Jesus and the Bible – His View of Scripture

Series: The Bible – God’s Perfect Word

The Living Word and the Written Word

Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), the ultimate revelation of God. But Jesus was not indifferent to the written Word of God. On the contrary, His earthly ministry was marked by constant interaction with Scripture. He quoted it, taught it, defended it, fulfilled it, and submitted to it.

His view of the Bible was not casual—it was categorical. He believed every word was true. And because Christ is the head of the Church, His view of Scripture must be our view.

1. Jesus Affirmed the Authority of Scripture

From His first recorded confrontation with Satan to His final moments on the cross, Jesus lived under the authority of the Word. During His temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1–11), Jesus defeated Satan not with mystical power or miracles, but with Scripture. He replied three times, “It is written…” (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10), quoting from Deuteronomy.

When correcting false teaching, He often began with, “Have you not read…?” (Matt. 12:3; 19:4; 21:16). He treated the written Word as the final authority—even above oral tradition, religious leaders, and cultural consensus.

In John 10:35, He declared:

“Scripture cannot be broken.”

Jesus never questioned the Bible’s reliability. He used it as the supreme rule of truth in all matters.

2. Jesus Submitted to Scripture

Though He was the Son of God, Jesus placed Himself under the authority of Scripture. He lived in obedience to it and fulfilled it perfectly.

• He obeyed the Law of Moses (Matt. 5:17; Gal. 4:4).

• He fulfilled the prophecies concerning the Messiah (Luke 4:17–21).

• He endured betrayal, suffering, and crucifixion in accordance with Scripture (Luke 22:37; Matt. 26:54).

At every turn, Jesus viewed His life as the fulfillment of what had been written. He even rebuked His disciples for being slow to believe “all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25). He directed them back to the Word—not to mystical revelation or private insight.

3. Jesus Taught the Clarity and Sufficiency of Scripture

Jesus believed Scripture could be understood. He never treated it as obscure, mystical, or the exclusive domain of scholars. Instead, He taught it to fishermen, crowds, and children. He expected ordinary people to read it and believe it.

He often said things like:

“It is written…” (Matt. 21:13)“You err, not knowing the Scriptures…” (Matt. 22:29)“Moses wrote of Me…” (John 5:46)“If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)

Jesus affirmed that the Scriptures were clear enough to lead people to repentance and faith. The problem was never with the Bible’s clarity—but with man’s rebellion.

4. Jesus Believed the Entire Old Testament Was God’s Word

Jesus affirmed the three main divisions of the Hebrew Scriptures: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings (often represented by “the Psalms”). In Luke 24:44, He said:

“Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

He quoted from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Jonah, and others—always treating them as true and authoritative. He affirmed their historical accuracy and their divine origin.

In Matthew 24:15, He even references the book of Daniel, saying:

“When you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel…”

This is significant, since many modern scholars deny Daniel’s authorship. Jesus did not. He affirmed it. That alone should settle the issue for every believer.

5. Jesus Taught the Inerrancy and Permanence of Scripture

Jesus didn’t believe that Scripture merely contained truth. He taught that it is truth. In John 17:17, He prayed:

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth.”

In Matthew 5:18, He declared:

“Until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

An “iota” is the smallest Greek letter; a “dot” refers to a tiny stroke in Hebrew script. Jesus said the smallest markings in Scripture are permanent, binding, and trustworthy. Divine inspiration extends even to grammar and punctuation.

He taught that not one part of God’s Word would fail—not a stroke of a pen, not a prophetic line, not a single promise.

6. Jesus Warned Against Adding to or Taking from Scripture

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for replacing Scripture with tradition:

“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” (Mark 7:8)

He accused them of nullifying God’s Word through manmade regulations. By this, Jesus affirmed the sufficiency of Scripture and condemned those who sought to improve upon it.

He also condemned the Sadducees for denying parts of the Bible they disliked (Acts 23:8). Jesus never endorsed selective reading. For Him, all Scripture was authoritative—not just the parts people were comfortable with.

7. Jesus Anticipated the Writing of the New Testament

Jesus promised that His Spirit would guide the apostles into all truth (John 14:26; 16:13). He said they would recall His words and bear witness of Him (John 15:26–27). This points to the coming formation of the New Testament.

Jesus affirmed the divine authority of the Old Testament and laid the foundation for the New. He didn’t just endorse past revelation—He commissioned the writing of future revelation.

To reject the New Testament is to reject Jesus’ authority.

What This Means for Us

If Jesus believed the Bible was the Word of God, how can we believe otherwise?

If the Lord of glory placed Himself under the authority of Scripture, we must do the same.

• When we question the Bible, we contradict Christ.

• When we edit the Bible, we override Christ.

• When we submit to the Bible, we follow Christ.

To call Jesus Lord while denying the Bible is to build one’s house on sand (Matt. 7:24–27).

Conclusion: The Bible Jesus Loved

Jesus never distanced Himself from Scripture. He embraced it as the Father’s voice. He wielded it as the sword of truth. He fulfilled it as the promised Messiah. And He commissioned its continuation through the apostles.

The Bible Jesus loved is the Bible we hold in our hands. Let us believe it as He did. Submit to it as He did. Proclaim it as He did.

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”— Matthew 4:4