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Grain & Embers 10/28/24

The formation of the Church in Acts, and the coming and infilling of the Holy Spirit, records 14 different uses of Old Testament passages in just the first four chapters. What's the greater point? The Bible is a library of books that assemble a narrative. This narrative concludes when the Book of Revelation is fulfilled - and Revelation lets us in on how the story ends. It ends well for believers.

As the New Testament unfolds in the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in Acts, it legitimizes itself by its use of the Old Testament.

Can you spot it when a New Testament passage makes use of an Old Testament one?

A New Testament passage might make use of an Old Testament passage either by directly quoting it, or drawing a parallel. When the New Testament quotes the Old Testament, it's obvious because the translation committee puts the reference in block format and quotes it.

When the New Testament draws on an Old Testament passage but doesn't quote it, the New Testament authors are showing that a prophecy was fulfilled in Christ, or that the New Testament passage under study brings up the same theme or topic that was wrestled with somewhere in the Old Testament - this is the value of having a good Study Bible!

In just the first four Chapters of Acts, here are the 14 different times Acts depends on an Old Testament Passage to legitimize it's principle or point:

Acts 1:20 draws from Psalm 69:25
Acts 1:20 also draws from Psalm 109:8
Acts 2:17-21 quotes Joel 2:28-32 (Look this one up! It's so powerful!)
Acts 2:25-28 quotes Psalm 16:8-10
Acts 2:30 draws from 2 Sam 7:12
Acts 2:30 also draws from Psalm 89:4
Acts 2:31 draws from Psalm 16:10
Acts 2:34 quotes Psalm 110:1
Acts 3:22-23 quotes Deuteronomy 18:15, 18, 19
Acts 3:25 draws from Genesis 22:18
Acts 3:25 also draws from Genesis 12:3
Acts 4:11 draws from Psalm 118:22,23
Acts 4:11 draws from Isaiah 28:16
Acts 4:25, 26 quotes Psalm 2:1, 2

Here's the big idea: Scripture uses scripture to merit scripture.

This might sound like cyclical reasoning, but when the Bible's 66 books were written over the course of 1600 years, in three different languages, enlisting 40+ co-authers, it simply cannot be cyclical reasoning.

Be a person of the whole Word. Jesus clapped back at the enemy when the enemy was attempting to trip Him up while fasting in the wilderness. Matthew 4:4 says: "But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Every word.
Saturated in God's grace.
Plenary authority.
Sharp enough to cut through anything.
Effective by every standard that matters. 

Get into the Word in the morning BEFORE you get onto your phone.
EAT the Word of God BEFORE you eat food.

This is my challenge to you, dear friend.

Pastor Luke 


2 Comments


Gloria - October 28th, 2024 at 1:33pm

What's a good study Bible you recommend?

Luke - October 28th, 2024 at 2:59pm

I’m a big fan of the ESV Study Bible. There’s also a Study/Journal version that creates space in the margins for notes. Ashlee bought me a new one off Amazon as a gift when S&L got launched out. The ESV version commits to a word-for-word translation while remaining readable. There are other good translations, but ESV is my favorite.