Predictions of the Cross

Synopsis

The death of Jesus Christ fulfils OT predictions and was clearly anticipated in his teaching.

The cross foreshadowed in the OT

Psalm 22:1 ESV

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

See also Ge 3:15 ; Ps 22:6–7 ; Ps 22:16–18 ; Ps 31:5 ; Ps 69:21 ; Is 52:12–13 ; Zec 12:10 ; Zec 13:7

Genesis 3:15 (NIV) — 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Psalm 22:6–7 (NIV) — 6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads.

Psalm 22:16–18 (NIV) — 16 Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. 17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.

Psalm 31:5 (NIV) — 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Psalm 69:21 (NIV) — 21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.

Isaiah 52:12–13 (NIV) — 12 But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. 13 See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Zechariah 12:10 (NIV) — 10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

Zechariah 13:7 (NIV) — 7 “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Jesus Christ predicts his death on the cross

Jesus Christ’s first announcement of his death

Matthew 16:21 ESV

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

Jesus Christ’s second announcement of his death

Matthew 17:22–23 ESV

As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed.

See also Mk 9:31

Mark 9:31 (NIV) — 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”

Jesus Christ’s third announcement of his death

Matthew 20:18–19 ESV

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Other allusions to the cross

In the teaching of Jesus Christ

Matthew 26:31 ESV

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

See also Mt 20:22 ; Mt 26:2 ; Mk 2:19–20 ; Mk 10:45 ; Lk 9:44 ; Lk 22:42

Matthew 20:22 (NIV) — 22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered.

Matthew 26:2 (NIV) — 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

Mark 2:19–20 (NIV) — 19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.

Mark 10:45 (NIV) — 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Luke 9:44 (NIV) — 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”

Luke 22:42 (NIV) — 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

“lifted up” is used in John’s Gospel as a reference to the crucifixion:

John 3:14 ESV

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

John 8:28 ESV

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

John 12:32–33 ESV

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

John 18:11 (NIV) — 11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

In history

Mt 17:9–13 John the Baptist’s fate indicates what is to happen to Jesus Christ.

Matthew 17:9–13 ESV

And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.

In the experience of Jesus Christ

Mt 26:12 Jesus Christ’s reaction to the woman anointing him seems to suggest that he will die the death of a criminal.

Matthew 26:12 ESV

In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial.

In the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 26:26–28 ESV

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

God’s perfect timing for Jesus Christ’s death on the cross

John 2:4 ESV

And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

See also Jn 7:6 ; Jn 7:8 ; Jn 7:30 ; Jn 8:20 ; Jn 13:1 ; Jn 17:1

John 7:6 (NIV) — 6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.

John 7:8 (NIV) — 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”

John 7:30 (NIV) — 30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

John 8:20 (NIV) — 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

John 13:1 (NIV) — 1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

John 17:1 (NIV) — 1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

The curse of the cross

Dt 21:22–23 To be nailed to a cross is the equivalent of being hanged on a tree.

Deuteronomy 21:22–23 ESV

“And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.

See also Ac 5:30 ; Ga 3:10–13 ; 1 Pe 2:24

Acts 5:30 (NIV) — 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.

Galatians 3:10–13 (NIV) — 10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) — 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”