Douglas Jacoby Podcast

Christ Through the Ages, 5: Visible in the Writings

Episode Summary

Douglas continues his series Christ Through the Ages, looking today at Visible in the Writings.

Episode Notes

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Following are the notes for the fifth lesson in our series, Christ—Visible in the O.T. Writings. The podcast (12 minutes) takes aim at the third division of the Hebrew scriptures.

O.T. Writings that point to Christ

• Psalms (e.g. listen to the 18 podcasts at this website recorded in 2013).
• Proverbs: Jesus as wisdom teacher and Jesus as God's incarnate Wisdom, or Word.
• 1-2 Chronicles (the closing book in the Hebrew canon), longing for a Davidic Messiah, reflecting and whetting the appetite of God's people for a righteous ruler.
• Ruth: kinsman-redeemer. Parallels Boaz/Ruth, where Boaz is like Christ.
• Esther, Job, Song of Songs, and several other books in this 3rd section of the Hebrew scriptures.
• Note: While the OT Apocrypha were cited by the Jews, Messianic texts found among these extracanonical books were also pressed into service. Of special interest to the early church was Wisdom of Solomon (see chapter 2).
• Daniel

Comments on Daniel

• Classed among the Writings (not the Prophets). Daniel is a wisdom teacher who also relays apocalyptic visions.
• Daniel 9:24-27 -- difficult to interpret, but definitely referring to the Messiah, the covenant, the Messiah being cut off, and Jerusalem being destroyed (70 AD).
• Daniel 7:9-14
  • Not directly referring to the second coming, but to Jesus' ascension to the throne (see Acts 2:30)
  • The Son of Man is led into the presence of the Ancient of Days, and shares in God's sovereignty. This passage suggests Jesus' divinity, and that being the case highlights the strong reaction of the Sanhedrin to Jesus' applying this Messianic text to himself (Matthew 27:74; Mark 14:62; Luke 23:69).
  • Notice that the Messiah is called "Son of Man."

Next podcast:  1st Century Judaism: Many flavors of Messiah