Q&A: Obadiah and New Testament

Question

If the Book of Obadiah is truly Scripture, then why is it not quoted in the New Testament?

Answer

Just because you do not have a quote from Henry Ford in your 2012 Ford F-150 owner's manual, it does not mean your F-150 is not a Ford.

The 39 books of the Old Testament are inspired by God even if they are not quoted in the New Testament. There are other Old Testament books that are not directly quoted in the New Testament, including Ruth, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Esther, Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes.

Though the book of Obadiah does not contain Messianic predictions that point directly to Christ, the theme of divine judgment against those who persecute God's people finds its fulfillment in Christ. Jesus himself suffered at the hands of God's enemies (Acts 2:36), and he predicted that his followers would experience the same affliction (Acts 14:21-22). Yet Christ promised to keep his people in his love during these difficult times (Rom. 8:28-39). When he returns in glory he will judge all those who have stood against himself and his people (Matt. 25; Rev. 19:1-2). Obadiah's vision of a new order in which God's people are restored in victory over the nations also finds its fulfillment in Christ.

So, as one may readily see, though there are no direct quotations of Obadiah in the New Testament, its message is consistent with it.