Donald W. Parry
Old Testament Passages Cited by Jesus Christ
Donald W. Parry, “Old Testament Passages Cited by Jesus Christ,” in The Jesus Christ Focused Old Testament: Making Sense of a Monumental Book (Springville, UT: Book of Mormon Central, 2022).
During His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ often quoted passages from the Old Testament. (see the chart, immediately below). He cited scripture in both public and private settings, during His sermons, and in less-formal, one-on-one conversations. Jesus quoted scripture in the temple of Jerusalem, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, in the synagogue, and elsewhere. Citing scripture proved to be a powerful tool while dealing with His detractors. Although Jesus cited passages from a number of Old Testament prophets–at least twelve–He most often cited passages from the books of Isaiah and Psalms. During the final moments of His mortal life and while experiencing the agony of the Crucifixion, Jesus uttered words that hearken back to one of the Psalms: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1).
By citing Old Testament passages, Jesus demonstrated the following:
- He knew the Old Testament scriptures well! In most settings, Jesus cited a passage from memory; He rarely had copies of scripture in hand to cite from.
- By citing the prophets of old, Jesus, the God of heaven and earth, was placing a stamp of approval on and lending authority to their writings.. This fact does not imply, of course, that Jesus must cite a prophet’s writing in order for that writing to have authority.
- Jesus enhanced His teachings by drawing on the words of the ancient prophets.
- By citing the prophets, Jesus provided scriptural references His audience. In effect, Jesus was saying that He and the prophets agreed on this or that doctrine or teaching.
- Jesus cited many Old Testament prophecies to demonstrate that they were fulfilled in Him.
- Jesus’s usage of scripture in sermons and during teaching situations serves as an example of how modern-day teachers should teach the gospel—by using the scriptures when appropriate.
Old Testament Passages Cited by Jesus Christ
Old Testament Reference | Theme or Citation | New Testament Reference |
Gen. 1:27 | God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. | Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6 |
Gen. 2:24 | A man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. | Matt. 19:5; Mark 10:7–8 |
Ex. 3:6 | I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. | Matt. 22:32; Mark 12:26; Luke 20:37 |
Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16 | Honour thy father and thy mother. | Matt. 15:4; 19:19; Mark 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20 |
Ex. 20:13–16; Deut. 5:17–20 | Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness. | Matt. 19:18; Luke 18:20; Mark 10:19 |
Ex. 21:17; Lev. 20:9 | He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. | Matt. 15:4; Mark 7:10 |
Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20 | Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. | Matt. 5:38 |
Lev. 19:18 | Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. | Matt. 5:43; 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27 |
Deut. 6:4 | Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. | Mark 12:29 |
Deut. 6:5; 10:12; 30:6 | Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. | Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27 |
Deut. 6:13; 10:20 | Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him. | Matt. 4:10; Luke 4:8 |
Deut. 6:16 | Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God. | Matt. 4:7; Luke 4:12 |
Deut. 8:3 | Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord. | Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4 |
Deut. 17:6; 19:15 | At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. | Matt. 18:16; John 8:17 |
Ps. 6:8 | Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. | Matt. 7:23; Luke 13:27 |
Ps. 8:2 | Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength. | Matt. 21:16 |
Ps. 22:1 | My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? | Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34 |
Ps. 31:5 | Into thine hand I commit my spirit. | Luke 23:46 |
Ps. 35:19; 69:4 | They that hate me without a cause. | John 15:25 |
Ps. 37:11 | The meek shall inherit the earth. | Matt. 5:5 |
Ps. 41:9 | Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. | John 13:18 |
Ps. 82:6 | I have said, Ye are gods. | John 10:34 |
Ps. 110:1 | The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. | Matt. 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:42–43 |
Ps. 118:22–23 | The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. | Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10–11; Luke 20:17 |
Ps. 118:26 | Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. | Matt. 23:39; Luke 13:35 |
Isa. 6:9–10 | Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. | Matt. 13:14–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40 |
Isa. 13:10 | The stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. | Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24–25 |
Isa. 29:13 | His people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. | Matt. 15:8–9; Mark 7:6–7 |
Isa. 35:5–6 | The eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing. | Matt. 11:5; Luke 7:22 |
Isa. 53:12 | He was numbered with the transgressors. | Luke 22:37 |
Isa. 54:13 | And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. | John 6:45 |
Isa. 56:7 | For mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. | Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46 |
Isa. 61:1–2 | The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. | Luke 4:18–19 |
Isa. 66:24 | For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched. | Mark 9:44, 46, 48 |
Jer. 7:11 | Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? | Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46 |
Jer. 22:5 | This house shall become a desolation. | Matt. 23:38; Luke 13:35 |
Dan. 7:13 | One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. | Matt. 16:28; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27 |
Dan. 9:27 | And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. | Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14 |
Dan. 12:3 | And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament. | Matt. 13:43 |
Dan. 7:13 | One like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven. | Matt. 16:28; Mark 13:26; Luke 21:27 |
Dan. 9:27 | And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. | Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14 |
Dan. 12:3 | And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament. | Matt. 13:43 |
Hosea 6:6 | I desired mercy, and not sacrifice. | Matt. 9:13; 12:7 |
Hosea 10:8 | They shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us. | Luke 23:30 |
Jonah 1:17 | Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. | Matt. 12:40 |
Micah 7:6 | The son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. | Matt. 10:35–36 |
Zech. 13:7 | Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. | Matt. 26:31; Mark 14:27 |
Mal. 3:1 | I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me. | Matt. 11:10; Luke 7:27 |