Coming up to our Remembrance of Good Friday, it is amazing to think about how purposefully Jesus moved in relation to His Calling on earth: To perfectly fulfill the Law, yet die and atone (pay) for all those who would come to Him by faith! (Substitutionary Atonement) He perfectly followed God the Father’s commands, all the way to the cross (John 10:18)! As Christians consider the Old Testament and New to be God’s continuous Word and revelation to mankind, it should not come as a surprise that Jesus fulfilled many promises made by God in the Old Testament.
One scholar, J. Barton Payne, is said to have found as many as 574 verses in the Old Testament that somehow point to or describe or reference the coming Messiah. Even by conservative measures, it is believed that Jesus fulfilled over 300! Let’s take a few moments, then, leading up to Easter, to reflect on a few passages that Jesus fulfilled by His crucifixion on the cross, between 6am to 3pm (OT = Old Testament, NT = New Testament):
Jesus Considered a Criminal – OT: “Therefore I will divide to Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has poured out His soul to death; and He was counted among the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors (Isaiah 53:12). NT: “And when they came to the place called Place of a Skull, there they crucified Him and the malefactors, one on the right and one on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:33 – 34).
Jesus Openly Mocked – OT: “All who see Me mock Me; they shoot out the lip; they shake the head, saying, “He trusted on the Lord; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He delights in Him!” (Psalm 22:7-8). NT: “Then those who were passing by railed at Him, shaking their heads . . . “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” (Matthew 27:39, 43).
Jesus Given Vinegar to Drink – OT: “They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21). NT: “Now a vessel full of vinegar was sitting there. And after filling a sponge with vinegar and putting it on a stick of hyssop, they put it up to His mouth. And so, when Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, “It is finished.”(John 19:29-30).
Lots Cast for Jesus’ Clothes – OT: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots upon My vesture” (Psalm 22:18). NT: “Now the soldiers, after they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, a part for each soldier, and the coat also. But the coat was seamless, woven in one piece from the top all the way throughout. For this reason, they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to determine whose it shall be”(John 19:23-24).
Jesus’ Bones not Broken – OT: “He keeps all His bones; not one of them is broken (Psalm 34:20, see also Exodus 12:43-46). NT: “But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs (John 19:33).
Jesus’ Side Pierced – OT: “…And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced (Zechariah 12:10). NT: “But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs; But one of the soldiers had pierced His side with a spear (John 19:34).
Jesus “Forsaken” by God – OT: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me, and why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? (Psalm 22:1). NT: “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).
Jesus’ Spirit Commended to God – OT: “Into Your hand I commit My spirit”. . . (Psalm 31:5). NT: “And after crying out with a loud voice, Jesus said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46).
Jesus Suffered for Our Sins – OT: “Surely He has borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows . . . But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed . . . and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all . . .You shall make His life an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:4-6, 10). NT: For rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, although perhaps someone might have the courage even to die for a good man. But God commends His own love to us because, when we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:7-8).
I’ll close with the thoughts from Jesus, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Luke 24:44. Fully knowing what would come upon Him, Jesus willingly went through the worst torture, for God’s Glory and for our salvation. He, then is worthy of our deepest meditation, and our highest praise!