Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site

“IT IS WRITTEN” 101
talking about God and his Kingdom for just a few hours
and managing to work in references to over half of the
books of the Hebrew Scriptures! Furthermore, in most
cases Jesus did not have written scrolls at hand. When he
delivered his famous Sermon on the Mount, he included
dozens of direct and indirect references to the Hebrew
Scriptures—all from memory!
7 Jesus’ quotations showed his profound reverence for
the Word of God. His audience “became astounded at
his way of teaching, for there he was teaching them as
one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mark 1:
22) When the scribes taught, they were fond of referring
to the so-called oral law, quoting learned rabbis from
times past. Jesus never once cited the oral law or some
rabbi as an authority. Rather, he viewed God’s Word as
the final authority. Again and again, we find him saying:
“It is written.” He repeatedly used those or similar words
in teaching his followers and in correcting wrong ideas.
8 When Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem, he said:
“It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’
but you are making it a cave of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12,
13; Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 7:11) He followed up that courageous
act by performing many marvelous works there.
Young boys, deeply impressed, began praising him. However,
the religious leaders indignantly asked Jesus if he
heard what those children were saying. He answered:
“Yes. Did you never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of
babes and sucklings you have furnished praise’?” (Matthew
21:16; Psalm 8:2) Jesus wanted those men to know
that God’s Word authorized what was happening there.
8, 9. (a) How did Jesus uphold the authority of God’s Word when
he cleansed the temple? (b) In what way did the religious leaders at
the temple show gross disrespect for God’s Word?