Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in Matthew's Gospel

Matthew's Gospel account emphasizes the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies to substantiate the claim that Jesus is truly the Son of God and the Messiah. This gospel, written primarily for a Jewish audience, strategically highlights how Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection align with the Hebrew Scriptures, thus affirming His divine identity and messianic role. It is commonly understood that Matthew penned his account for the purpose of winning the Jewish people to Christ. The following passage reveals how Jesus used the same method to encourage faith.

That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. And as they talked and deliberated, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stood still, with sadness on their faces. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in recent days?” “What things?” He asked. “The events involving Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “This man was a prophet, powerful in speech and action before God and all the people. [Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him. But we were hoping He was the One who would redeem Israel. And besides all this, it is the third day since these things took place. Furthermore, some of our women astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described. But Him they did not see.” Then Jesus said to them, “O foolish ones, how slow are your hearts to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself. Luke 24:13-27 BSB

The Birth of Jesus

• Prophecy: Isaiah 7:14

  • Old Testament: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 1:22-23

    • "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 'Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel' (which means, God with us)."

  • Commentary: The virgin birth signifies the divine nature of Jesus and fulfills Isaiah's prophecy, highlighting God's direct intervention in human history.

The Birthplace of Jesus

• Prophecy: Micah 5:2

  • Old Testament: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 2:5-6

    • "They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: "And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel."'"

  • Commentary: Bethlehem, the birthplace of David, becomes the birthplace of the Messiah, emphasizing Jesus as the promised King from David's line.

The Flight to Egypt

• Prophecy: Hosea 11:1

  • Old Testament: "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 2:14-15

    • "And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus' sojourn in Egypt parallels Israel's history and shows Him as the true Son who embodies the nation's destiny and mission.

Massacre of the Innocents

• Prophecy: Jeremiah 31:15

  • Old Testament: "Thus says the Lord: 'A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.'"

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 2:17-18

    • "Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 'A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.'"

  • Commentary: The sorrow of Rachel weeping for her children is echoed in the tragic massacre, underscoring the profound impact of Jesus' arrival and the opposition He faced from the beginning.

Ministry in Galilee

• Prophecy: Isaiah 9:1-2

  • Old Testament: "But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 4:13-16

    • "And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 'The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus' ministry in Galilee fulfills Isaiah's prophecy, bringing light to the regions traditionally seen as spiritually dark, and signifies the outreach to both Jews and Gentiles.

Healing and Bearing Our Infirmities

• Prophecy: Isaiah 53:4

  • Old Testament: "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 8:16-17

    • "That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: 'He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus' healing miracles demonstrate His compassion and authority, fulfilling Isaiah's depiction of the suffering servant who bears the infirmities of His people.

Teaching in Parables

• Prophecy: Psalm 78:2

  • Old Testament: "I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 13:34-35

    • "All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: 'I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus' use of parables reveals hidden truths and fulfills the psalmist's prophecy, indicating that His teachings were meant to reveal deeper spiritual realities.

Entry into Jerusalem

• Prophecy: Zechariah 9:9

  • Old Testament: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 21:4-5

    • "This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 'Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden."'"

  • Commentary: Jesus' triumphal entry on a donkey signifies His fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy and His role as the humble and righteous King bringing salvation.

Betrayal by Judas

• Prophecy: Zechariah 11:12-13

  • Old Testament: "Then I said to them, 'If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.' And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter'—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 27:9-10

    • "Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 'And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.'"

  • Commentary: The betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and the subsequent purchase of the potter's field fulfill Zechariah's prophecy, illustrating the foreknown nature of Jesus' rejection and suffering.

The Crucifixion

• Prophecy: Psalm 22:16-18

  • Old Testament: "For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

  • Fulfillment in Matthew: Matthew 27:35

    • "And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots."

  • Commentary: The details of Jesus' crucifixion, including the piercing of His hands and feet and the casting of lots for His garments, align with the psalmist's vivid depiction, confirming Jesus as the suffering Messiah.

Conclusion

• Summary of how Matthew demonstrates Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies

• The significance of these fulfillments for understanding Jesus' mission and identity

• Encouragement for readers to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah and Savior

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Luke's Gospel: Read more...

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