‘How and why does Luke use the Old Testament?’
Citing the Old Testament or other ancient Scriptures was commonly practiced throughout the history of
Christianity and Judaism, for many reasons. In the case of the New Testament gospels, referencing the
Hebrew Bible was a vehicle through which to convey certain themes or ideas, which the immediate
readership would be likely to pick up on, such as in the case of Matthew’s Gospel, whose author represents
Jesus as the fulfilment of certain qualities of Moses. Other writers would use the Old Testament to
foreshadow later events in their narratives through the use of allusions, such as John 3:14’s episode of the
brazen serpent echoing Numbers 21:9, with this implicit message foreshadowing the impending loom of
the Cross for Jesus.1 Indeed, Luke’s gospel is full of allusions and echoes, with the Gospel rarely explicitly
quoting the Old Testament, highlighting the way in which the evangelist used the Hebrew Bible to convey a
deeper, implicit Christological message. In analysing the historical use of ancient Scriptures in texts, the
formulas that indicate an Old Testament allusion, and specific episodes in which Old Testament references
are most clear, this essay will conclude that Luke uses the Hebrew Bible in a number of ways, as a vehicle to
convey a deeper and more implicit Christological message, which can only be fully revealed through study
of the Scripture as urged by Christ.
For New Testament authors, ‘Scripture’ referred to ancient Jewish and Christian writings, most often the
Hebrew Bible, which provided a source of understanding on the nature of the world, and the fate of
humanity, such as the promises made to Abraham and more widely, Israel, in the Abrahamic covenants of
Genesis 15 and 17. All New Testament authors also shared certain assumptions about these Scriptures,
which they held to be entirely true and infallible, holding prophecies and foreshadowings which were set to
play out.2 Indeed, they were considered oracles of God,3 containing knowledge which held divine
significance. As such, when looking at Luke, it must be acknowledged that the author considered the
Scripture to be a source of truth and knowledge, and thus in referencing it, was hinting at an event that
would come to pass, or reinforcing a greater theme at play. Indeed, this can be most clearly seen in the
multiple references to Abraham in Genesis 1-2, which, in the birth narratives, can be interpreted as a hint
by the evangelist at future good luck and hope for the Israelites, due to the covenant made with Abraham’s
descendants in Genesis 17. Many readers of Luke’s Gospel at the time of its writing would have had a
working knowledge of these texts, and thus would have picked up on this implicit theme. This assumption
of this knowledge was a reasonable one for Luke’s author to make at the time, due to the importance of
ancient Scripture in his context, and this must be taken into account when examining his work, as it is
something which is less prevalent in modern society.
Indeed, Luke was part of a wider historical tradition which used ancient texts in this way, referencing them
for clarity or greater authority, and weaving them new works. For example, the Qumran community, which
was contemporary with early Christianity, located in Palestine, believed the Scriptures contained hidden
prophecies about the history of their community, which could be uncovered through study and reading. 4
The importance the Qumrans placed on the Scriptures is similar to Luke 24, in which even after his death,
1
Hanson, Anthony Tyrrell, "Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament." In The Oxford
Companion to the Bible. OUP, Oxford, 1993.
2
Ibid.
3
Browning, W. R. F. (ed.) "Old Testament in the New Testament." In A Dictionary of the Bible. OUP,
Oxford, 2009.
4
Hanson. "Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament."
, Jesus is presented as urging the disciples to read and spread the Scriptures, so that they might be saved. 5
As such, the evangelist shares with the Qumrans the notion that Scripture contains hidden knowledge,
which when uncovered, enables a deeper faith, and this is one of the key ways he uses the Old Testament
in his gospel.
A further example of this tradition was the concept of Targums. Targums were Aramaic paraphrases of the
Hebrew Bible used in Synagogues for devotees who were unable to understand Hebrew.6 They usually
included legends or elaborations of the scriptural narrative and were an attempt at making these
traditional texts relevant and accessible to contemporary believers.7 The Gospel of Luke’s use of the Old
Testament can be seen as a version of this concept, since the author often uses it to bring greater clarity to
certain themes and concepts, such as Jesus as a prophet. However, Luke does presuppose a knowledge of
the Hebrew Bible and other ancient Scriptures, which the Targums were somewhat trying to negate.
Regardless, the community of the Qumrans, and the concept of the Targums highlights the prevalence of
the practice of incorporating ancient Scripture into contemporary worship and society, something which
the evangelist was aiming to do with his gospel, to allow a greater understanding of Christ and salvation.
The main reasons for Luke’s use of the Old Testament in his Gospel are relatively easy to uncover without
reference to his methods for doing so. Indeed, the evangelist even specifically lays these reasons out in
Luke 16:19-31: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. In the narrative, a rich man is sent to Hell, for his
greed and selfishness in life. On entering Hell, he realises his rejection of God and spiritual freedom were
the reasons for his being “tormented” (Luke 16:23), and calls out to “Father Abraham” (Luke 16:24),
begging him to send Lazarus, a poor man who received little in life, back to his five brothers on earth, to
warn them of what will happen if they do not change their ways. Abraham responds: “If they do not listen
to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke
16:31.) The inclusion of this parable in Luke’s Gospel, and the striking words of Abraham, indicates Luke’s
conviction that reading the Scripture, Moses and the Prophets, gives one the ability to see what is going on
in the real world.8 This explains Luke’s consistent use of the Old Testament throughout his Gospel: he feels
that it deepens the understanding of key themes in his text, and that his text functions as a continuation of
biblical history, since Scripture is relevant no matter the day and age.
Developing this notion, Evans and Sanders argue that Luke was the most explicit evangelist in emphasising
that to understand what God was doing in Christ, one had to know the Scripture.9 This can be seen
throughout the Gospel, with repeated urges from Christ to the people to study and live by the Scriptures to
save them from destruction, especially during the approaching crucifixion, and after the resurrection. The
placement of these urges in the narrative is notable, since their concentration towards the end of the
Gospel, with the threat of total destruction looming over Jerusalem, indicates that Luke felt Scripture was
necessary for believers to truly know Christ, and be able to receive God’s salvation. Furthermore, Jesus’
emphasis of the reading of the Scriptures to the disciples even after his resurrection, stresses that salvation
5
Luke 24:44-48.
6
Hanson. "Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament."
7
Ibid.
8
Evans, Craig A., and Sanders, James A. ‘Luke and Scripture: The Function of Sacred Tradition in Luke-
Acts.’ Fortress, Minneapolis, 1993. Pg18.
9
Ibid. Pg18.
Citing the Old Testament or other ancient Scriptures was commonly practiced throughout the history of
Christianity and Judaism, for many reasons. In the case of the New Testament gospels, referencing the
Hebrew Bible was a vehicle through which to convey certain themes or ideas, which the immediate
readership would be likely to pick up on, such as in the case of Matthew’s Gospel, whose author represents
Jesus as the fulfilment of certain qualities of Moses. Other writers would use the Old Testament to
foreshadow later events in their narratives through the use of allusions, such as John 3:14’s episode of the
brazen serpent echoing Numbers 21:9, with this implicit message foreshadowing the impending loom of
the Cross for Jesus.1 Indeed, Luke’s gospel is full of allusions and echoes, with the Gospel rarely explicitly
quoting the Old Testament, highlighting the way in which the evangelist used the Hebrew Bible to convey a
deeper, implicit Christological message. In analysing the historical use of ancient Scriptures in texts, the
formulas that indicate an Old Testament allusion, and specific episodes in which Old Testament references
are most clear, this essay will conclude that Luke uses the Hebrew Bible in a number of ways, as a vehicle to
convey a deeper and more implicit Christological message, which can only be fully revealed through study
of the Scripture as urged by Christ.
For New Testament authors, ‘Scripture’ referred to ancient Jewish and Christian writings, most often the
Hebrew Bible, which provided a source of understanding on the nature of the world, and the fate of
humanity, such as the promises made to Abraham and more widely, Israel, in the Abrahamic covenants of
Genesis 15 and 17. All New Testament authors also shared certain assumptions about these Scriptures,
which they held to be entirely true and infallible, holding prophecies and foreshadowings which were set to
play out.2 Indeed, they were considered oracles of God,3 containing knowledge which held divine
significance. As such, when looking at Luke, it must be acknowledged that the author considered the
Scripture to be a source of truth and knowledge, and thus in referencing it, was hinting at an event that
would come to pass, or reinforcing a greater theme at play. Indeed, this can be most clearly seen in the
multiple references to Abraham in Genesis 1-2, which, in the birth narratives, can be interpreted as a hint
by the evangelist at future good luck and hope for the Israelites, due to the covenant made with Abraham’s
descendants in Genesis 17. Many readers of Luke’s Gospel at the time of its writing would have had a
working knowledge of these texts, and thus would have picked up on this implicit theme. This assumption
of this knowledge was a reasonable one for Luke’s author to make at the time, due to the importance of
ancient Scripture in his context, and this must be taken into account when examining his work, as it is
something which is less prevalent in modern society.
Indeed, Luke was part of a wider historical tradition which used ancient texts in this way, referencing them
for clarity or greater authority, and weaving them new works. For example, the Qumran community, which
was contemporary with early Christianity, located in Palestine, believed the Scriptures contained hidden
prophecies about the history of their community, which could be uncovered through study and reading. 4
The importance the Qumrans placed on the Scriptures is similar to Luke 24, in which even after his death,
1
Hanson, Anthony Tyrrell, "Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament." In The Oxford
Companion to the Bible. OUP, Oxford, 1993.
2
Ibid.
3
Browning, W. R. F. (ed.) "Old Testament in the New Testament." In A Dictionary of the Bible. OUP,
Oxford, 2009.
4
Hanson. "Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament."
, Jesus is presented as urging the disciples to read and spread the Scriptures, so that they might be saved. 5
As such, the evangelist shares with the Qumrans the notion that Scripture contains hidden knowledge,
which when uncovered, enables a deeper faith, and this is one of the key ways he uses the Old Testament
in his gospel.
A further example of this tradition was the concept of Targums. Targums were Aramaic paraphrases of the
Hebrew Bible used in Synagogues for devotees who were unable to understand Hebrew.6 They usually
included legends or elaborations of the scriptural narrative and were an attempt at making these
traditional texts relevant and accessible to contemporary believers.7 The Gospel of Luke’s use of the Old
Testament can be seen as a version of this concept, since the author often uses it to bring greater clarity to
certain themes and concepts, such as Jesus as a prophet. However, Luke does presuppose a knowledge of
the Hebrew Bible and other ancient Scriptures, which the Targums were somewhat trying to negate.
Regardless, the community of the Qumrans, and the concept of the Targums highlights the prevalence of
the practice of incorporating ancient Scripture into contemporary worship and society, something which
the evangelist was aiming to do with his gospel, to allow a greater understanding of Christ and salvation.
The main reasons for Luke’s use of the Old Testament in his Gospel are relatively easy to uncover without
reference to his methods for doing so. Indeed, the evangelist even specifically lays these reasons out in
Luke 16:19-31: The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. In the narrative, a rich man is sent to Hell, for his
greed and selfishness in life. On entering Hell, he realises his rejection of God and spiritual freedom were
the reasons for his being “tormented” (Luke 16:23), and calls out to “Father Abraham” (Luke 16:24),
begging him to send Lazarus, a poor man who received little in life, back to his five brothers on earth, to
warn them of what will happen if they do not change their ways. Abraham responds: “If they do not listen
to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (Luke
16:31.) The inclusion of this parable in Luke’s Gospel, and the striking words of Abraham, indicates Luke’s
conviction that reading the Scripture, Moses and the Prophets, gives one the ability to see what is going on
in the real world.8 This explains Luke’s consistent use of the Old Testament throughout his Gospel: he feels
that it deepens the understanding of key themes in his text, and that his text functions as a continuation of
biblical history, since Scripture is relevant no matter the day and age.
Developing this notion, Evans and Sanders argue that Luke was the most explicit evangelist in emphasising
that to understand what God was doing in Christ, one had to know the Scripture.9 This can be seen
throughout the Gospel, with repeated urges from Christ to the people to study and live by the Scriptures to
save them from destruction, especially during the approaching crucifixion, and after the resurrection. The
placement of these urges in the narrative is notable, since their concentration towards the end of the
Gospel, with the threat of total destruction looming over Jerusalem, indicates that Luke felt Scripture was
necessary for believers to truly know Christ, and be able to receive God’s salvation. Furthermore, Jesus’
emphasis of the reading of the Scriptures to the disciples even after his resurrection, stresses that salvation
5
Luke 24:44-48.
6
Hanson. "Quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament."
7
Ibid.
8
Evans, Craig A., and Sanders, James A. ‘Luke and Scripture: The Function of Sacred Tradition in Luke-
Acts.’ Fortress, Minneapolis, 1993. Pg18.
9
Ibid. Pg18.
