Where the Gospel Intersects

The New Testament is deeply rooted in the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible, often referred to as the Old Testament). Understanding the connections between these two foundational texts is crucial for a comprehensive grasp of Christian theology and the identity of Jesus as the Messiah. The New Testament authors frequently quote, allude to, and interpret the Tanakh, presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of ancient prophecies and promises.

• Jewish people do not refer to the Tanakh as the Old Testament.
• Ta-Na-Kh represents the Law (T), Prophets (N), and Writings (K) first used around the 9th–10th Century AD.
• The ordering of the books and certain numbering of verses is different than the Christian Old Testament but are the same texts. For example, the Tanakh lists Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, & Esther together, which are each known as Megillah (Megillot, plural) or Jewish Festival Scrolls.

• 1. Song of Songs is read on Passover.
  2. Ruth is read on Shavuot.
  3. Ecclesiastes is read on Sukkot.
  4. Lamentations is read on Tisha B’Av.
  5. Esther is read on Purim.

•  The OT divides these books as the Pentateuch, History, Poetry and Wisdom, and the Prophets.
•  The Tanakh has 24 books while the Protestant Bible has 39 OT books.
•  There are 24 Apocryphal books not included in the Protestant OT or Hebrew canon.
•  The Roman Catholic OT has 46 books and Eastern Orthodox Bibles have 53 books.
•  The Tanakh is written in Hebrew and Aramaic (e.g. Daniel 2:4b–7:28, Ezra 4:8–6:18).

One of the most direct ways the New Testament connects with the Tanakh is through explicit quotations and paraphrases. New Testament writers often introduce Tanakh passages with phrases like “This happened so that what was spoken through the prophet would be fulfilled.” These citations serve to:

Establish Authority: By quoting the Tanakh, New Testament authors underscore the divine authority of their message, presenting it as a continuation and culmination of God’s plan revealed in earlier scriptures.

Clarify Meaning: Tanakh passages are often used to illuminate the significance of events in Jesus’ life and ministry, demonstrating how they align with God’s historical work.

Present Jesus as Messiah: Many quotations are used to show how Jesus fulfills specific messianic prophecies found in the Tanakh, such as his birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection.

For example, Matthew’s Gospel frequently cites Isaiah to demonstrate how Jesus’ life aligns with prophetic expectations, such as the virgin birth (Matthew 1:22-23, referencing Isaiah 7:14) or his ministry in Galilee (Matthew 4:14-16, referencing Isaiah 9:1-2).

Beyond direct quotations, the New Testament also employs allusions and typology to connect with the Tanakh. Allusions are indirect references that evoke a Tanakh passage without explicitly quoting it, enriching the meaning of the New Testament text. Typology involves recognizing patterns or correspondences in which persons, events, or institutions in the Tanakh function as divinely intended foreshadows that find their fuller expression in the New Testament.

Here are a few selected promises in the Hebrew Scriptures which find fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.