciples, after the resurrection, 'believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said' (John 2:22), showing that scripture and Jesus's words are intertwined.

Reader's Guide

The source passages portray scripture primarily as a prophetic document that finds its fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself is the central interpreter and subject of scripture. He uses it to correct error (Matthew 22:29, Mark 12:24), to explain his mission (Luke 4:21), and to demonstrate that his suffering and glory were foretold (Luke 24:27, 24:45-46). The apostles follow this pattern, citing specific Old Testament passages as fulfilled in Jesus (Acts 1:16, 8:32-35). Scripture is also presented as a source of eternal life when rightly understood (John 5:39), and as unbreakable truth (John 10:35). The passages do not define a canon or list of books, but they consistently refer to 'the scriptures' as a known body of writings—the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms (Luke 24:27, 24:44). The phrase 'scripture of truth' appears in Daniel 10:21, though that passage is not directly about Jesus. The overall portrayal is that scripture is God's authoritative word, centered on Christ, and must be fulfilled in every detail.

Did You Know?

• Jesus says that the scripture 'cannot be broken' (John 10:35), indicating its absolute authority.
• The disciples did not understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead until after his resurrection (John 20:9).
• Jesus opened the disciples' understanding to comprehend the scriptures (Luke 24:45), implying that spiritual insight is needed to grasp their meaning.
• The phrase 'the scripture was fulfilled' appears in connection with at least seven distinct events in Jesus's passion (Mark 15:28; John 13:18, 17:12, 19:24, 19:28, 19:36, 19:37).

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"SCRIPTURES, n. The sacred books of our holy religion, as distinguished from the false and profane writings on which all other faiths are based." — Scripture "Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary (1911)." — Scripture "Thomas Burnet, The Sacred Theory of the Earth, quoted in Stephen Jay Gould, Time's Arrow, Time's Cycle (1987), p. 32; ellipsis Gould's." — Scripture "Faith has no less need of the word than the fruit of a tree has of a living root." — Scripture