By Pastor Bruce K. Oyen
The Old Testament is remarkable in many ways.
For example, the book of Genesis tells us of the divine origin of the universe, the book of Psalms is a great source of comfort for those troubled and tried by the tribulations of life, the book of Proverbs is full of sound advice on many subjects for daily living, and the book of Daniel contains many prophecies already fulfilled, and many that are yet to come to pass.
The most remarkable thing about the Old Testament
For example, the book of Genesis tells us of the divine origin of the universe, the book of Psalms is a great source of comfort for those troubled and tried by the tribulations of life, the book of Proverbs is full of sound advice on many subjects for daily living, and the book of Daniel contains many prophecies already fulfilled, and many that are yet to come to pass.
The most remarkable thing about the Old Testament
But the most remarkable thing about the Old Testament is its witness to Jesus Christ, who lived many centuries AFTER the Old Testament was written. As J. Vernon McGee put it, Jesus is the centerpiece of Scripture, although McGee, no doubt, correctly meant that Jesus is the centerpiece of both the Old Testament AND the New Testament.
When we read the New Testament, we find that it emphasizes the fact that the Old Testament does, indeed, speak of Jesus Christ. This emphasis is learned from what others said about Jesus and the Old Testament, and from what Jesus said about himself and the Old Testament. Let us consider some of their statements.
What others said about Jesus and the Old Testament.
What others said about Jesus and the Old Testament.
Here (in red) is what we read in John 1:43 - 45: 43 "The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow Me.' 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.' ”
If we read the Old Testament with open hearts and minds we will find Jesus in it, just as Philip did. This is especially so if we compare the Old Testament with the New Testament record of his life. And like Philip, we will want to introduce other to him.
What Jesus said about himself and the Old Testament.
If we read the Old Testament with open hearts and minds we will find Jesus in it, just as Philip did. This is especially so if we compare the Old Testament with the New Testament record of his life. And like Philip, we will want to introduce other to him.
What Jesus said about himself and the Old Testament.
Here is what John 5:39 says Jesus said to some skeptics of his day: "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of me." The Lord made it very clear that the Old Testament bears witness to him. And in John 5:45 Jesus made reference to Moses, and said they trusted in him. Then he said the following: "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me." Moses lived many centuries before the Lord walked this earth, and yet he said Moses wrote of him. Remarkable, yet true!
B. F. Westcott wrote a valuable commentary on John's Gospel. Here is what he said in his commentary on John 5:39: "The teaching of the Old Testament is never exhausted. As we know more of Christ, it reveals more to us concerning him."
John Gill's commentary says some significant things on the Lord's point in John 5:39 that the Scriptures testify of him: "as they do of his proper deity and divine sonship, calling him Jehovah
, God, the mighty God, and the Son of God; and of his offices as prophet, priest, and King; and of his incarnation of a virgin; and of the tribe, family, and place of his birth; of the miracles which he should work; of the treatment he should meet with from men; of his sufferings and death; of the circumstances leading on to them, and attending them; as his riding on an ass into Jerusalem, the betraying him by one of his familiar acquaintance, the selling him for thirty pieces of silver, the spitting upon, and scourging him, giving him gall for his meat, and vinegar for his drink, and parting his garments, and casting lots for his vesture, and the crucifixion of him, and that between two thieves; and of his burial, resurrection from the dead, ascension to heaven, and session at the right hand of God, and of his future coming to judgment." Gill's comments are taken from the commentary section of this website: www.godrules.net.
Consider what we read in Luke 24:25 - 27: 25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Now consider what he said in Luke 24:44: 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Can any honest reader of the words of Jesus Christ deny that he emphatically affirmed his belief that the Old Testament speaks of him? That it points to him?
B. F. Westcott wrote a valuable commentary on John's Gospel. Here is what he said in his commentary on John 5:39: "The teaching of the Old Testament is never exhausted. As we know more of Christ, it reveals more to us concerning him."
John Gill's commentary says some significant things on the Lord's point in John 5:39 that the Scriptures testify of him: "as they do of his proper deity and divine sonship, calling him Jehovah
, God, the mighty God, and the Son of God; and of his offices as prophet, priest, and King; and of his incarnation of a virgin; and of the tribe, family, and place of his birth; of the miracles which he should work; of the treatment he should meet with from men; of his sufferings and death; of the circumstances leading on to them, and attending them; as his riding on an ass into Jerusalem, the betraying him by one of his familiar acquaintance, the selling him for thirty pieces of silver, the spitting upon, and scourging him, giving him gall for his meat, and vinegar for his drink, and parting his garments, and casting lots for his vesture, and the crucifixion of him, and that between two thieves; and of his burial, resurrection from the dead, ascension to heaven, and session at the right hand of God, and of his future coming to judgment." Gill's comments are taken from the commentary section of this website: www.godrules.net.Consider what we read in Luke 24:25 - 27: 25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Now consider what he said in Luke 24:44: 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
Can any honest reader of the words of Jesus Christ deny that he emphatically affirmed his belief that the Old Testament speaks of him? That it points to him?
Here is what Burton Coffman's commentary says on Luke 24:27. In it, Coffman quotes from The Pulpit Commentary. My quote from Coffman is taken from this website: www.studylight.org.
"There are one-third of one thousand prophecies in the Old Testament regarding Jesus Christ, and this leads to the conclusion that a measure of hyperbole is in Luke's statement here; but a long walk of some six or seven miles would have afforded time enough for mentioning a very large number of the glorious prophecies fulfilled in Jesus our Lord. Spence has suggested the following as having probably been included in the interpretations given by the Lord:
All Bible quotes in this posting are from the New King James Version, and were taken from this website: www.biblegateway.com. "Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved." The only exceptions are when I quote authors who might quote from other Bible translations.
The promise to Eve (Genesis 3:15)
The promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:18)
The Paschal lamb (Exo. 12)
The scapegoat (Leviticus 16:1-34)
The greater Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15)
The star and scepter (Numbers 24:17)
Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14)
"Unto us a child is born" (Isaiah 9:6)
The Good Shepherd (Isaiah 40:10,11)
The meek Sufferer (Isaiah 50:6)
He who bore our griefs (Isaiah 53:4,5)
The Heir of David (Ezekiel 34:23)
The Ruler born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
The Branch (Zechariah 6:12)
The lowly King (Zechariah 9:9)
The pierced Victim (Zechariah 12:10)
The smitten Shepherd (Zechariah 13:7)
The Messenger of the Covenant (Malachi 3:1)
The Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)
Of course, there were many other things also that could have been included in the Lord's instructions to these two disciples."
This brief posting is meant to introduce this important subject. And if it causes any readers to study it out in more detail, my goal will have been reached. A simple way to further pursue this topic is to carefully read the New Testament, and pay close attention to its many applications of the Old Testament to Jesus Christ. It is also very helpful to read books about the matter. One good one, which I have read twice, is by A. M. Hodgkin. This old volume gives a brief but interesting survey of each Old Testamant book, and then shows how that book reveals Jesus Christ. Here is a link to one seller of it: http://www.christianbook.com/christ-in-all-the-scriptures/a-m-hodgkin/9781857928846/pd/928849?product_redirect=1&Ntt=928849&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP If you click on it, you can look at the table of contents.
If you want to read an excellent article on how to find salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, go to this website: www.godssimpleplan.org. Please contact me if I can be of help to you about salvation. My email address is given above.
This brief posting is meant to introduce this important subject. And if it causes any readers to study it out in more detail, my goal will have been reached. A simple way to further pursue this topic is to carefully read the New Testament, and pay close attention to its many applications of the Old Testament to Jesus Christ. It is also very helpful to read books about the matter. One good one, which I have read twice, is by A. M. Hodgkin. This old volume gives a brief but interesting survey of each Old Testamant book, and then shows how that book reveals Jesus Christ. Here is a link to one seller of it: http://www.christianbook.com/christ-in-all-the-scriptures/a-m-hodgkin/9781857928846/pd/928849?product_redirect=1&Ntt=928849&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP If you click on it, you can look at the table of contents.
If you want to read an excellent article on how to find salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, go to this website: www.godssimpleplan.org. Please contact me if I can be of help to you about salvation. My email address is given above.
All Bible quotes in this posting are from the New King James Version, and were taken from this website: www.biblegateway.com. "Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved." The only exceptions are when I quote authors who might quote from other Bible translations.
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