The Substance of FaithAn Evidence and Foundational

Christian Curriculum

Part 3b

Part 3b: What is Jesus Witness?

What is the witness of the scriptures?

• The Old Testament witnesses to Jesus in numerous specific prophecies concerning Him and general parallels between the Old Testament system and that of the New Testament.

• The ability to declare the future and even design the future is a distinctive characteristic of God (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Four witnesses of Jesus

John 5 36 "But I have a greater witness than John's; for the

works which the Father has given Me to finish--the very works that I do--bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37 "And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

38 "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

(NKJV)

Prophecies: The virgin birth

Isaiah 7:14"Therefore the Lord

Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

(NKJV)

• Immanuel means “God-with-us”

• Not only will a virgin give birth, but she will give birth to God

• See Matt. 1:20-23

Prophecies: Place of birth

• "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." (Micah 5:2 NKJV)

• Jesus born in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1-6)

• Jesus is the only everlasting ruler

Prophecies: Divine king

•For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV)

• A man will be born who is the mighty God

• He will have an eternal government

• David’s line

Prophecies: price of betrayal

• Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter" -that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. (Zechariah 11:12-13 NKJV)

• The exact number of silver pieces that Judas is paid for his betrayal of Jesus (Matt. 27:3)

• The potter’s field was bought with the money (Matt. 27:7).

• When Judas tried to return the money, he threw it into the temple

Prophecies: crucifixion

• For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. (Psalms 22:16-18 NKJV)

• Jesus was surrounded by wicked people

• Hands and feet pierced (John 20:25)

• No bones broken (John 19:33)

• Garments divided and lots cast for clothing (John 19:23-24)

Prophecies: Perfect sacrifice

• For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked-But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Isaiah 53:8-9 NKJV)

• One who dies for our sins (1 Cor. 15:3)

• Jesus crucified with robbers (Matt. 27:38)

• Yet, buried in a rich man’s tomb (Matt. 27:57-60)

• A sinless man (1 Pet. 2:22)

Prophecies of Daniel

• Daniel 2:31-49 describes the exact order of the kingdoms leading up to Jesus: Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and God’s eternal kingdom.

• A later prophecy even describes the kingdom of Greece by name (Daniel 8:21).

"But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third

kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. "And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as

iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. "Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of

iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as

you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay.

"And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.

"As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as

iron does not mix with clay. "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will

set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be

left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it

shall stand forever. (Daniel 2:39-44 NKJV)

"And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. (Daniel 8:21 NKJV)

Prophecies of Daniel

• Daniel 9:24-27 pinpoints from over 400 years away the exact time that Jesus would appear to Jerusalem.

"Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To

make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up

vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. "Know therefore and

understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build

Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;

The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. (Daniel

9:24-25 NKJV)

Prophecies of Daniel

• The prophecy expresses that the Messiah will appear at 69 weeks (62 + 7). If days are symbolic of years, each week represents seven year periods. 7 X 69 = 483 years. The Jewish prophetic year, however, is only 360 days, so we can convert to days for better comparison. 483 *360 = 173,880 days. In solar years, this would be 173,880 365.24219879 = 476.07 years.

Prophecies of Daniel• According to the prophecy, the start date

for the 69 weeks was the decree to restore Jerusalem, and we can pinpoint this from Nehemiah 2:1-8. This translates to March 4th, 444 B.C. So, 476 years – 444 years = 32 A.D.

• According to Harold Hoehner, factoring in the start date of the decree and calculating the exact date of the prophecy in days, one comes to March 30 or Nisan 10 in A.D. 33. This is the exact time of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Prophecies of Daniel• The prophecy goes on to explain that the

Messiah will be cut off (crucified) after the 69 weeks and that Jerusalem and the temple would also be destroyed. This occurred in A.D. 70.

"And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the

people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The

end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of

the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of

abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation,

which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate." (Daniel 9:26-27 NKJV)

McDowel, Josh. The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999. p. 201.

Additional Examples of Prophecies

Prophecy FulfillmentBorn of a Woman Genesis 3:15 Galatians 4:4Born of Virgin Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:22Lineage of Abraham Genesis 12:3 Acts , 26Family of David Psalm 132:11 Revelation 22:16

Jeremiah 23:5 Mathew 1:1, 2Time of Birth (Precededed by a

Forerunner)Isaiah 40: 3 Matthew 3:3Malachi 3:1 Luke 3:3, 4

Place of Birth Micah 5:2 Matthew 2:5, 6Divinity Psalm 2:7 Acts

Isaiah 9:6 Matthew 11:27Isaiah 25:9 Luke 2:11

Jeremiah 23:6 Luke 2:11Slaughter of Babies Jeremiah 31:15 Matthew 2:17, 18Galilean Ministry Isaiah 9:1, 2 Matthew 4:14-16His Priesthood Psalm 110:4 Hebrews 5:6

Zechariah 6:12, 13 Hebrews 7:17-21

Source: Wilson, Peter J. “Indestructible Foundations.” Bowling Green, Kentucky: Guardian of Truth Foundation.

To be a Prophet Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 Acts 3:22; 7:37

Purging the Psalm 69:9 John 2:17Triumphant Entry Isaiah 62:11

Zechariah 9:9 Matthew 21: 4, 5Betrayed by a Friend Psalm 41:9; 55:13 John 13:18Price of Betrayal Zechariah 11:12, 13 Matthew 27:9, 10Deserted by Disciples Zechariah 13:7 Matthew 26:56Silent Before Accusers Psalm 38:13, 14

Isaiah 53:7 Matthew 27:12-14Mocked and Insulted Psalm 35:15, 16 Matthew 26:67

Psalm 22:7 Matthew 27:39,40Vinegar and Gall Psalm 69:21 Matthew 27:34

John 19:29,30Cries on the Cross Psalm 22:1, 31:5 Matthew 27:26Vicarious Death Isaiah 53:4, 6 Matthew 8:17Crucified Among Thieves Isaiah 53:12 Matthew 27:58Nailed – Pierced Psalm

Zechariah 12:10 John 19:34, 37No Bones Broken Psalm 34:20 John 19:33, 36Casting Lots for Garments Psalm John 19:23,24Grave with the Rich Isaiah 53:9 Matthew 27:57-60Resurrection Psalm 16:10; 30:3 Acts , 32Coronation Psalm 110:1, 2; 24:7-10 Acts 1:9; Ephesians 1:20-23

ParallelsOld Covenant New Covenant

Priesthood The Levites Jesus (Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14; 5:6)

Sacrifice for sin

Bulls, goats, etc. Jesus

Sign Circumcision Baptism (Col. 2:11-12)Exodus Physical exodus out of the

slavery of EgyptSpiritual exodus from the slavery of sin (John 8, etc).

Promised land Land of Canaan HeavenBread Manna Word of God (John 6:49-

50)

Sabbath At the end of each week Heaven—at the end of our physical lives (Heb. 4:9)

Four witnesses of Jesus

John 5 36 "But I have a greater witness than John's; for the

works which the Father has given Me to finish--the very works that I do--bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.

37 "And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

38 "But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

(NKJV)

John’s witness

• Who is John – “I am 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:23 NKJV)

• People today who show Jesus in their lives are like John the Baptist.

John’s witness

• Examples:– Integrity in life and work, even if it

causes resistance– Service and sacrifice without gain– Noticeable purpose and hope in life

John’s witness

• Sadly, John’s witness may seem to be the weakest argument for the case of Jesus. The example of American professing Christians today may do more harm to the witness of Christ than good. Yet, throughout the Bible, there is a consistent concept of a remnant—the true followers among the fake. Although they may be few in America today, the lives of these true followers are a powerful testament to Christ.

John’s witness

• Perhaps we are better suited to look to historical Christians or at the persecuted Christians of today. Consider the earnest passion with which Christians fully committed in the early Church (Acts 2:38-47). Consider the faith of the Christians who became human candlesticks for Nero’s garden—because they refused to deny Jesus.

Can He be explained away?

• Only 3 choices:– Myth: Jesus is fictional and perhaps the

Bible is fictional.– Fraud: Jesus or a group truly existed but

they were frauds– Lunatic: Jesus existed, but He was

insane

A myth?

• Contradicts secular historical knowledge Author(s) must have invented a complicated

and flawless lie. Author(s) must have possessed great

wisdom, such that changed the world, yet were apparently evil.

Motives—why would someone do this? Did they gain anything?

Odds: 1 in 1,000,000,000,000 ????????

A fraud?

Fraud(s) must have interpreted prophecies and, even more difficult, caused their fulfillment.

Evil, yet possess great morality and wisdom. Change history and thousands of lives

through complicated system of lies. Motives—why? Only gained death (also a

very hard prophecy to purposely fulfill). Odds: 1 in 1,000,000,000,000 ????????

A lunatic?

With the unreasonable mind of a lunatic, He must have flawlessly interpreted prophecies and, even more difficult, caused their fulfillment.

With the unreasonable mind of a lunatic, he possessed great morality and wisdom.

With the unreasonable mind of a lunatic, he changed history and thousands of lives.

Odds: 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 ????????

Conclusion

• Conclusion: God’s divine fingerprints are all over the testimony of Jesus. Now it comes time for a choice. Will you believe in Jesus? Regardless of how true Jesus may be, we will not believe in Him unless we are willing to uplift this truth above our own predispositions. Do we exalt God above ourselves? What is our choice?