Did Jesus believe the Old Testament was historically true?

You may have been taught that the Old Testament is accurate in terms of morals and values, but not in terms of historical details. While this idea may sound reasonable, it quickly breaks down. Jesus treated the Old Testament as an exact historical record. Here are five examples of Jesus believing the Old Testament was historically true.

1. The Queen of Sheba came to hear Solomon

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (Matthew 12:42, citing I Kings 10:2)

2. God made man

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (Matthew 19:4 citing Genesis 1:2)

3. Elijah visited the widow, and no rain fell for three-and-a-half years

But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. (Luke 4:25-26 citing 1 Kings 17)

4. Noah entered the ark, and the flood waters destroyed all humankind

And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:26-27 citing Genesis 7:23)

5. Fire and brimstone rained on Sodom

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Luke 17:28-29 citing Genesis 19:24).

Examples cited in: Paul R. Smith. New Evangelicalism: The New World Order: How The New World Order Is Taking Over Your Church (And Why Your Pastor Will Let Them Do It To You)

Why this matters

• If you decide what is true and what is not in the Bible, then aren’t you making yourself the judge of the Word? Doesn’t this violate Hebrews 4.12?

• If you cannot trust the Bible in all points, then aren’t you at the mercy of an educated elite to tell you what you can - and cannot - believe?

• If you need a special priesthood between you and God’s truth, then aren’t you just the same as those poor wretches in the dark ages?

• If the Bible can’t be trusted in matters of science and history, then doesn’t that make it a bunch of fables?

• Doesn’t Peter say that we are expressly NOT following cunningly devised fables? (II Peter 1.16)

• Who in their right mind would trust their life to a myth? Wouldn’t that be pretty dumb?

• You would stake your life on your faith, wouldn’t you?

• If you wouldn’t stake your life on the gospel, what kind of game are you playing at?

Jesus believed the Old Testament was historically true

If you don’t believe the Bible is true history, then you call Jesus a liar.

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:23)