Photo Credit: Kladcat (2012), shared under a Creative Commons Attribution License
I recently finished a read-through of the Bible, during which I kept track of every time the New Testament quoted an Old Testament passage.
I counted only direct, explicit quotations, such as those introduced with “it is written,” or “as it says in the Law of Moses.” I gave some leniency, allowing clear quotations on the list even if introduced by a mere “for.”
I did not include any mere allusions or references to people or events in the Old Testament. I don’t think such allusions are unimportant; I just think they can be difficult to measure. For example, when Jesus is called “Son of Man,” is that an allusion to Daniel 7:13, to Psalm 8:4, or to Ezekiel 2:1, 3, 6, 8, etc? Most likely, the answer is “all of them,” but Bible interpreters disagree. Therefore, I left these unclear examples off the list altogether. One unfortunate result is that the books of 2 Peter, Jude, and Revelation, which contain Old Testament allusions in almost every verse, are almost completely absent from the list.
This list has the top 10 most quoted Old Testament books. Which books did the New Testament authors most often reference as they wrote of the coming of Jesus the Messiah?
After each book title, I include the number of times the New Testament quotes from that book.
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Psalms (68 times)
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Isaiah (55)
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Deuteronomy (44)
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Genesis (35)
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Exodus (31)
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Leviticus (13)
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Proverbs (8)
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Zechariah (7)
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Hosea (6)
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Jeremiah (5)
It makes sense that the top few books are some of the long books in the OT. But the longest book (Jeremiah) is pretty far down. Also, long books such as 1&2 Samuel (3 quotes), 1&2 Kings (2 quotes), and 1&2 Chronicles (1 quote) are way down the list. For the raw data listing every quotation, see the resources page.
Also, I find it fascinating that Zechariah, probably the most obscure and inscrutable OT book, ranks higher than any other prophetic book except Isaiah.
Does this list surprise you, or is it exactly what you suspected? Perhaps you might consult this list the next time you choose to study an Old Testament book. One could argue that the New Testament authors wanted to draw our attention to them.
Deuteronomy is mostly repeating things from earlier in the Torah, a fact that it’s very name alludes to. That you list is as the most quotes of the Torah, is interesting but perhaps questionable.
Anytime Jesus wording is apparently more like Deuteronomy then equivalent passages on the same subject in Exodus, Leviticus or Numbers, I’m inclined to wonder how much is that perception dependent on the Septuagint, which don’t trust.
I scoff at everyone who says “The New Testament used the Septuagint”, there is ample evidence the Septuagint was preserved and copied by Christians to conform to the New Testament. For example it didn’t originally have an extra Kenen in the Genesis 11 genealogy. These Septuagint advocates ignore all the places were they disagree, like the Septuagint spelling Solomon differently (Salomon), and that the Septuagint never uses the word for Comforter that John uses.
There is at least one thing unique to Deuteronomy referenced in The New Testament, the Prophet Like Unto Moses prophecy, which is clearly applied to Jesus. Also the Song of Moses in Revelation.
You may be interested in Psalm 1:1-2 (NAS)1
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the [a]path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night”
Maybe you should reconsider “scoffing” at everyone, regardless of your reason for doing so. .
Bethany how blessed you are! 🙏🏽 and please be always aware of those scoffers out there…wolfs in sheep’s clothes
Peter, thank you for taking the time to compile this list. I am blessed by the fruit of your labor.