This is just one of a series of articles written by Chuck & Karen Cohen, which later formed the basis for their book Roots Of Our Faith. The book greatly expands on the themes introduced by these articles, and also contains extensive topical and scripture indices.

Messianic terms used in this teaching:

Yeshua

Jesus

Messiah

Christ

Tanach

Old Testament

All Scripture verses are from the Authorised King James Version.

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Where are the roots of the Gospel found?

The Gospel did not first appear on the scene when the angel announced to Miriam that she would give birth to the Messiah. Many in Israel were already waiting for this day ( Luke 2:25-38 ). In fact, we see that the inspired writers of the NT are constantly pointing back to theTanach as their proof text for what they proclaim about Messiah Yeshua, His death on the cross, His burial, and His resurrection.

We will look at a number of NT texts to demonstrate that the gospel we believe is based on the Word of God found in the Tanach.

The Gospels look backward for proof

From the opening line of the NT, our attention is focused on what went before: “The book of the generation of Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” ( Matt 1:1 ). Why was it so important that Yeshua was the son of both Abraham and David? Because God covenanted that their seed would be the promised Messiah!

Incidentally, both were also promised the inheritance of the Land, making this one of several NT texts affirming that the coming of Messiah did not do away with God’s promises to the Jewish people concerning their inheritance ( Gen 12:1; 2 Sam 7:10 ).

Matthew’s gospel continually points back to the Tanach by using this or similar phrases repeatedly:

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet…” Matt 1:22

Imagine you are walking on the road to Emmaus with the resurrected Messiah, your eyes blinded to His identity. If you were writing the script, wouldn’t you have Him say something like, “Hey guys – wake up! It’s me. I am risen from the dead. Look at Me, touch Me – and believe!” But what does Yeshua really say to His disciples on that Emmaus road?

“...O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Messiah to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:25b-27

Yeshua’s proof of his Messiahship is the Tanach, not just physical evidence.

His crucifixion or resurrection alone do not prove He is Messiah. Many Jews were crucified, and several Jews were resurrected in the gospels – Lazarus, a widow’s son, and a synagogue ruler’s little girl. His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection prove it only because they fulfill what the Tanach prophesied would happen to the Jewish Messiah!

To those who doubted whether Yeshua was who He said He was, He challenged:

“Search the scriptures [the Tanach]; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me… Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” John 5:39,45-47

This saying of Messiah is foundational for the Church. If we do not believe Moses wrote the Word of our God ( Ex 19:9 ), how then can we really believe in Yeshua as Messiah since He always uses the Tanach as proof of His Messiahship?

A Jewish Rabbi satisfied with Yeshua’s Messiahship

Why was Rabbi Saul (the apostle Paul) so convinced that Yeshua was Messiah? Because he found that the gospel was the fulfillment of what the Tanach said:

“But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets.” Acts 24:14

In Romans 1:1-2, we see that the NT not only calls the Old Testament, “the holy scriptures”, but Paul also states that the gospel was already promised in the Tanach:

“Paul, a servant of Yeshua the Messiah, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures)...”

How many believers today understand that the Holy Scriptures include the Old Testament? In fact, whenever the NT mentions the “scriptures”, in the historical context it is referring only to the Tanach.

The NT always looks to the Tanach to verify that what it states is truly of God! In fact, in the letter to the Romans, which many NT scholars consider the apex of NT theology, Paul quotes or alludes to the Tanach more than 60 times!

In Romans 10:5-8, Paul argues in favor of God’s righteousness, imparted through trusting God, as opposed to the false concept of man’s righteousness, supposedly achieved by keeping the law, but impossible in practice. Paul says:

“For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.” Lev 18:5

He contrasts that wrong approach to righteousness by again quoting from Moses!

“But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven ( Deut 30:12 )? (that is, to bring Messiah down from above: [This is Paul’s inspired commentary on what the Tanach is really stating.]) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Messiah again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart ( Deut 30:14 ): that is, the word of faith, which we preach.”

Therefore, to establish what God means by “the righteousness which is of faith”, Paul quotes Moses, ie, he quotes the Law! So in the “law”, both types of righteousness are proclaimed. Now Paul continues:

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto right-eousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture [Tanach] saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed ( Isa 28:16; 49:23 ). For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. [How does Paul know this?. Because the Tanach says so! His proof text follows:]
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved ( Joel 2:32 ). How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things ( Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15 )! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For [Isaiah] saith, Lord, who hath believed our report ( Isa 53:1 )? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world ( Psa 19:4 ). But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you ( Deut 32:21 ). But [Isaiah] is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me ( Isa 65:1 ). But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people ( Isa 65:2 ).” Rom 10:9-21

Even in Paul’s classic chapter on the resurrection, again and again he uses the Tanach to buttress his belief:

“For I delivered to you first of all what I also received, how that Messiah died for our sins according to the scriptures [the Tanach]; that he was buried, and he rose again the third day according to the scriptures [again the Tanach].” 1 Cor 15:3-4

In the letter to the Galatians Paul says that this gospel was preached to Father Abraham – long before the Incarnation. Therefore the promise of the gospel was given before the Law.

“And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [the Hebrew goyim can be translated as heathens, Gentiles or nations, according to the context] through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, ‘In thee shall all nations be blessed’” Gal 3:8, quoting Gen 12:3

Other New Testament proofs

The letter to the Hebrews states that the gospel was preached to the children of Israel in the wilderness, this time after the Law was given!

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said…” Heb 4:1-3; see also Jer 6:16

Finally, Peter declares that the Word of the Lord as found in the Tanach was the Word the apostles used to preach the gospel of Messiah Yeshua. And why not? It was the only Word of God they had!

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever ( Isa 40:6-8 ). And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” 1 Pet 1:23-25

In conclusion

Try this interesting study. Trace all the places where the NT uses the word “scripture” and substitute “Tanach”. You are not doing a disservice to the text – in fact just the opposite. Do you think your own personal and theological view of the Old Testament is as “high and holy” as that of the NT authors and Messiah Yeshua himself? If not, why not?

We cannot afford to believe in just the New Testament. And why call ourselves “New Testament believers”? We should more accurately call ourselves “Bible” believers for the following reason:

“Yeshua answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures [the Tanach], nor the power of God.” Matt 22:29

We cannot afford such error. We must realize that the Tanach is vital to our faith.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Messiah: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith ( Hab 2:4 ).’” Rom 1:16-17