Witness of Scripture

Jesus Expounds the Scriptures

The Lord Jesus expounded onto the disciples, the Scriptures of the Old Testament of the Messiah (the Anointed one) . He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

These are the words which I spoke unto, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning me. And he said unto them. Thus it is written, and is behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day

These words are vitally important in determining all that has been declared about the Jesus of Nazareth. Who He was and why he came. If he was not whom he said he was, then it has perpetrated the biggest con of all times

Old Testament Scriptures Testify

You cannot go far in any part of Scripture without meeting something that has reference to Christ. Some prophecy, some promise. . A golden thread of Gospel grace runs through the whole of the Old Testament. It gives us a remarkable insight to Who Jesus was and what he came to do.

How was it that the Jewish leaders who were learned in the Old Testament Scriptures could fail to grasp that what Jesus was saying was the fulfilment of Scripture? There are many answers to this question. But basically the main reason was that their understanding of Scripture was clouded by their own selfish glory. They revelled in their man made religion which exalted their position and attracted self glory.

Jesus Rebukes

Jesus rebukes them for their lack of understanding to the Scriptures “Now you have never at any time heard what he says or seen what he is like. Nor do you really believe his word in your hearts, for you refuse to believe the man who he has sent. You pore over the scriptures for you imagine that you will find eternal life in them. And all the time they give their testimony to me!

But you are not willing to come to me to have real life! Men's approval or disapproval means nothing to me, but I can tell that you have none of the love of God in your hearts. I have come in the name of my Father and you will not accept me. Yet if another man comes simply in his own name, you will accept him. How on earth can you believe while you are forever looking for each other's approval and not for the glory that comes from the one God?

Moses Testifies

There is no need for you to think that I have come to accuse you before the Father. You already have an accuser - Moses, in whom you put all your confidence! For if you really believed Moses, you would be bound to believe me; for is about me that he wrote. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say"?

They came to John the Baptist in the desert, they believed in him and on his words, and yet John testified that he was not the anointed one but pointed to the One of whose sandals he was unworthy to unfasten.

We need first of all to examine what the Old Testament Scriptures say about Him. And then examine the key areas that brought about this hostility and reasons for them.