We have been on the subject of the first coming of Jesus and wasn’t he supposed to suffer as a lamb for our sins?
According to himself in scripture He was. When Jesus met up with those walking outside of Jerusalem who didn’t recognize Him, He said:
Matthew 27:25-27 – 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures
concerning himself.
The fact was that many scriptures referred to a suffering Messiah. We have been over Isaiah 53 and the first part of Psalm 22. We will continue on Psalm 22 today.
Psalm 22:12-15- 12 Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. 13 Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death.
More accusations and words were to be spoken against the Messiah. During the crucifixion and the punishment bones have a tendency to be popped out of joints. However, not one of his bones was broken during that process (important as this was another prophecy). People going through crucifixion would become dehydrated also.
Psalm 22:16-18 – 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
Just like we read in Isaiah 53, we see that He is to be pierced. His hands and His feet were pierced. This is definitely crucifixion. Jesus had much of his skin torn away which happened during the scourging and whipping. As we all know the soldiers cast lots for His clothing.
Psalm 34:20 – 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
The verse before refers to a righteous man. Jesus clearly is the only righteous and they only way a man can become that way is through Him. Not one of Jesus bones was broken. They normally would break the legs of those still alive before going into a Sabbath as they weren’t allowed to keep the bodies up on the crosses at that time. However, Christ was already dead and they didn’t have to do so.
Tomorrow I will wrap up this series on, “Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things?”