Because Jesus was (and is) the Living Word (John 1:1-3, 14) some may be under the impression he had no need to emphasize the written word. Reality is, the Living Word was identified by the written word.
Varying slightly depending upon the translation, in the gospels, the emphasis of something taking place or being taught because it is "written" is recorded approximately 30 times, the emphasis of something being "fulfilled" is recorded approximately 25 times, and the emphasis of something being "read" is recorded approximately 11 times. Take this into account and a theme is easily recognized: the actions and teachings of the Living Word were not random (Acts 10:35-39) – they were identifiable by the word that pointed to the coming Messiah and his gospel kingdom (Acts 3:22-25).
When John the baptizer wrestled with uncertainty about the identity of Jesus (Matthew 11:1-2), Jesus did not emphasize his works in and of themselves (Matthew 11:4-6), but rather that his works fulfilled the word that his prophesied messenger (Matthew 11:9-10) would have recognized from Isaiah 35:3-6; 61:1-3. This was not the only time Jesus used the same words of Isaiah to identify who he was (Luke 4:16-22).
From his birth to his resurrection and everything else in between, Jesus emphasized how he was identified by the written word of God (Luke 24:44-46). The written of words of Moses (John 5:39, 45-47), of Isaiah (Matthew 1:21-22), of Micah (Matthew 2:5-6), of Hosea (Matthew 2:15), of Jeremiah (Matthew 2:16-18), of Zechariah (Matthew 21:4-5), and of David (Matthew 27:35). This theme would be continued by Jesus’ apostles and prophets (Acts 2:16; 3:18-21; 8:34-35; Romans 1:1-3; 16:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 2 Timothy 3:14-16).
“10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.” (Acts 17:10-12)
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