Chapter 10: Messianic Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

1. Place of Birth – Bethlehem

Text: Micah 5:1 (JPS version), 5:2 in other versions; “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, which are little among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from old from ancient days.”

“From the days of eternity” as “everlasting” in other versions.

This prophecy was unmistakably quoted in Jewish O.T., confirmed in textual studies. It was referred to by the scribes at the time of Jesus’ birth, according to Matt. 2:1-4 and fulfilled thereafter in time, Scripture, and history (Luke 2:4-11). Jesus was born here, a Savior, Lord, and Son of David.

Matt. 2:2-6: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? When Herod the king heard it, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him and gathering all the chief priests and scribes of the people he began to inquire of them where the Christ (Messiah) was to be born And they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea (Ephratah) for so it has been written by the prophet.’” Then quoting Micah 5:2.

2. Manner of Birth (by a virgin)

Text: Isa. 7:14, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; behold the young woman” (almah). Word “almah” is used of Rebecca called a damsel but was a virgin (JPS version). Strong’s concordance defines almah as “lass,” “damsel,” “maid,” “virgin.”

Luke 1:26-35, “God sent His angel to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.” She was not just a “young woman” who, if pregnant, would have been married. She was a virgin. “Before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.”

3. Prediction of Him as the “Seed of the woman” bruising Satan.

Text: Gen. 3:15, first mention, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed; they shall bruise thy head and thou shall bruise their heel” (JPS).

A woman has no seed. It is supplied by another, in this case, by the Holy Spirit. On the cross, the woman’s seed (Jesus) will bruise Satan’s head.

Texts: Gal. 3:16: He does not say, “and to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to One, and to your seed, that is, Christ.”

Gal. 4:4: “In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman.”

Heb. 2:14: “The children share in flesh and blood, He Himself, likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”

4. Beginning as a child, yet eternally pre-existent

Text: Isaiah 9:6: “For a child is born unto us, a son is given unto us, and the government is upon his shoulder and his name is called Pele-joez-el-gibbon. Abi-ad-san-shalom.

The Hebrew phrase underlined above is translated in English to say, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Why is it not translated into English like the rest of the verse? To conceal its meaning from English readers who do not understand Hebrew?

Texts: John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and was God.”

Col. 1:15-16: “He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him were all things created, in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible – all things have been created by Him and for Him.”

5. Identifying Messiah as God

Text: Isaiah 9:6 (see above under number 4 “Mighty God,” “everlasting Father”)

Matt. 28:18: “All authority has been given to Me, in heaven and on earth.”

John 5:22-23: “He gives all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”

6. His Substitutionary Death as exemplified in the Passover feast, the animal sacrifices, including Levitical offerings (chap. 1, 4-5)

Texts: Ex. 13:4: “Sanctify unto Me all the first born” (JPS) (cf Num.3:13; 8:17)

Isa. 53:3-5: “He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of pain and acquainted with disease, and as one from men hide their face, He was despised and we esteemed him not. Surely our diseases he did bear and our pains he carried; whereas we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded because of our transgressions. He was crushed because of our iniquities. The chastisement of our welfare was upon him and with his stripes we are healed.” (JPS)

Rom. 5:8: “Christ died for us.”

I Cor. 15:3: “Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures.”

Heb. 9:26: “Put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”

I Pet. 2:24: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross.”

I John 2:2: “For the sins of the whole world.”

Rev. 1:5: “Washed us from our sins in His own blood.”

7. Manner of Jesus’ Death (Crucifixion)

This was not the Jewish manner of execution.

Text: Psalm 22:15-19: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is melted like wax. It is melted in mine inmost parts. My strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue cleaveth to my throat and thou dost lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have encompassed me; a company of evil-doers have enclosed me, like a lion. They are at my hands and feet. I may count all my bones; they look and gloat over me. They part my garments among them and for my vesture do they cast lots.” (JPS)

The underlined words “are at” (above) replace other translations which read “pierced.” The Hebrew word is aryyeh (ar-ee’) in the sense of violence (arah) “pierced” (as in Judges 5:26, Job 30:17, especially Zech. 12:10 “daqar” pierced. JPS renders Judges 5:26 as “pierced” (when Jael pierced the temple of Sisera ). JPS renders Job 30:17 as “pierced.” JPS renders Zech. 12:10 as “thrust him through.”

Texts: John 19:37 (quoting Zech. 12:10): “And the Scripture says, ‘They shall look on Him whom they pierced.’”

Rev. 1:7: “He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him.”

John 20:25: “the print of the nails” displayed.

8. Resurrection of Messiah

Texts: Psa. 16:10: “Thou wilt not abandon my soul to the nether world (Sheol); neither wilt Thou suffer thy godly one [anointed one – Messiah] to see the pit” (JPS).

Psa. 22:21-23: “Deliver my soul from the sword, mine only one from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth. Yea, from the horns of the wild oxen do thou answer me. I will declare Thy name unto my brethren” (JPS).

This passage follows the account of the crucifixion in prior verses. It implies that deliverance was accomplished, not by preventing the crucifixion, but by resurrecting “my only one” (the godly Messiah) after death.

Isaiah 53:10: “Yet it pleased the Lord to crush him to see if his soul would offer itself in restitution, the he might see his seed, prolong his days” (JPS).

Psalm 16:10 is quoted in N.T. in Acts 13:35, “He also says in another Psalm, ‘Thou will not allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay’” (referring to His resurrection vs. 30).

Psalm 16:10 text is very clear. “Thou will not abandon my soul to Sheol (the grave) neither Will Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay.”

Psalm 22:21-22 (implied): “Out of the horn of the wild oxen thou dost answer me. I will tell of Thy name to my brethren” (after His prayer for deliverance in vs. 1, 2 and the description of His crucifixion vs. 14-15).

Isaiah 53:10: “But the Lord was pleased to crush him, putting him to grief, if he would render his soul as a guilt offering. He will see His offspring. He will prolong His days” (NASB).

Why would it please the Lord to crush a godly man unless He saw in this death the needed substitutionary sacrifice?

9. Abraham’s (father of all Semitic people) seed to be the means of blessing all nations (through Messiah).

Texts: Gen. 18:17: “All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (JPS).

Gen. 22:18: “In thy seed shall all nations of the earth be blessed” (JPS).

Gen. 26:4: “By thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves” (JPS).

Gen. 28:14: “Thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shall spread abroad to the west and the east, and to the north, and to the south and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (JPS).

Texts: Acts 3:25: “Saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed’” (NASB). Peter, at the Beautiful Gate of the temple (vs. 10), spoke to the men of Israel (vs. 12) and told that Jesus was the servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (vs. 13) and told them to take heed to him who was the beginning of God’s fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, “and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Gal. 3:16: “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘and to seeds, as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ’” (NASB).

10. Seed of Isaac (not Ishmael) is the line of God’s blessing in Abraham.

Texts: Gen. 17:16: “And I will bless her (Sarai) and moreover, I will give thee a son of her, and she shall be the mother of nations” (JPS).

Gen. 21:3-4: “And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the set time of which God had spoken to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac” (JPS).

N.T. texts Matt. 1:1-2: “The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. To Abraham was born Isaac and to Isaac, Jacob and to Jacob , Judah and his brothers” (NASB).

Luke 1:30 (“son of Judah ”), vs. 31 (“son of Nathan, son of David”), vs. 34 (“son of Jacob,” “son of Isaac”) Messiah Jesus is seed of Isaac.

11. Messiah is of the tribe of Judah and seed of Jacob.

Texts: Num. 24:17: “There shall step forward a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall arise out of Israel ” (JPS).

Gen. 49:10: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet” (JPS).

N.T. texts: Heb. 7:14: “It is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah ” (NASB).

Rev. 5:5: “The Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome” (NASB).

12. Messiah from the line of David.

O.T. Texts: Isaiah 9:7: “Of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it – from henceforth even forever” (JPS).

Jer. 23:5-6 “I will raise unto David a righteous shoot, and he shall reign as king and prosper, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is the Name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our righteousness” (JPS).

Who would “the righteous shoot” of David be but his son, the Messiah?

N.T. texts Luke 1:31-32: “You shall name Him Jesus, and he will be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High and the Lord will give Him the throne of His father David.”

13. Called out of Egypt

O.T. Text: Hosea 11:1: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” (JPS).

The verse above primarily refers to the calling out of Egypt by God to leave under Moses’ leadership. The N.T. event is indicated in Jer. 31:15, “A voice heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children. She refused to be comforted for her children because they are not” (JPS). This was due to them being killed. The N.T. application in Matt. 2:16-18 takes the historic incident and applies it in a secondary way to the massacre of Bethlehem ’s children by Herod.

After Jesus’ mother fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s massacre, it was written: “Arise and take the child and His mother and flee to Egypt ” (Matt. 2:13).

Matt. 2:14-15: “He took the child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, ‘Out of Egypt did I call My Son.’”

14. Messiah Rejected by His Brothers

O.T. text Psa. 69:8: “I am become a stranger unto my brethren and an alien to my mother’s children” (JPS),

N.T. Text: John 7:3-5: “His brothers therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go to Judea , that your disciples also may behold your works which you are doing’ – for even His brothers were not believing in Him” (NASB).

15. Rulers Plotted Against Messiah

O.T. text Psa. 2:2: “The rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His anointed” [Messiah] (JPS).

N.T. Text: Matt. 12:14: “But the Pharisees went out and counseled together against Him, as to how they might destroy Him” (NASB) (cf also Matt. 26:3-4).

Luke 23:11: “And Herod with his soldiers after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate” (NASB).

16. Rejected by Israel as Capstone and Chief Cornerstone

O.T. text Psalm 118:22: “The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief cornerstone” (JPS).

Isa. 8:14: “For a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel ” (JPS).

N.T. texts Matt. 21:42: “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief cornerstone?’”

I Pet. 2:6-7: “This is contained in Scripture, ‘Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone – this precious value then is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the believers rejected, this became the very corner stone’” (NASB).

17. Messiah Hated Without a Cause

O.T. text: Psalm 35:9: “Let not them that are wrongfully mine enemies rejoice over me; neither let them wink the eye that hate me without a cause” (JPS).

N.T. text John 15:24-25: “Now they have both seen and hated Me and my Father as well but they have done this in order that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their Law – ‘They hated me without a cause’” (NASB).

18. Messiah Enters the Temple

O.T. text Mal. 3:1: “Behold, I send my messenger and he shall clear the way before Me and the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His Temple” (JPS).

Mal. 3:1: The messenger who was to “prepare the way of the Lord” was John the Baptist, according to Matt. 11:10. “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’” John the Baptist was to prepare the way of the Lord Jesus, Messiah.

“And Jesus entered the Temple and cast out those who were buying and selling in the Temple ” (Matt. 21:12) (NASB), calling it God’s house.

Mark 11:11: “And He entered Jerusalem and came into the Temple ” (NASB).

19. Messiah Calling Out the Gentiles

(“the Nations”)

O.T. texts: Hosea 2:25 (vs. 23 in modern versions)

“I will say to them who were not my people, ‘Thou art My people’ and they shall say, ‘Thou art my God’” (JPS).

Isa. 42:6: “I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness – for a light to the nations” (JPS).

Isa. 55:3-4: “I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the same mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a prince and a commander to the peoples” (JPS).

N.T. texts Romans 9:24-26: “He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles. As He says also in Hosea, ‘I will call those who were not my people, “My people,” and her who was not beloved, “Beloved.” And it shall be that in the place where it was said to them, “You are not My people,” there they shall be called sons of the living God’” (NASB) (cf Romans 11:11-28 where salvation is given to Gentiles. Yet they were grafted into the root of Judaism).

Luke 2:32: “A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel ” (NASB).

20. Messiah, the King, Comes Riding on a Donkey

O.T. text Zech. 9:9: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion . Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem . Behold the King cometh unto thee. He is triumphant and victorious, lowly and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt, the foal of an ass” (JPS).

N.T. texts John 12:14-15: “As it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion ; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt’” (NASB).

Matt. 21:2-5: “Find a donkey tied there and a colt – ‘Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold your king is coming to you, gentle, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt’” (NASB) (cf also Mark 11:4-9).

21. Deaf to Hear, Blind to See, Healed by Messiah

O.T. texts: Isa. 29:18: “The deaf shall hear the words of a book and the eyes of the blind shall see” (JPS).

Isa. 35:5: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped” (JPS). When will this be? When Messiah comes.

N.T. texts Matt. 11:4-5: “Are you the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else? And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Go and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up’” (NASB).

Luke 7:19, 22: “Summoning two of his disciples, John sent them to the Lord, saying, ‘Are you the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?’ (19) And He answered and said to them, ‘Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: he lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up’” (NASB).

22. Messiah Exhibits Zeal for God’s House

O.T. text: Psa. 69:10 (vs. 9 in modern versions): “Zeal for Thy house hath eaten me up” (JPS).

N.T. text John 2:17: “His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Thy house will consume Me’” (NASB). This was after Jesus drove the money-changers from the Temple .

23. Messiah Cared for (Pitied) the Poor and Needy

O.T. texts Psa. 72:12-13: “He will deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also and him that hath no helper. He will have pity on the poor and needy (JPS).

Who would this be? God’s King, the Messiah (vs.1) (NASB).

N.T. text: Luke 7:22

Matt. 11:5; Luke 4:18: “Preach the Gospel to the poor” (NASB).

Matt. 19:21: “Give to the poor” (NASB).

Luke 14:13: “When you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.”

Luke 14:21: “Bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame” (NASB).

24. Messiah Speaking in Parables With Hidden Meaning

O.T. text Psa. 78:1-2: “Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable. I will utter dark sayings concerning days of old” (JPS).

N.T. text Matt. 13:10-11: “Why do You speak to them in parables?” And He answered and said to them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted” (NASB).

Matt. 13:34-35: “He did not speak to them without a parable, so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world’” (NASB) (quoting Psalm 78:2).

25. Israel to be Given a New Covenant

O.T. text Jer. 31:31-32: “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Jacob – I will put my law in their inward parts – I will forgive their iniquity and their sin” (JPS).

The old covenant was made with the house of Israel not with Gentiles. The New Covenant is promised to Israel . The Gentiles have been graciously brought under its provisions, the wild olive branch grafted into the root of Israel (Rom. 11:17).

N.T. verses Luke 22:20: “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in My blood” (NASB).

Heb. 8:8, 10: “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, when I will effect a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah” (vs. 8); “This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts” (vs. 10) (NASB) (cf also Heb. 10:16-17)

I Cor. 11:25: “This cup is the New Covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (NASB).

26. Messiah, The Prophet Like Unto Moses

O.T. text Deut. 18:15, 19: “A people will the Lord thy God raise up unto thee, from the midst of thy brethren ‘like unto me’ (vs. 15). Whosoever will not hearken to My words, which he shall speak in My Name, I will require it” (vs. 19) (see also vs. 18) (JPS).

N.T. texts John 1:21, 23: “Are you [John] the Prophet? And he answered, ‘No. I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord’” [Messiah Jesus].

John 6:14: “This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world” (NASB).

John 7:40: “This certainly is the Prophet” (NASB).

Acts 3:22: “Moses said, ‘The Lord God shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed in everything He says to you’” (NASB).

27. Messiah, Anointed by God, called God.

O.T. text (“The anointed One – Messiah”)

Psalm 45:7 “Thy throne given of God is forever and ever; a scepter of equity is the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou has loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, thy God has anointed the.” (anointed one means Messiah) (JPS).

Modern translations of this verse read (Ps. 45:7): “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Thy kingdom.”

N.T. text Heb. 1:8-9: “But of the Son He says, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above Thy companions” (NASB). Jesus the Son is the one anointed by God (Messiah).

28. Messiah Came to Do the Will of God

O.T. text Psa. 40:7: “I delight to do Thy will, O my God” (vs. 8). In modern translations a Psalm of David applied to words of Jesus in the New Testament.

N.T. texts Luke 22:4: “Not my will, but Thine be done.”

Heb. 10:7: “I have come to do Thy will, O God.”

29. Messiah Praying for His Enemies

O.T. text Psalm 109:4: “In return for my love, they are my adversaries, but I am in prayer and they have laid upon Me evil for good and hatred for my love” (JPS).

N.T. texts Luke 23:34: “Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing’” (NASB).

Matt. 5:4: “I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (NASB).

30. Messiah, a Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

O.T. text Psalm 110:4: “The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, ‘Thou art a priest forever’ after the manner of Melchizedek” (JPS).

N.T. texts Heb. 5:5-6: “So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but he who said to Him, ‘Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee’; just as He says also in another passage, ‘Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’” (NASB).

Heb. 6:2: “High priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (NASB).

Heb. 7:17: “It is witnessed of Him, ‘Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’” (NASB) (cf also Heb. 7:21).

31. Messiah Ministering in Galilee

O.T. text Isa. 9:23: “Now the former hath lightly afflicted the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, but the latter hath dealt a more gracious blow by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan in the district of the nations” (JPS). (Certainly this is Galilee .) Modern versions of this same verse, citing from Isa. 9:1, say, “There will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles” (NASB).

N.T. text Matt. 4:13-16: “Leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum , which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali , by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan , Galilee of the Gentiles’” (NASB).

Evidently the O.T. translations used in apostolic time differed slightly from the words used in the JPS “In the district of the nations” (whatever that might have meant) was substituted for “ Galilee of the nations.”

32. Messiah as Healer, Doer of Miracles, Savior

O.T. text Isa. 35:5-6: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as a hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing” (JPS).

N.T. texts Matt. 9:29-30: “He touched their eyes, saying, ‘Be it done to you according to your faith.’ And their eyes were opened” (NASB).

Matt. 9:32-33: “And as they were going out, behold, a dumb man, a demon-possessed, was brought to Him, And after the demon was cast out, the dumb man spoke” (NASB).

Matt. 11:5: “Hear and see: the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up” (NASB).

33. Messiah, Shepherd of His People

O.T. text: Isa. 40:10-11: “Behold the Lord God will come as a mighty one, and His arm will rule for Him. Behold His reward is with Him and His recompense before Him. Even as a shepherd which feedeth his flock” (JPS).

Psa. 21:1: “The Lord is my Shepherd” (JPS).

N.T. texts John 10:11: “I am the Good Shepherd” (NASB).

Heb. 13:20: “Now the God of peace who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep even through the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord” (NASB).

I Pet. 2:25: “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (NASB)

34. Messiah, The Redeemer Out of Zion

O.T. text Isa. 59:20: “A Redeemer will come out of Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob” (JPS).

N.T. text Rom. 11:26: “The Deliverer will come from Zion , He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this My covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (NASB).

35. Messiah Preaches Liberty to the Captives

O.T. text Isa. 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me [Messiah – anointed one] to bring good tidings unto the humble; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives” (JPS).

N.T. text Luke 4:17-18: “The book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives’” (NASB).

36. David’s House Restored (by Messiah)

O.T. text: Amos 9:11: “In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen” (JPS).

N.T. text Acts 15:16-17: “After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen…in order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name” (NASB).

37. God Will Dwell Among His People

O.T. texts Zech. 2:14-15: “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for I come and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord, and many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day, and shall be My people and I will dwell in the midst of them” (JPS).

N.T. John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (NASB).

Rev. 21:3: “The tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them” (NASB).

38. A Messenger to Prepare Messiah’s Way (John the Baptist)

O.T. texts Malachi 3:1: “Behold, I send my messenger, and he shall clear the way before Me, and the Lord whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple” (JPS).

Mal. 3:23 (4:5 in modern versions): “I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord” (JPS).

N.T. texts Matt. 11:10-11: “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (NASB).

Luke 7:27-28: “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John” (NASB).

Jesus applies the verses in Malachi which refer to Elijah to John the Baptist in accord with Luke 1:17, “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him (the Messiah) in the spirit and power of Elijah…” [not Elijah personally coming back as Jews expected in Jesus’ time]. This prophecy of Malachi is given to Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth, father of John the Baptist, foretelling the birth of John (vs. 13-15).

39. Messiah Betrayed by a Friend

O.T. text Psa. 41:9: “Even my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread has lifted up his heel against me” (NASB).

Psa. 55:12-13: “It is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it, nor is it he who hates me who has exalted himself against me – but it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend” (NASB).

Matt. 26:47-50: “Judas, one of the twelve, came up…he went to Jesus and said, ‘Hail, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, do what you have come for’” (NASB).

40. Betrayal Money thrown Down in the Temple

O.T. text: Zech. 11:12-13: “And I said to them, ‘If it is good in your sight, give me my wages’ – so they weighed out 30 pieces of silver – then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.’ So I took the 30 shekels of silver and threw them to the potter, in the house of the Lord.”

N.T. text Matt. 27:3-5: “Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ But they said ‘What is that to us? See to that yourself!’ And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed.”

41. Silent Before His Accusers

O.T. texts: Psa. 39:9: “But I have become dumb, I do not open my mouth” (NASB).

Isa. 53:7: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (NASB).

42. Crucified With Thieves

O.T. text: Isaiah 53:9: “His grave was assigned with wicked men.”

N.T. text Matt. 27:38: “Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left” (NASB).

43. The Passover Sacrifice (applied to Messiah) (“no bones broken”)

O.T. texts: Ex. 12:46 (as to the observance of the Passover): “Neither shall ye break a bone thereof” (JPS).

Num. 9:12: “. . . nor break a bone thereof, according to the statute of the Passover” (JPS).

Psalm 34:21: “He keepeth all his bones, not one of them is broken” (JPS) (referring to the righteous man, surely the Messiah).

N.T. text John 19:33: “Coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs” (NASB).

John 19:36: “These things came to pass, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken’” (NASB).

44. Hung Upon a Tree (a curse)

O.T. text: Deut. 21:22-23: “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death and thou hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon a tree, but thou shall bury him the same day, for he that is hanged is a reproach unto body” (JPS) (yet stoning, not hanging on a tree, was the Jewish form of execution).

N.T. text: Gal. 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’” (NASB).

45. He Thirsts During Crucifixion

O.T. text: Psa. 22:15-16: “I am poured out like water – my tongue is become like wax – my strength is dried up like a potsherd and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws” (JPS).

Psa. 69:27: “In my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink” (JPS).

This translation shows the substitutionary sufferings of Messiah, “Thou hast smitten,” “Thou hast wounded.”

N.T. texts John 19:28: “In order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, ‘I am thirsty’” (NASB).

46. Messiah Accused by False Witnesses

O.T. texts Psalm 27:12: “For false witnesses have risen up against me” (JPS).

Psalm 35:11: “Unrighteous witnesses rise up” (JPS).

Matt. 26:60: “Many false witnesses came forward” (NASB).

Mark 14:56: “Many were giving false testimony against Him” (NASB).

47. Messiah Struck in the Face

O.T. texts: Micah 4:14: “They smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek” (JPS)

Isa. 52:14: “So marked was his visage unlike that of a man” (JPS).

N.T. text Matt. 27:30: “They began to beat Him on the head” (NASB).

Matt. 26:67: “They…beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him” (NASB)

(the margin says, “beat Him with rods.” He had much facial bruising).

48. His Hands and Feet Pierced

O.T. texts Zech. 12:10: “They shall look upon me because they have thrust him through” (JPS).

Modern versions (including NASB) render this, “They will look on me whom they have pierced.”

The Hebrew word is dagar meaning either to pierce or thrust through, functionally the same meaning.

Psalm 22:17: “Like a lion they are at my hands and feet” (JPS). The Hebrew word is arly, meaning pierced, as in an act of violence.

N.T. text John 20:25, 27: “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (vs. 25). “Then He [Jesus] said to Thomas, ‘Reach here your finger, and see my hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving’” (NASB).

49. Cast Lots for His Clothing

O.T. text: Psa. 22:19: “They part my garments among them and for my vesture they do cast lots” (JPS).

N.T. text John 19:23-24: “That the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots’” (NASB) (cf also Matt. 27:35 and Mark 15:24).

50. Messiah Given Gall and Vinegar

O.T. text: Psa. 69:22: “In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (JPS).

N.T. text Matt. 27:34, 48: “They gave Him wine to drink mingled with gall” (NASB).

51. Messiah Beaten, Spat Upon

O.T. text: Isa. 50:6: “I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I did not hide my face from shame and spitting” (JPS).

N.T. texts Matt. 26:6: “They spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him” (NASB).

Matt. 27:30: “They spat on Him and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head” (NASB).

52. Buried in the Tomb of a Rich Man

O.T. text Isa. 53:9: “His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet he was with a rich man in his death” (NASB).

N.T. text Matt. 27:57-60: “And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph (vs. 57) … and laid it [the body of Jesus] in his own new tomb” (NASB).

53. Darkness Shall Cover the Earth (During Crucifixion)

O.T. text Isa. 60:1-3 (cf also Zeph. 1:14-15): “Darkness shall cover the earth – but the Lord will rise upon you and His glory appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising” (NASB) (referring to coming of Messiah after rising from the dead).

N.T. texts Matt. 27:45 (Luke 23:44):

“There was darkness over all the land” (NASB) (at the 6 th hour, noon).

54. He is Resurrected

O.T. texts Psa. 16:10: “Thou will not abandon my soul to the nether-world; neither will Thou suffer Thy Holy One (Messiah) to see the pit” (JPS).

Psa. 22:22: “Save me from the lion’s mouth, Yea, from the horns of the wild oxen do Thou answer me” (JPS).

Isa. 53:10: “It pleased the Lord to crush him – that He might see his seed and prolong his days” (JPS).

N.T. texts: I Cor. 15:4: “He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (NASB) (appearing before many witnesses, vs. 5-8).

Matt. 28:6: “He is not here, for He has risen” (NASB) (cf Mark 16:6 and Luke 24:6).

Luke 24:27: “Beginning with Moses and will all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself” (about His suffering and resurrection). He prophesied His resurrection on the third day (Matt. 16:21, Mark 9:3, and Luke 9:22) and was plainly heard by His enemies saying it, thus they asked for a Roman guard to prevent His body from being stolen by disciples.

55. His Imperishable Words and Teaching

Certainly you would expect the coming Messiah to speak powerfully and in a world-influencing manner.

N.T. text Matt. 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away” (NASB) (also Mark 13:31).