| John the Baptist | | | | John notes that these things happened so that |
| In A.D. 26, a prophet named John, who we know | | | | the scriptures would be fulfilled: "Not one of his |
| as John the Baptist, began preaching in the Desert | | | | bones will be broken." (Psalm 34:20) And: "They |
| of Judah, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is | | | | will look on the one they have pierced." (Zachariah |
| near." (Matthew 3:1-2) Quoting the words of Isaiah | | | | 12:10) and (John 19:36-37) |
| he said: "A voice of one calling in the desert, | | | | Burial and Resurrection |
| 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight | | | | A rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who |
| paths for him.' " (Matthew 3:3) | | | | was a disciple of Jesus, requested Jesus' body. |
| Jesus of Nazareth | | | | Joseph wrapped the body in a linen cloth and |
| Later on in that same year, another young man | | | | placed it in his own tomb carved from rock. |
| (about thirty years old) began teaching in the local | | | | (Matthew 27:57-60) |
| synagogues around Galilee. Visiting Nazareth, his | | | | Peter informs us that Christ's body didn't decay. |
| hometown, he went into the synagogue on the | | | | (Acts 2:31) The apostle goes on to say: "God |
| Sabbath day. That was his normal routine, but this | | | | raised Jesus to life, and we (meaning the now |
| time he did something different. He stood up to | | | | eleven apostles) were all witnesses of the fact." |
| read the lesson. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah | | | | (Acts 2:32) |
| was handed to him. Opening the scroll, he found | | | | Spiritual Kingdom |
| the passage (Luke 4:18-19 quoting Isaiah 61:1-2): | | | | But what about the promised kingdom? When the |
| The spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has | | | | angel Gabriel told Mary of her forthcoming son, he |
| anointed meto preach good news to the poor. | | | | said: "The Lord God will give him the throne of his |
| He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the | | | | father David, and he will reign over the house of |
| prisonersand recover sight for the blind,to release | | | | Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke |
| the oppressed,to proclaim the year of the Lord's | | | | 1:32-33) How does that square with the facts we |
| favor. | | | | know about Jesus? |
| He read it, rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the | | | | Jesus himself answers the question. When |
| attendant, and sat down. All eyes remained fixed | | | | speaking to Pilate, he says: "My kingdom is not of |
| on him. The young Jew from Nazareth said, | | | | this world. If it were, my followers would have |
| "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." | | | | fought the Jews when they came to arrest me. |
| (Luke 4:21) | | | | My kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36) |
| Prophecies Fulfilled | | | | Clearly Jesus is talking about something beyond |
| Place of birth, Time of Birth, and Ancestry | | | | the physical realm here. He is speaking of a |
| Just who is this young man? His name is Jesus, a | | | | spiritual kingdom. Paul confirms this in his letter to |
| carpenter by trade. He was born in Bethlehem in | | | | the Philippians: "God exalted [Jesus] to the highest |
| 6 or 5 B.C., the son of Joseph and Mary. | | | | place. At the name of Jesus every knee should |
| (Matthew 1:16) and (Luke 2:4-6) Both Gospels | | | | bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth." |
| Matthew and Luke trace his genealogy back to | | | | (Philippians 2:9-10) |
| King David, his father Jesse, and on back to | | | | Spreading the Kingdom |
| Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. (Matthew | | | | After his resurrection, Jesus tells us: "All authority |
| 1:1-17) and (Luke 3:23-34) | | | | in heaven and on earth has been given to me." |
| Other Fulfilled Prophecies | | | | (Matthew 28:18) Then he proceeds to explain how |
| As you can see, Jesus' place of birth, time of | | | | his kingdom will be spread. Addressing the eleven |
| birth, and ancestry all match the prophecies. What | | | | apostles, Jesus orders them to: "Go and make |
| did he do? He preached the good news of the | | | | disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name |
| kingdom of God. (Luke 4:43) He testified to the | | | | of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy |
| truth. (John 18:37) He taught using parables. | | | | Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have |
| (Matthew 13:34-35) Through his disciples, be | | | | commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20) |
| brought salvation to the gentiles. (Acts 28:28) He | | | | In his Gospel, Mark adds this quote from Jesus, |
| served others, and gave his life as a ransom for | | | | "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, |
| many. (Matthew 20:28) | | | | but whoever does not believe will be condemned." |
| Well now, this Jesus does sound promising. Was | | | | (Mark 16:16) |
| he the predicted Jewish king? Let's set that | | | | Luke provides us with another quote commonly |
| question aside for a moment and see how the | | | | called the Great Commission. Jesus prophesies: |
| other Messianic prophecies turned out. | | | | "Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be |
| Miracles | | | | preached in [my] name to all nations, beginning at |
| Did he perform miracles? Yes, more than anyone | | | | Jerusalem." (Luke 24:47) |
| before or since. Jesus gave sight to the blind; | | | | On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to |
| hearing to the deaf; cured leprosy and numerous | | | | devout Jews from every nation. He said bluntly: |
| other diseases; healed those who were crippled | | | | "God has made this Jesus, whom you have |
| and paralyzed. Also he healed a woman who was | | | | crucified, both Lord and Christ." They believed him |
| bleeding, a man with a shriveled hand, and another | | | | and asked what they should do. |
| with dropsy, and a good number of people | | | | Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized everyone |
| possessed by demons. That in itself is impressive, | | | | of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the |
| but there's more. | | | | forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift |
| We discover that Jesus' power is not limited to | | | | of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and |
| healing the sick and disabled. Nature itself is | | | | your children and for all who are far off -- for all |
| subject to his command. On at least three | | | | whom the Lord our God will call." (Acts 2:36-39) |
| occasions Jesus raised the dead: Jairus' daughter, | | | | With these words, Peter is telling us the promise |
| the widow's son at Nain, and Lazarus. He fed five | | | | continues and is still with us today. As Gabriel said |
| thousand people with a few fish and loaves of | | | | announcing Jesus' birth: "His kingdom will never |
| bread. | | | | end." (Luke 1:33) And as Jesus himself said, "I will |
| And he repeated the same miracle feeding | | | | be with you always, to the end of time." |
| another four thousand. Jesus caused a fish to turn | | | | (Matthew 28:20 REB) |
| up with a coin in its mouth to pay the temple tax. | | | | Unrecognized Messiah |
| At his command, an unproductive fig tree | | | | Prophecy after prophecy after prophecy fell |
| withered. He turned water into wine. And twice he | | | | neatly into place. Over two thousand years of |
| produced spectacular catches of fish. Jesus | | | | predictions were fulfilled in minute detail through |
| certainly satisfied the miracle requirement. But | | | | the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. |
| what about the donkey? | | | | As you can see, those Messianic predictions fit |
| Donkey and Prophecies Beyond Jesus' Control | | | | Jesus like a glove. No one before or since has |
| Jesus took care to fulfill Zechariah's five hundred | | | | come close to measuring up. |
| year old prophecy. As he approached Jerusalem, | | | | But if this is so obvious to us, why didn't the |
| he sent two of his disciples into a village to get a | | | | religious Jews of Jesus' day recognize it? It |
| donkey. Just as prophesied, he road triumphantly | | | | becomes all the more curious when we consider |
| into Jerusalem on that donkey. (Matthew 21:6-11) | | | | that Jesus was born at a time and place where |
| and (Luke 19:28-35) | | | | Jews and others were eagerly expecting the |
| It should be noted that other Messianic prophecies | | | | Messiah. |
| were fulfilled over which Jesus had little or no | | | | When all is said and done, it comes down to this: |
| control. For instance, his own brothers had no | | | | Jesus just wasn't what the Jews were looking for. |
| faith in him, and his own people would not accept | | | | Israel was in the clutches of the Roman empire. |
| him. (John 7:5 and 1:11) And even after the Jews | | | | Most Jews didn't like it a bit. They were hoping for |
| saw Jesus perform miracles, they still hated him. | | | | political independence from Rome. |
| (John 15:24) | | | | The promised Messiah was thought to be a |
| Betrayal | | | | military superstar who would liberate them from |
| Likewise, the prophecies of Jesus' betrayal fell in | | | | foreign domination. He, so they believed, would |
| place just as they were predicted. Judas Iscariot, | | | | restore the nation to the prominence they |
| one of the twelve apostles betrayed Jesus with a | | | | enjoyed during David's day. |
| kiss. (Matthew 26:48-49) Judas was paid exactly | | | | After all, didn't the prophet Daniel say the Messiah |
| thirty pieces of silver for his duplicity. (Matthew | | | | would crush the ruling kingdoms, and set up a |
| 26:14-15) | | | | new kingdom which would never be destroyed, |
| After the temple guards arrested Jesus, Judas | | | | nor left to another people? (Daniel 2:44) |
| had a change of heart. He threw the money into | | | | This prophecy encouraged the concept of the |
| the temple and left. The chief priests used the | | | | Messiah as a reigning military hero. That's what |
| money to buy the potter's field as a burial place | | | | the public was hoping for in 30 A.D. Jesus, with his |
| for foreigners. (Matthew 27:5-7) | | | | talk of love, forgiveness, and his not-of-this-world |
| Disciples Desert and Deny Jesus | | | | kingdom, just didn't seem right for the job. |
| To their discredit, Jesus' disciples fulfilled | | | | Besides they killed him, didn't they? He's dead. |
| Zechariah's grim prophecy. When Jesus was | | | | Obviously, he was not the promised Messiah. |
| arrested, the disciples deserted him and fled. | | | | That is how most of the Jews viewed Jesus |
| (Matthew 26:56) Peter, the most prominent and | | | | after his death. |
| outspoken of the apostles, denied three times | | | | From our historical vantage point, we can see |
| that he even knew Jesus. (Matthew 26:69-75) | | | | that several of those Messianic prophecies have |
| Mocked, Abused, and Crucified | | | | been fulfilled in ways first century Jews could |
| Both Jews and Romans mocked and abused | | | | never have imagined. The spiritual kingdom Christ |
| Jesus. At the trial in the Sanhedrin, the Jews spat | | | | founded began with a mere handful of dedicated |
| in his face, blindfolded him, struck him with their | | | | men. |
| fists and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit | | | | Despite hardships and persecutions, Christianity |
| you?" And the guards took him and beat him. | | | | spread rapidly throughout the Roman empire. |
| (Matthew 26:67), (Mark 14:65), and (Luke | | | | Within a few hundred years of his death, |
| 22:63-65) | | | | emperors, kings, and nobles along with hundreds |
| Pilate had Roman soldiers flog Jesus. The soldiers | | | | of thousands of common people were bowing |
| twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it | | | | their knees worshipping the crucified Jew from |
| on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe, | | | | Nazareth. |
| while yelling over and over again, "Hail, king of the | | | | Today, almost two thousand years later, |
| Jews!" Then they hit him in the face. (John 19:1-3) | | | | Christianity is still going strong. And its impact is |
| During the Sanhedrin trial, Mark reports that: | | | | felt worldwide. Jesus' kingdom reigns in the hearts |
| "Many gave false evidence against him, but their | | | | and minds of all who put their trust in him. |
| statements did not agree." (Mark 14:56) Matthew | | | | We have uncovered a substantial body of |
| tells us: "The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin | | | | evidence supporting the Hebrew prophets of the |
| tried to find some allegation against Jesus that | | | | Old Testament. What they said would happen, did |
| would warrant a death sentence. But they failed | | | | indeed happen. They claimed their information |
| to find one, though many came forward with | | | | came from God. We have no reason for disputing |
| false evidence." (Matthew 26:59-60) | | | | their claim. |
| The high priest asked Jesus if he would answer | | | | God's Plan of Redemption |
| the charges. But Jesus remained silent. (Matthew | | | | Those same Hebrew prophets told us of the |
| 26:62-63) Later, before Pilate, the Chief priest and | | | | Messiah who was to come. They provided us |
| elders brought charges against him. But he made | | | | with explicit details of his forthcoming life, death, |
| no reply. (Matthew 27:12) | | | | and resurrection. He is to be our hope of |
| Like a jigsaw puzzle, all the pieces seem to fit | | | | salvation, our hope for eternal life. |
| together - just as the prophets foresaw hundreds | | | | Then there appears one in Galilee who matches |
| of years before the events. Many detailed | | | | the description. |
| predictions were reserved for Christ's death. Let's | | | | He preaches with authority; he speaks in parables; |
| take a close look to see how they were fulfilled. | | | | he performs numerous extraordinary miracles. He |
| Both Jews and gentiles were involved in Jesus' | | | | teaches the highest form of morality. He asks us |
| death. Jews arrested, tried, condemned, and took | | | | to obey him in all things and follow his example. |
| him to the Romans for execution. When Pilate | | | | We are to imitate him; we are to become little |
| proved reluctant, the Jews put all the pressure | | | | "Christs" following his footsteps. |
| they could exert on the governor. Pilate, however | | | | He tells us he is the one and only path to |
| unwilling he may have been, was the one who | | | | salvation. He is the unblemished sacrificial lamb |
| gave the order. His men flogged, ridiculed, and | | | | who was born to die in our place. All who repent |
| crucified Jesus. | | | | of their sins and follow him will have eternal life. |
| Jesus was crucified in the usual Roman manner. | | | | With that, God reveals his plan for restoring |
| His hands and feet were pierced by large dull | | | | mankind. As Adam's single act of defiance |
| spikes which nailed his body to the wooden cross. | | | | ushered in sin and death, Christ's perfect sacrifice, |
| They crucified two robbers with him, one on | | | | if we accept him, frees us from sin and death. |
| either side. (Mark 15:27) and (Matthew 27:38) | | | | That's what Christ taught, and that's what |
| After the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his | | | | Christians believe. |
| clothes, dividing them into four shares. The tunic | | | | You may be wondering if those Messianic |
| was seamless, woven throughout in one piece. | | | | prophecies were actual predictions of future |
| They decided it was too valuable to tear, so they | | | | events. Or, is it possible they were written after |
| cast lots for it. (John 19:23-24) | | | | Jesus lived and died? Perhaps they fit Jesus so |
| Those who passed by yelled insults. "You who are | | | | well because his proponents wrote them after the |
| going to destroy the temple and build it again in | | | | events took place. That might sound plausible until |
| three days, save yourself. Come down from the | | | | you consider the Septuagint. |
| cross, if you are the Son of God." (Matthew | | | | The entire Old Testament, Messianic prophecies |
| 27:39-40) The chief priest and teachers of the | | | | and all, were translated into the Greek Septuagint |
| law added their own brand of ridicule: "He trusts in | | | | around 275 B.C. Thus we know everyone of the |
| God. Let God rescue him if he wants him, for he | | | | Biblical prophecies had to predate Jesus by at |
| said, 'I am the Son of God.'" (Matthew 27:41-43) | | | | least 250 years. |
| Ironically, their very insults fulfilled Psalm 22:7-8 | | | | After Jesus finished his assigned tasks on earth, |
| almost verbatim. "All who see me, hurl insults, | | | | he completed the prophecies by submitting |
| shaking their heads: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the | | | | himself to the most cruel punishment and death |
| Lord rescue him.'" | | | | Rome could devise. He is crucified; he's buried; and |
| "At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until | | | | on the third day, he arose form the grave. He is |
| three o'clock." (Matthew 27:45 NLT) Notice that's | | | | seen by over 500 witnesses over a forty day |
| too long for an eclipse of the sun. Amos' eight | | | | period. Then he ascends into heaven promising he |
| hundred year old prophecy proved true. | | | | would return to judge the world. Jesus is the |
| While dying on the cross, Jesus said, "Father | | | | promise fulfilled. |
| forgive them, for they do not know what they | | | | Questions to Consider: |
| are doing." (Luke 23:34) That took care of Isaiah's | | | | 1.Did Jesus fulfill the Biblical prophecies? |
| "intercession for the transgressors" prophecy. | | | | 2.Is there any doubt that he is the Messiah, the |
| Jesus said, "I am thirsty." They soaked a sponge | | | | Christ, the promised one? |
| in wine vinegar mixed with gall and offered it to | | | | 3. Is this the most important event in all of |
| him (John 19:28-29) and (Matthew 27:34) Quoting | | | | history? |
| Psalm 22:1, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, | | | | Quote of the Day: "Here is a door, behind which, |
| why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46) | | | | according to some people, the secret of the |
| Then quoting Psalm 31:5 Jesus said, "Father, into | | | | universe is waiting for you. Either that's true, or it |
| your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46) | | | | isn't. And if it isn't, then what that door really |
| The next day was to be a special Sabbath. The | | | | conceals is simply the greatest fraud, the most |
| Jews didn't want crucified bodies left hanging in | | | | colossal 'sell' on record. Isn't it obviously the job of |
| public display over the Sabbath. They requested | | | | every man (that is a man and not a rabbit) to try |
| that the legs be broken to hasten death for the | | | | to find out which, and then to devote his full |
| three men. The soldiers complied by breaking the | | | | energies either to serving this tremendous secret |
| legs of the two robbers, but when they came to | | | | or to exposing and destroying this gigantic |
| Jesus, they found he was already dead. Instead | | | | humbug?" C. S. Lewis God in the Dock "Man or |
| of breaking his legs, one of the Roman soldiers | | | | Rabbit" (1945) |
| thrust his spear into Jesus' side to make sure he | | | | Note: All Scripture References are taken from the |
| was dead. | | | | New International Version unless otherwise stated. |