Page 10 - Christology - Student Textbook

Prophecies Concerning the Death of Christ

Isaiah 53 describes death of Jesus Christ. The Messiah was going to be
despised and rejected by mankind (v3). He was going to take our pain and
bear our suffering (v4). He was going to be crushed for our iniquities, and
the punishment that was going to bring us peace was on Him and by His
wounds we are healed (v5). He was going to be oppressed and afflicted, yet
He was not going to open His mouth (v7). It was going to be the LORD’s will to crush Him and cause
Him to suffer (v10). No bones of Him were going to be broken (Ps 34:20). He was going to be
forsaken (Ps 22:1), He was going to be mocked and taunted (Ps 22:6-8), His garments were going to
be divided by the casting of lots (Ps 22:18), He was going to be spat on (Isa 50:6), and was going to
be accused falsely (Ps 35:11). Walvoord adds that “not only does the New Testament record the
fulfillment, but Christ Himself completes the picture of prophecy regarding is death” (Matt 12:38-
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34; 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 26:31; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:32-34; Luke 9:22, 44; 18:31-33; John
12:32-33).

Prophecies Concerning His glory

In Isaiah 4:2, the mentioning of the branch of the Lord most likely refers to the glorification of Jesus
Christ. In the same prophetic book, in chapter 63:1, the context of the passage appears to suggest
the Messianic glorification. In reference to the Son of Man, Daniel notes that “And to Him was given
dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him, his
dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not
be destroyed” (Dan 7:14 [ESV]). The Apostle Peter in his first epistle to the scattered Christians said,
“Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours
searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was
indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories” (1 Pet 1:10-11
[ESV]). Other NT passages that extensively discuss the glorification of Jesus Christ include among
others, Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Heb. 4:14; 9:24; 1 Peter 3:22. Walvoord notes that “From the
moment of the ascension, however, Christ is in His glorious estate and all His works and appearances
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are in keeping with His glory.”

We have seen that Jesus’ Messianic lineage, His birth, His personality, His death, and His glory were
initially prophesied in the Old Testament, and many of them were fulfilled in the New Testament.
Other prophecies are yet to be completely fulfilled in his future return to establish His Messianic
Reign. Jesus’ life and ministry is a fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

2.4. Let’s Practice this Lesson…

1. What is the theological significance of the realization of prophecies concerning the
lineage of Jesus Christ?

15 Ibid., 92.

16 Walvoord, Jesus Christ our Lord, 95.

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