The Scriptures that Speak of Christ

The Scriptures that Speak of Christ

Genesis 1:1 Revelation 21:1-5

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristJesus is the Subject of the Bible

John 5:39: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me”

We understand Jesus properly if we see Him in the light of the OT story that He completes and brings to climax.

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristContinuity of the Testaments•Consistent content• Establish Israel over the nations• Bring justice to the earth• Gather in and bless the nations (Gentiles)

•Consistent pattern• God’s purpose is increasingly revealed• Progressive revelation

Abraham

David

Exile

Christ

Matthew 1:1-17

Jesus: Old Testament Story

Jesus: Old Testament StoryThe Story Summarized •Creation to Abraham• Proto-evangelium: Gen.1:1-3:15/Gen. 3:15-Rev. 22• Separation of Godly line and evil line (Gen. 3-11)

•Abraham to David• Promise to Abraham: nation/curse/nations• Israel enslaved and delivered (Exodus)• New sense of national identity and purpose (Law)• More details on God’s purposes• Conquest of the land; uneven response (Judges)• Kingship demanded; God incorporates into plan

Jesus: Old Testament StoryThe Story Summarized•David to Exile• Consolidates Israel in land promised to Abraham• Davidic covenant: David promised a Son with

eternal significance (more detail)• Solomon extended Israel’s influence; temple• Kings oppression/idolatry; renewal (prophets sent)• Schism between nations (Israel and Judah)• Both Israel and Judah exiled for disobedience• Reversal of promise: land, monarchy, Gentile rule

Jesus: Old Testament StoryThe Story Summarized•Exile to Jesus• Miracle Jews survived (God’s redemptive

intention)• Prophets gave them hope and expanded

understanding of God’s purposes: concept of Messiah

• Exile had chastening effect; longing for deliverance• 400 years of silence from Malachi to Jesus

Old Testament View of History

Israel: Come and SeeOne identityOne culture

Individual Gentiles invited in

Messiah brings justice

Restore Israel politically

Gather the nations into

worldwide peace

1. Destroy enemies and restore justice2. Establish Israel3. Consolidate the nations

Jesus: Old Testament StoryThe Story Summarized : Matthew’s 17 verses•Creation and the problem•The solutions through Abraham, then David•Exile and discipline of Israel; anticipation for Messiah•God is sovereign in history•God is working through Israel•God has an agenda for the nations•God is about to bring all to conclusion through Jesus

Jesus: Old Testament StorySummary•Biblical wholeness: OT is the backstory (Act 1); NT climax (Act 2)•Jesus was a real Jew and a real human•Jesus is the end of the OT and beginning of NT•God is the same in OT and NT: saved by grace not Law•Jesus personifies Israel’s to continue God’s purposes•No Plan A/plan B•NT Church is in continuity (not displacing) OT Israel

Review

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristPurpose of the class•Christianity = an identity that is rooted in God’s purposes; participation in past, present, future work in Christ (who we are, came from, where we are going)

•Purposes woven into every sentence of OT

•OT: See Jesus’ Story, Promise, Identity, Mission, Values

Our identity/participation provides intimacy with God

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristIsrael’s StoryIsrael’s PromiseIsrael’s IdentityIsrael’s MissionIsrael’s Values

Jesus' StoryJesus' PromiseJesus' IdentityJesus' MissionJesus' Values

Derive our personal relationship: meaning, identity, intimacy with God

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristIsrael’s StoryIsrael’s PromiseIsrael’s IdentityIsrael’s MissionIsrael’s Values

Jesus' StoryJesus' PromiseJesus' IdentityJesus' MissionJesus' Values

Derive our personal relationship: meaning, identity, intimacy with God

The Scriptures that Speak of ChristIsrael’s StoryIsrael’s PromiseIsrael’s IdentityIsrael’s MissionIsrael’s Values

Jesus' StoryJesus' PromiseJesus' IdentityJesus' MissionJesus' Values

Derive our personal relationship: meaning, identity, intimacy with God

Jesus: Old Testament Promise1. Jesus is the fulfillment of OT story•OT God has revealed the journey: In Jesus, God reveals the journey’s end•Mt. 1-2: Five OT scenes to make sure we don’t miss the point: Jesus is the promise

Jesus: Old Testament Promise1. Jesus is the fulfillment of OT story•Assurance to Joseph (1:18-25) “Fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” Isaiah 7:14•Born in Bethlehem (2:1-12) “Written by the prophet” Micah 5:2•Escape to Egypt and return (2:13-15) “Fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” Hosea 11:1•The murders of Herod (2:16-18) “Fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet” Jeremiah 31:15•Settlement in Nazareth (2:19-23) “What was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled”

Jesus: Old Testament Promise2. Promise-fulfillment, not prediction-fulfillment•Didn’t choose most familiar Messianic predictions•Those chosen don’t make sense as Messianic predictions in original context• Only Micah 5:2 (Bethlehem) traditional prediction• Isaiah-Immanuel prediction not a Messianic

prediction (and child named Jesus, not Immanuel)• Hosea-Egypt prediction: Israel as a nation• Jeremiah-Rachel prediction: picture of Israel’s Exile• Nazareth reference has no clear OT reference

• Assurance to Joseph (1:18-25) “Fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” Isaiah 7:14• Born in Bethlehem (2:1-12) “Written by the prophet” Micah 5:2• Escape to Egypt and return (2:13-15) “Fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet” Hosea 11:1• The murders of Herod (2:16-18) “Fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet” Jeremiah 31:15• Settlement in Nazareth (2:19-23) “What was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled”

Jesus: Old Testament Promise2. Promise-fulfillment, not prediction-fulfillment•Matthew: OT has deeper level of meaning than the grammatical-historical method of literal prediction-fulfillment• Grammatical-historical method is a recent

Western analytical approach to Bible interpretation

• Popularized in response to Biblical criticism of 1800s

• Take the whole and break in parts for analysis• Look for original context of the book or passage• Look for most straight-forward/literal meaning

Jesus: Old Testament Promise2. Promise-fulfillment, not prediction-fulfillment•Not how apostles and prophets read the Bible• The whole Story of Christ as the context, making

any/every OT passage fair game• The events of Jesus that shape the meaning of the

OT (we read backward through Christ)• Example: Matthew 2:23: “He will be called a

Nazarene”• No specific reference in OT• Nazarene =“despised”• Matthew inferred whole host of OT picture and

references as fulfillment of promise (prophets)

Jesus: Old Testament Promise3. Jewish emphasis on land (geography)•Abrahamic promise built on geography/land (promised land)•Exodus/conquest complete upon return to land•David’s kingdom borders established•Exile completed based on return to land•Matthew: Messiah in geography• In Jesus, Israel/Messiah’s ministry goes to borders

of Abraham’s promise land and David’s kingdom• Born in Bethlehem (land of Abraham’s promise)• Grew in Egypt (like nation, Jesus grew in Egypt)• Raised in Nazareth-Galilee (promise to

Gentiles)

Jesus: Old Testament Promise3. Jewish emphasis on land (geography)•Nazareth: Galilee Eastern Gentile land • Is. 9:1-2 and Matt. 4:13:16 “Galilee of the

Gentiles...have seen a great light”• Universal scope of ministry to Gentiles • Visit to Egypt in the West• Visit from Magi in the East• Jesus is Israel’s Messiah but for Gentiles as well

Jesus: Old Testament Promise3. Jewish emphasis on land (geography)•Jews: geography always connected to history• History slung like hammock: Egypt and Babylon• Exodus (Egypt) and Exile (Babylon)• Infancy of Jesus is built on foundation of

Exodus (Egypt) and Exile (Nazareth/Rachel’s mourning)

• What God did for Israel (Exodus and Exile), God would do for Jesus Messiah

• Have to get Matthew’s drift about geography• Promise: larger intent of care (forest)• Prediction: grammatical-historical (trees)

Jesus: Old Testament Promise4. Jewish Promise vs. Grammatical-historical Prediction•Promise not prediction• Exodus is God’s response to promise to Abraham• Exile return is God’s response to promise to Israel

•Pattern for God’s actions• Promise for a greater purpose• Send away, then liberating from oppression• Return as sign of His faithfulness; promise

•All OT writings (not just OT predictions) point to Jesus as keeping the pattern God the Promise-Fulfiller

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•A promise is deeper than a prediction (predict a marriage vs. promising to commit in marriage)•Promise is a commitment to a relationship; prediction requires no relationship•A promise is made from one person to another (I promise to help you with your homework); prediction made about a person (I bet he struggles with his homework)

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•Promise implies on-going levels of fulfillment; prediction has no on-going levels•Promise has a dynamic quality of ebb and flow in relationship; Predictions are either true or not•E.g. marriage vows are step one of promise; next week/month/year/season take on new dynamic situations

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•The relationship with God and Israel is the basis for promise• Started with Abraham• Extended to David• Exhibited in Exile• Fulfilled in Jesus

•The predictions of the OT are secondary to the promise of relationship between God and Israel

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•The promise to Israel was for a greater relationship to the Gentile nations•Gospel began with Abraham (Gal. 3:8) “The Scriptures foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”•Continued/fulfilled in Christ (Gal. 3:14): “in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•Promise is means of salvation (Gal. 3:29): “If you belong to Christ (Messiah) then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise”•Saved by participation in the promise, not the fulfillment of a prediction

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•Promise requires a response• A predication requires no response to God (e.g.

Cyrus releasing Jews from exile)• A promise requires cooperation with God• Jews had to take action to return to the land• Abraham had to respond with faith and action for

promise to be fulfilled (father of our faith)• Exodus happened because people physically left

land

Jesus: Old Testament Promise5. The difference between promise and prediction•OT pattern: God promises; empowers by grace; people respond in faith• Idea that OT=law and NT=grace is misleading• God always offers grace first; asks for response• The means of grace changes• Miracles of Exodus• Law and prophets for OT Israel• Holy Spirit for the Church

Review

Jesus: Old Testament Promise6. The pattern for God’s people •Godly Jews: Law a gift of grace for those saved by grace (e.g. Psalm 19:1-5)• Exodus act of God’s grace that saved Israel• Law came AFTER salvation • Never a way TO salvation, but instruction for saved

people• Law was means of receiving the promise of God• Practical value to stay in relationship with God and

have orderly society in midst of chaos

Jesus: Old Testament Promise6. The pattern for God’s people•God initiates and the people respond in faith and righteous action•True of Israel then; true of us today (Heb. 10:19-31)•OT is a living book of instruction to us (not just book of predictions made/checked off)

Jesus: Old Testament Promise7. Promise vs. Prediction: An Example•1895 father promises 5-yr.-old a horse own at 21• 1916 the son’s birthday comes along• Father keeps the intent of the promise (and more)• Initial promise made in one historical setting• Fulfilled in a different historical setting• Kept commitment even though not literally

•God’s relationship to Israel is maintained as a promise• Abraham fulfilled in Isaac - but God had more• Nation of Israel in Exodus• Jesus as seed of Abraham• Church - blessing to all nations

Abraham

David

Exile

Christ

Jesus: Old Testament Promise

Pattern of “Promise-fulfillment-fresh promise fulfillment”

Jesus: Old Testament Promise8. Jesus: Fullest expression of God’s promise•Perfect fulfillment of partial expressions (types)• Seed of Abraham - and more• Passover Lamb – and more• Son of David – and more

•Jews experienced images to appreciate the fulfillment• Child has to appreciate horse before motorcar is

appreciated• Israel needed the various images: Abraham, Exodus,

David to appreciate Jesus• In Christ all the richness of OT, only better/richer

Jesus: Old Testament Promise8. Jesus: Fullest expression of God’s promise (Tabernacle)

PartDoor/gateBrazen altarLaverLampsBreadIncenseVeilMercy seatPriest

PointOne way to God

Substitution for atonementPurification for presence

Illumination from GodSustenance from GodIntercession needed

Separation of God/creationBlood needed for atonement

God approached via representative

PromiseI am the door (Jn. 10:9)

Life as a ransom (Mk. 10:45)Must wash or no part of me (Jn.13:8)

Light of the world (Jn. 8:12)Bread of life (Jn. 6:48)

I pray for them (Jn. 17:9)Behind the curtain…Jesus (Heb. 6:19)

Expiation for sins (1 Jn. 2:2)Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)

Review

Jesus: Old Testament Promise9. The Promise Guaranteed (Old Testament Covenants)•High points of the promise: agreements (Covenants)• Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, New Covenant• Pattern• God’s initiative• God’s promises• Human response invited (but not dependent)

• Shape of Covenants• Scope (who is directly affected)• Substance (what is involved)• Invitation to respond

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseCovenant with Noah•Scope: All creation•Substance• God promises not to destroy creation despite human

depravity• God promises to maintain the global environment

and regularity of nature• There will always be enough resources for the earth

to survive•Response: Calls on humanity to respect life and creation

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseCovenant with Abraham•Scope: All nations•Substance• Posterity: From Abraham a nation for God’s

purposes• Relationship: Unique relationship with this people• Land: Geographic space for redemption to occur

•Response: • Walk before God/be blameless (compassion/justice)• Pass identity to family (circumcision visible reminder)• God wants the covenant community to emerge

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseCovenant with Moses/Israel•Scope: National• Law next phase of unfolding promise (not end)• Social-cultural-legal structure to allow God’s holy

priesthood relate to the other nations• Teach who God is• Receive people in who want to join• Offering sacrifice to show God’s acceptance• Demarcating Israel from the way of other nations• Missiological nature of Law (Abrahamic covenant:

“all peoples on earth will be blessed by you”)

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseCovenant with Moses/Israel•Substance: Filling details what was sketched to Abraham• Redemption of Israel from oppressors• A relationship with, and knowledge of Yahweh• Promised land

•Response:• Total fidelity to Yahweh and no other gods• Commitment to the character of Yahweh• Royal Law: Love God/neighbor (compassion, justice)• The Law: temporary guide until the fullness (Gal.

3:24)

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseCovenant with David•Scope: House of David•Substance: Continuation of the house of David for all time• With monarchy, new aspect of the Promise revealed• Benefitted the whole nation and all the nations• Continued commitment to the Mosaic covenant

(law, sacrifices, feasts, festivals)• Demonstrated by Ark to Jerusalem and temple• Not new: extension of relationship with His people• Many Psalms that link the monarchy to the land• Always a missiological basis (nations)

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseCovenant with David•Response:• Same demand for loyalty and obedience to Yahweh• Kingly line, leading the people in obedience• Glimpse of “nation of Israel” morphing into the “King

of Israel” as representative of the people (Kings/Chr.)

• The King must cooperate with God or God must take other measures to bring about right response (prophets)

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseNew Covenant•Background• Despite times of revival, prophets could see that

Israel had failed in its commitments• Prophets could see there was little hope in the

current system• Prophets began to write about the hope of a new

and greater covenant• Not a breaking of the past, but an extension

(flowering) of some new inbreaking of God• Longing for God to break in dramatic fashion

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseNew Covenant•Scope• National: Hope is for restoration of post-exhilic Israel

(see Jer. 34-37; Ez. 37)• David will rule over them• God will be vindicated• Israel will be a light to the Gentile nations

• Universal: Nations will witness the restoration of Israel (Isaiah 40-55), so Gentile nations integrated into the covenant

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseNew Covenant•Scope• Many references to Abrahamic covenant, Davidic

covenant, Mosaic covenant, leading to Israel’s restoration followed by Gentile inclusion

• References to “Suffering Servant” to usher renewal• Important to expectations at the time of Jesus

•Substance• New relationship to God, like a restored marriage• New experience of forgiveness

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseNew Covenant•Scope• Many references to Abrahamic covenant, Davidic

covenant, Mosaic covenant, leading to Israel’s restoration followed by Gentile inclusion

• References to “Suffering Servant” to usher renewal• Important to expectations at the time of Jesus

•Substance• Exile: disobedience/judgment; break in relationship• God needed to solve the sin problem for good• The Law was inadequate to keep them faithful

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseNew Covenant•Substance• Glimpses of a more permanent solution (Jer. 31:24)• A new Davidic King• A new abundance in nature (crops, safety from

wild beasts, oppressors, nature)•Response: Be faithful to God alone (this would be a work God does and people respond to by faith)

Covenants to Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, New (Scope, Substance, Response): All part of One Promise

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseConclusion•OT promise had three dimensions• Restore/exalt Israel• Destroy oppressors/bring justice• Bring in Gentiles through Israel

•God has promised to bless the nations; He will not fail•His blessing flows through Israel to Christ to the nations•He has asked people to join Him in His work (OT and NT)•All forms of the OT highlight this single theme: God’s promise to the nations (history, wisdom literature, law, poetry)

Jesus: Old Testament PromiseConclusion•The OT book of promise in relationship, not of predictions to be fulfilled•Jewish emphasis on geography•Jesus is the embodiment of the Promise, dwarfing all previous covenants (yet fulfilling them all)• Restored/exalted Israel: Jesus personifies Israel and

is Vindicated as Lord• Destroy oppressors: Jesus came to destroy the work

of the fallen world, flesh, devil• Bring in Gentiles through Israel: Enter Kingdom

through person of Jesus (not just nation of Israel)

Jesus, Israel, and the Church

Israel: Come and SeeOne identityOne culture

Church: Go and TellOne identity

Many cultures

Individual Gentiles invited in

Judgment against world

JESUS Personifies Israel

Nations into Israel through Son (Jesus)

Kingdom Present1.Devil defeated2.Jesus exalted3.Nations invited in

OT View1.Destroy enemies/restore justice2.Exalt Israel3.Bring in the nations

Kingdom Future1.Enemies judged2.Jesus exalted3.Nations brought in