If the Bible weaves together, how do I find threads throughout Scripture? Follow clues from a few key places in the Bible to gain skills for finding connections to Jesus throughout the Old and New Testament.
Treasure hunting in the Bible?
I’m a huge fan of reading the Bible, not because I’m super spiritual, but because I love a good treasure hunt. Believe it or not, I’ve found several in the Bible the more familiar I become with what’s in it. Here is one example of a treasure hunt I stumbled upon while doing some Bible study homework. I’ll take you on the journey, then give you some tips and key places to keep in mind so you can find threads and make your own discoveries.
Starting in 1 Peter
While reading a passage in 1 Peter I came across a verse that made me think of Jesus. Peter was a disciple of Jesus who wrote two letters, 1 and 2 Peter, which are found in the New Testament.
The passage from 1 Peter is this one:
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18 NIV
The phrase in that verse that caught my attention was “suffered once for sins.”
Hebrews and the high priest
In Old Testament times the people through the priest offered sacrifices for sins. In my Bible reading I remembered that Hebrews in the New Testament talks about Jesus as high priest offering the sacrifice once and for all. I hopped over to Hebrews and skimmed until I found the section referencing the high priest.
“Unlike the other high priests, [Jesus] does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” Hebrews 7:27 NIV
Jesus sacrificed once for all
Jesus sacrificed once for all when he offered himself.
This reminded me of the Old Testament laws in Leviticus. Chapter 16 describes the day of atonement. Aaron, the brother of Moses, was the first high priest.
Leviticus and the linens
In this passage from Leviticus chapter 16, God spoke to Moses, giving him instructions to tell his brother Aaron regarding how to approach the Most Holy Place. Aaron was the high priest who entered into the most sacred place to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people.
“He [Aaron] is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban.” Leviticus 16:4 NIV
“Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.” Leviticus 16:23 NIV
The disciples and the empty tomb
When I read verse 23 it reminded me of Jesus or rather what the disciples found in the empty tomb:
“Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” Luke 24:12 NIV
Did you see which disciple ran into the tomb and saw the linens left there?
Finding the thread
In the Leviticus passage, Aaron left the sacred linens behind. This was after he completed his priestly role for that particular day. Jesus completed the role once and for all and left the linens behind in the tomb.
For Jesus, once and for all had finished the work. Of atoning for sins.
Key passages
Rather than just telling you about these scripture correlations, I want to give you tools to find threads like these yourself. Keep Leviticus 16 and Hebrews 7 on speed dial. Knowing these two passages provides insight to deep connections throughout scripture. Remembering the resurrection story in Luke 24 draws us to the disciples who spent time with Jesus.
When we look for the treasure in scripture, we can spend time with Jesus too.
For a little more insight on Leviticus, look here:
How to survive the journey through Leviticus
Here’s a brief overview of the whole Bible.
For tips on locating Leviticus, Hebrews, or any other book of the Bible, look here: