Christ's use of scripture is how he accomplished his work here on earth.  He found in scripture the way he would walk, the strength to do his work, and the weapon to overcome his enemies.  Scripture was indispensable to him. In fact, his entire life was the fulfillment of what had been written.

In the temptation in the wilderness it was by his "it is written" that he overcame the devil (Matthew 4:1-11).  In response to every effort of Satan to cause him to sin Christ cited God's word written in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.

In his conflicts with the religious leaders of his day he repeatedly appealed to scripture.  He asked, "Is it not written?" (Mark 11:17) and 'Have ye not read this scripture?" (Mark 12:10).  He said, "And the scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35) and "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures" (Matthew 22:29).

As he taught his disciples it was always by scripture that he proved the truth regarding the certainty and necessity of his suffering, death and resurrection.  "Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:25-27).  "And he said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day" (Luke 24:46).

Of all the people who have lived, if anyone could have gotten by without scripture, surely it would be Christ.   After all, he is the living Word!  Yet when we read the New Testament accounts of his life, we find scripture was everything to him, he yielded himself and submitted himself step by step to the word of God.

Christ had such an amazing respect for scripture.  And so must we.  We must not alter scripture to fit our mood; we must not set aside scripture to accommodate our likes and dislikes.  As Jesus knew and prayed to the Father, "Thy word is truth" (John 17:17).