Mar 3 Response

Drawing on the prophet Hosea, the gospel writer Matthew wrote This took place “that what the Lord said through the prophet might be fulfilled: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Mt 2:15). Matthew is quoting the following line, “When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the farther they went from me, sacrificing to the Baals, and burning incense to idols” (Hos 11:1-2). Matthew’s interpretation of the quote seems to be a little different than what Hosea intended, but it still illustrates the relationship between the Old and New Testaments and the Scriptures being “fulfilled.”

The nations promised to Abraham and the nation of Israel is mentioned at the forefront of the New Testament. In the opening line of the gospel of Matthew it is written, He is the “Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Mt 1:1). This should ring a bell with the Jewish people of the time, as it identifies Jesus with two of the most esteemed people in all of Jewish history. Jesus just by being a descendant of David and Abraham has a royal-like bloodline, but he is not just the next prophet. It is through him that the prophecies of old come to fruition. Both Matthew and Luke begin their gospels with the genealogy of Jesus, as to affirm that Jesus comes from a special line. They draw on figures like Adam, Abraham, and David, to call to mind the covenant that was made with these large Old Testament figures. Jesus is the covenant personified, and through His conception the Scriptures reach their “fulfillment.” The Old Testament is referenced frequently in the Gospels, and this not just to remind the people of their history, rather to show them that the entire narrative of their history is being redeemed by the story of Jesus Christ.