Echoes of Scripture in the Gospels

The New Testament's message relies heavily on the idea that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection took place "according to the Scriptures". All four canonical Gospels declare that the Torah and the Prophets and the Psalms mysteriously prefigure Jesus. The Fourth Gospel states this claim succinctly: in his narrative, Jesus declares, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me" (John 5:46). This raises fundamental questions about why the Gospel writers read the Scriptures in such surprising ways. Richard B. Hays explores how the four Gospel writers interpreted Israel's Scripture and reveals that their readings were as complementary as they were faithful. He chronicles the dramatically different approaches of each writer, including the practice of figural reading - an imaginative and retrospective move that creates narrative continuity and wholeness. This long-awaited sequel to his Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul highlights the theological consequences of these distinctive hermeneutical approaches. By examining the Evangelists' readings of Scripture, Hays asks what it might mean for contemporary readers to attempt to read Scripture through their eyes. This book provides a nuanced understanding of how the Gospel writers engaged with Israel's sacred texts and sheds light on the enduring significance of their interpretations.