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Edward Fudge

CHRIST IN THE LAW OF MOSES

The New Testament Scriptures are the primary witness of Spirit-enlightened men to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the implications of that story for humankind. These Christian writings also are a reflection upon the meaning of the older, Hebrew Scriptures in the light of Jesus Christ. All the Old Testament Scriptures -- the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms, as the Jews divided their Bible -- foreshadow and prefigure the Messiah and the great rescue he would accomplish (Luke 24:27, 44-48).

Reading the Old Testament points us to Christ, beginning with Creation (Gen. 1; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:14-15) and Adam (Gen. 3:15; Phil. 2:5-9; Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:20-22, 42-49), and Noah and the Flood (Gen. 6-8; Matt. 24:36-39). The patriarchs point to Christ, whether Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; Gal. 3:8-9; Gen.14:17-20; Heb. 7; Gen. 17:5; Rom. 4:17, 23-25), Isaac (Gen. 22:2ff; John 3:15; 8:56) or Jacob (Gen. 28:10-12; John 1:47ff; Gen. 49:10).

The great story of Joseph points to Jesus (Jesus' adoptive father was also a son of Jacob, both Josephs were chaste men, both were dreamers, both saved lives by escaping to Egypt). Moses prefigures the Messiah in details of his birth (wicked king, dead babies, magi/magicians, special child; see Ex. 1-2; Matt. 1-2; Luke 1-2); in his journey from Egypt through the water, into the desert and to a mountain (Matt. 1-5); the wondrous rock which provided water (Ex. 17:6; 1 Cor. 10:1-4) and in Moses' prophetic role (Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:19ff). So also do the Tabernacle with the Glory of God (Ex. 25-40:34; John 1:14; Heb. 9:1-12), the priesthood (Ex. 28; Heb. 7:26-8:2); and the sacrifices (Lev. 1-5; Hebrews 9-10).

The pagan prophet Balaam spoke of the distant-coming Christ (Numbers 24:15ff). Finally, Israel's covenant with God prefigured Jesus Christ, with its covenant stipulations which Jesus kept, its covenant blessings which Jesus earned, and its covenant curses which Jesus bore (Deut. 28; Gospels). And Joshua, the successor to Moses, pointed to Jesus Christ, whose Hebrew name was the same as his, and who led God's people to their promised land (Deut. 31:7; Matt. 1:21).

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Edward Fudge

CHRIST IN THE PROPHETS

Someone has said that the New Testament is the Old Testament plus Jesus. Jesus "fulfilled" the Prophets' inspired predictions, but he also filled full the highest prophetic dreams, ideals, aspirations and hopes. For example, the virgin Mary conceives a son (Isa. 7:14 in Greek), who is born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2-5). Jesus is born to be the consolation of Israel and a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6). The infant Jesus escapes from Herod, then returns from Egypt (Hosea 11:1). Bethlehem's infants are slaughtered amidst great weeping (Jer. 31:15). Thirty years later, John announces in the wilderness the coming of the Christ (Isa. 40:3-6). At Jesus' baptism, the heavens are torn open as God prepares to save his people (Isa. 54:1). The Spirit descends on Jesus, anoints him as the Messiah/Christ and commissions him for his mission (Isa. 61:1-2).

Jesus takes God's light to Galilee by the Sea (Isa. 9:1-2). He heals the sick -- bearing our sicknesses and diseases (Isa. 53:4). Jesus' teaching divides families (Micah 7:6), although his ministry is quiet and restorative in intent (Isa. 42:1-4). He teaches in parables to hide the truth from the insincere (Isa. 6:9-10). Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey (Zech. 9:9). There he cleanses God's Temple in holy indignation (Isa. 56:7; Jer. 7:11), chastens the religious establishment with his parable of the vineyard (Isa. 5:1ff) and predicts Jerusalem's destruction involving an Abomination of Desolation (Dan. 11:31).

The mob captures Jesus and his disciples scatter (Zech. 13:7). Judas returns the 30 silver pieces, which buy a potter's field to bury indigents (Zech. 11:12). Jesus is beaten and bruised, his head pierced with a crown of thorns, then crucified, and after his death, his side pierced with a spear (Zech. 12:10). But his piercing and wounds are for the salvation of his people (Isa. 53). He is buried for three days and nights (Jonah 1:17) then wondrously raised back to life. He ascends to heaven and receives kingship at the right hand of God (Dan. 7).

Weeks later, at the Feast of Pentecost, God pours out the Holy Spirit from heaven for all Jesus' followers and announces salvation and the commencement of the Last Days (Joel 2:28-32). One day Jesus will return in person and in power to bring about the Restoration of all things. This will include the conversion of Israel (Ezek. 37:24-28), the death of Death (Isa.25:7-9), the peaceable kingdom in new heavens and new earth (Isa.11:5-9), the universal knowledge of God (Mal. 1:11), and many more blessings foretold by the prophets.

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Edward Fudge

CHRIST IN THE PSALMS (1)

New Testament authors quote the Book of Psalms more than any other Old Testament book except Isaiah (Deuteronomy has third place), echoing at least 101 of its 150 individual Psalms. Small wonder that Jesus taught his disciples about himself from the Psalms (Luke 24:27, 44-45). If we read the Psalms as Jesus' disciples did, with the Savior in our minds, we will see even more "fulfillments" in Jesus which are not quoted in the New Testament. Read Psalms 1 or 23, for example, and notice how Jesus best personifies these portrayals of God's faithful.servant on the earth.

The imagery of "Son of God" comes from Psalm 2:7-9, among other places, and this Psalm reappears from Matthew to Revelation (Matt. 3:17; 2 Pet. 1:17; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:5; 5:5; Rev. 12:5; 19:15; 2:26). Although Jesus originally was greater than angels, by the Incarnation he became lower than angels, to lift his people to the place of honor and glory which God always intended for humankind. This truth is announced by Psalm 8:4-8, when read in light of Jesus Christ (Heb. 2:5-9).

Psalm 40 describes one purpose of the Incarnation -- for Jesus to do God's will in a human body, then to present that perfect obedience to God on behalf of his people (Heb. 10:4-10). Psalm 95:7-11 warn Israel of 1,000 B.C. to "hear" God's voice in their own "today" rather than rejecting God in grumbling unbelief as their ancestors had done in the wilderness centuries before (Ex. 17:1-7). Jesus showed us that ideal fulfilled as he listened every morning to God's voice and obeyed God completely every new "today" (Isa. 50:4-5; see Heb. 3:6-8). Psalm 69:9 mentions Jesus' consuming zeal for God's honor and purposes, and also the suffering for God's sake which Jesus himself endured and which he calls on us to endure with him and for his sake (John 2:17; Rom. 15:3).

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Edward Fudge

CHRIST IN THE PSALMS (2)

Psalm 118:22-23 foretells Jesus' rejection by others, as it portrays the rejected building stone which God selects and uses as the cornerstone for his Temple (Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11-12; Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-8). Psalm 16:7-11 expresses the faith of a righteous man that God will have the final word over death, and it is fulfilled in Jesus' resurrection from the dead (Acts 2:31-32; 13:34-37). Although the New Testament does not make the point, Jesus' ascension and entry into heaven then fulfill the scene portrayed in Psalm 24:7-10, which is the reward of the godly life described in Psalm 24:1-6.

Psalm 110:1, 4 is the most-quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament. The vision of Jesus seated as King and Priest at God's right hand is cited by Jesus himself (Matt. 22:44; 26:65) and in the apostolic preaching (Acts 2:34). It underwrites our ethics (Col. 3:1), exemplifies God's power available for us (Eph. 1:20), illuminates our hope (1 Cor. 15:25), certifies Jesus' finished atonement -- he can "sit" because his sacrifice, once-offered, is sufficient forever (Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12-13), and inspires our faithfulness (Heb. 12:2).

Finally, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews examines Psalm 110:4 word by word in light of Jesus. He notes that Jehovah, not Jesus, appointed Jesus as high priest (Heb. 5:4-6). God did so with an oath, not merely with a promise (Heb. 6:17-20; 7:21-22). God will never change his mind about Jesus' priestly appointment, as he once did about ancient Eli's (Heb. 7:21; 1 Sam. 2:27ff). Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus is a priest forever, since he lives forever to intercede (Heb. 7:23-25). And he is a priest like Melchizedek, a priest whose efficacy rests on his own moral character, not on ceremonial purity, symbolic holiness or physical and ancestral requirements for office (Heb. 7:15-17; 7:26---8:2).