The Old Testament does not use the name Jesus. However, Christians understand the Old Testament to speak of him throughout in prophecy and foreshadowing, and Jesus himself said that the Scriptures testify about him.
Name and meaning
When people ask whether the Old Testament “mentions Jesus,” they often mean whether his personal name appears there. On that point, Christians commonly answer no: the Old Testament does not use the name Jesus. At the same time, Christian reading of the Bible has long held that the Old Testament points to Jesus in many places—not by using his name, but through the way its writings bear witness to him.
Jesus on the Scriptures
In the Gospels, Jesus is presented as interpreting “the Scriptures” as speaking about him. In one setting, he told his hearers: “These are they which testify about me” (John 5:39). That statement is used by Christians to explain why they read the Old Testament as a witness to Jesus even though it does not name him.
Moses and prophets
After his resurrection, Jesus is also described as explaining the Old Testament in a way that connects it directly to himself. The account says he taught “from Moses and all the prophets” the things concerning himself. Luke summarizes it this way:
“And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
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This is one of the central passages Christians point to when they say the Old Testament speaks of Jesus: he is shown reading Moses and the prophets as, in some sense, “concerning himself.”
How Christians read it
Putting these statements together, the common Christian approach is twofold:
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Not by name: the Old Testament does not use the name Jesus.
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By testimony: Christians read the Old Testament as pointing to him “throughout,” in prophecy and foreshadowing, because Jesus said the Scriptures testify about him and because Luke reports that he explained “in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
So the Old Testament is not treated as a collection of explicit mentions of the name “Jesus,” but as writings that, when read in light of Jesus’ own claims and teaching, bear witness to him.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Old Testament ever use the name “Jesus”?
No. The Old Testament does not use the name Jesus. The Christian claim is not that his name appears there, but that the Old Testament points to him through prophecy and foreshadowing.
Why do Christians say the Old Testament speaks about Jesus?
Christians say this because Jesus is recorded as saying the Scriptures “testify about” him (John 5:39), and because Luke reports that after his resurrection he explained “in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27).
What did Jesus say about “the Scriptures” testifying about him?
According to John 5:39, Jesus told his hearers: “These are they which testify about me.” Christians use that statement to support the idea that the Old Testament bears witness to him even without using his name.
What does Luke 24:27 specifically claim Jesus did?
Luke 24:27 says that beginning “from Moses and from all the prophets,” Jesus “explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” This is presented as a post-resurrection explanation of how the Old Testament relates to him.
Does this mean every Christian reads the Old Testament the same way?
The basic Christian claim reflected in the passages quoted is that the Old Testament points to Jesus, since Jesus said the Scriptures testify about him and Luke says he explained the Scriptures as concerning himself. The question of exactly how that testimony and foreshadowing is understood is expressed here in general terms: Christians read the Old Testament as pointing to him even though it does not use his name.