When Jesus Interpreted All the Scriptures Concerning Himself

Several years ago, my husband, Larry, first began to study and understand the importance of how Jesus interpreted all the scriptures concerning Himself. I’d never understood how significantly Jesus is revealed both in the New and the Old Testaments. As Larry shared with me, I also began to appreciate the joy of seeing Jesus throughout Scripture. In Luke 24, we find the wonderful story when Jesus gave a history lesson, walking with the two men on the road to Emmaus.

Jesus has been raised from the dead but these two men have not yet encountered the risen Lord, as far as we know. They are walking along and suddenly Jesus is among them but they don’t recognize Him.

Why Jesus Interpreted All the Scriptures Concerning Himself

In this narration, we comprehend how important it is to Jesus that He enlighten these two men to understand references to Himself—both in the Old and New Testaments. Jesus hides His true identity from the two men during this walk to Emmaus, maybe to prevent them becoming so stunned and full of joy they won’t be able to listen fully to His history lesson. Verse 27 tells us, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

The three-word phrase “all the Scriptures” is absolutely and remarkably noteworthy. Jesus wants His presence to be seen all the way from the Genesis account through the end of the Old Testament ending with Malachi 3:1. TWEET THAT!!!!!

Many people believe the God of the Old Testament is different than Jesus in the New Testament. The Old Testament God is angry. Jesus is full of love and grace. But those are misconceptions. The Trinity is the same even as they have different functions. Our understanding may be skewed but their overwhelming presence as a whole throughout Scripture is not skewed. We just need to study with a lens recognizing God as a whole, even if the appearance we “see” seems different.

The Importance of Why Jesus Interpreted All the Scriptures Concerning Himself

For Larry and I, why Jesus interpreted all the Scriptures concerning Himself—in effect, gave a history lesson—makes a huge difference in our lives. We are more convinced of the truth of who God is as the Trinity and their involvement in our lives. And as we’ve studied the different qualities comprising God’s nature, no characteristic is more or less working in the different persons of the Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

At times, God might be emphasizing a particular quality of His being to us but all his qualities are always fully operational. God is sensitive to the need you and I are facing. He knows what will encourage us and be the beacon for pointing us to the truth about himself. We will be able to share with others more about God in powerful and truthful ways.

Jesus first asks the two men, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” (24:17). Jesus is teaching them to practice telling the story they will share numerous times in the future. At this point, their testimony is powerful, but it is incomplete. Jesus broadens their understanding starting at the beginning of the Scriptures and telling them everything which points to him.

How We Can Benefit Because Jesus Interpreted All the Scriptures Concerning Himself    –TWEET THAT!!!!!

Because the Holy Spirit is dwelling within a Christian, he is doing the same thing within us as when Jesus gave His history lesson–teaching us the truth about God based on all the Scriptures. I hope you’ll be inspired to study both the Old and New Testaments and look for sightings of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Your spiritual life will be fuller and richer. And you will understand God’s omnipresence in all of history.

• What is meaningful to you about the importance of recognizing the presence of the Trinity throughout Scripture?

• How would you like to study the whole Bible with the goal of identifying each aspect of the Trinity?

Glorious God, I praise you for your presence in all of Scripture without any discrepancies. Thank you for your desire to reveal yourself to me in truth.

Can you think of any other reasons and benefits Jesus interpreted all the Scriptures concerning Himself? How do you think the two men on the road to Emmaus felt?

 This post is adapted from one of the devotionals from our book God’s Intriguing Questions: 60 New Testament Devotions Revealing Jesus’s Nature.