The New Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Student Workbook, SW13

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T H E N E W T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

Readings on Messianic Prophecy (continued)

together the two ideas Son of Man and Servant of God into the single figure of the suffering, dying and rising Son of Man. At the very outset, the misgivings which must be raised as to the historicity of the predictions of the passion speak against this attempt. In addition, the tradition of Jesus’ sayings reveals no trace of a consciousness on his part of being the Servant of God of Isaiah 53. [To the early Church] it was all the more significant and impressive that the risen Lord was he who had previously died on the cross. Here too, formula-like expressions promptly form, as the tradition of 1 Corinthians 15.3-4 again indicates, and also the description at Romans 4.25: “who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”–a statement that had evidently existed before Paul and had been handed down to him. . . . This same thing is shown by the predictions put into Jesus mouth in Mark (and also in Matthew and Luke) carrying back the Hellenistic kerygma into the preaching of Jesus.

Rudolph Bultmann, Theology of the New Testament . Vol. 1. pp. 82-83

Messianic Prophecy: Something More Sure

2 Peter 1.19-21 (ESV) - And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts , [20] knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. [21] For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Questions about Messianic prophecy

1. What does the prophecy say exactly ?

2. How does Jesus' life and ministry make it plain ?

3. How does it shine on my understanding of . . .

What God’s master plan for reestablishing his kingdom rule?

What the enemy’s schemes are to undermine it?

What we can expect as God fulfills his Word?