Intertextuality

Beginning with Moses

Scripture Reading: Psalm 40; Leviticus 10-11

This morning, I want to speak more generally about a practice that I believe will be helpful to you as you read through the Bible. There is a concept called “Intertextuality.” Intertextuality refers to the way texts interact with and reference each other. In biblical studies, it describes how passages within the Bible echo, allude to, or quote other parts of Scripture. This can be seen in direct quotations, thematic parallels, typology, and shared imagery.

For example, the New Testament frequently quotes or alludes to the Old Testament, such as how Jesus is depicted as the fulfillment of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53 or how Paul's writings reference Abraham's faith in Genesis. The book of Revelation is also filled with allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures, particularly Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah.

Understanding intertextuality in the Bible helps readers see the unity of Scripture, recognize theological developments, and deepen their grasp of biblical themes. It also shows how later biblical authors interpreted earlier texts, shaping the meaning and application of those passages in new contexts.

One of the positive values we derive from reading the Bible through as a life-habit is we begin to be able to see connections between texts that we might not have otherwise noticed. Reading the Bible repeatedly over many years allows us to hear echoes of Scripture in whatever passage we’re reading, even when there’s no direct quotation. It’s like watching a favorite movie many times with friends—someone can make a subtle reference, and everyone instantly recognizes it. Similarly, when Jesus calms the sea, a reader steeped in Scripture might recall Psalm 107:29, where God stills the storm. These intertextual connections deepen our understanding, revealing the Bible as a unified story woven with recurring themes, patterns, and allusions.

When we read a text like the Psalm assigned for today, if our hearts have been inscripturated we will recognize that this Psalm is about Jesus as much or more than it is about David. As Andrew Bonar wrote:

We cannot fail to recognize Messiah here...Christ speaks throughout, so exclusively indeed, that the believer must here take up the words not as his own experience (except where he can follow Christ to gather the spoil), but as the experience of the Captain of Salvation, in fighting that battle which has ended in everlasting triumph.

Don’t stop reading the Bible. Get inscripturated and you will start to see this grand intertextuality.

a man reading the bible