Jesus affirmed the Old Testament as the word of God and treated its Scriptures as fully authoritative. He said he came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them, and he regularly quoted the Old Testament while pointing to its fulfillment in himself.
Jesus affirmed Scripture
The clearest summary of what Jesus said about the Old Testament is that he affirmed it rather than rejected it. In his teaching, the Old Testament—often spoken of in terms like “the Law and the Prophets”—was not something to be discarded. Instead, he regarded it as God’s word and handled it as binding and meaningful.
This affirmation is seen both in what he explicitly said about the Law and the Prophets and in how he used Old Testament Scripture: he constantly quoted it, and he connected its message to his own mission and identity.
Not to abolish
Jesus directly addressed how he related to the Old Testament in one of his most well-known statements:
Matthew 5:17 — “I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
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This line presents two ideas together. First, he denied that his purpose was to “destroy” (or abolish) the Law and the Prophets. Second, he stated that his purpose was to “fulfill” them. In other words, he positioned his work as aligned with the Old Testament rather than opposed to it.
Not the smallest letter
Alongside Matthew 5:17, Jesus taught that not the smallest letter would pass from the law until all was accomplished. This reinforces the same overall stance: he treated the law’s authority with great seriousness and spoke as though its meaning and purpose would stand until its goal was reached.
Put simply, Jesus did not portray the Old Testament as irrelevant. He spoke of it as enduring and significant, tied to an “accomplished” end that he associated with fulfillment.
Quoted and fulfilled
Jesus’ attitude toward the Old Testament was also demonstrated by his practice. He constantly quoted the Old Testament and pointed to its fulfillment in himself. That combination matters: quoting it shows he treated it as authoritative Scripture, and pointing to fulfillment in himself shows he read it as something moving toward completion rather than something to be set aside.
So, when asking what Jesus said about the Old Testament, it is important to notice both dimensions that appear in the key points provided: his explicit statement about fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, and his consistent use of Old Testament Scripture in his teaching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Jesus reject the Old Testament?
No. Jesus affirmed the Old Testament as the word of God and treated its Scriptures as fully authoritative. In Matthew 5:17, he explicitly said he did not come to “destroy” the Law and the Prophets but to “fulfill” them.
What did Jesus mean by “Law and the Prophets”?
In the statement quoted in Matthew 5:17, “the Law and the Prophets” refers to the Old Testament Scriptures as Jesus discussed them. He spoke of them as something he came to fulfill, not abolish.
Where did Jesus say he came to fulfill, not destroy?
He said it in Matthew 5:17: “I didn’t come to destroy, but to fulfill.”
How seriously did Jesus treat the law’s authority?
He taught that not the smallest letter would pass from the law until all was accomplished. That teaching presents the law as enduring and significant until its purpose was completed.
How do we know Jesus saw the Old Testament as authoritative?
Beyond his direct statement in Matthew 5:17, he constantly quoted the Old Testament and pointed to its fulfillment in himself. His repeated use of its Scripture in teaching shows that he treated it as fully authoritative.