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On that Passover day, the day of the crucifixion, all the words of the prophets concerning the suffering of the Christ, or the Anointed One, were fulfilled. Their fulfillment in every detail stands today as a lasting testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus Christ.
The first prophecy, the oldest of all, had been given by the Lord Himself at the time of Adam and Eve’s first sin:
1) The serpent would bruise the seed of the woman.
Prophesied: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15).
Fulfilled: “ ‘Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself.’ But He said this to signify by what death He was about to die” (John 12:31-33).
2) The Messiah would be cut off, but not for Himself, as prophesied by Daniel.
Prophesied: “And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself...” (Dan. 9:26).
Fulfilled: “ ‘Nor consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish.’ Now he did not say this of himself, but being high priest that year, prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but also that He might gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (John 11:50-52).
3) The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was foretold by David.
Prophesied: “Even a man, my friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psa. 41:9).
Fulfilled: “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order that he might deliver Him up to them. And after hearing this, they were delighted and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him” (Mark 14:10-11).
4) Jesus Christ would be forsaken by His disciples, as prophesied by Zechariah.
Prophesied: “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man who is My companion,” says the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered...” (Zech. 13:7).
Fulfilled: “Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50).
5) The price of His betrayal was also foretold by Zechariah.
Prophesied: “And I said to them, ‘If it is good, give me my price; and if not, let it go.’ So they weighed my price—thirty pieces of silver” (Zech. 11:12).
Fulfilled: “And said, ‘What are you willing to give me, and I will deliver Him up to you?’ And they offered him thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:15).
6) Zechariah also foretold what would be done with the betrayal money.
Prophesied: “And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the princely price at which I was valued by them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD” (Zech. 11:13).
Fulfilled: “Now when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, he changed his mind and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, ‘I have sinned and have betrayed innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it yourself.’ And after throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he went out and hanged himself. But the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.’ And after taking counsel, they bought a potter’s field with the pieces of silver, for a burial ground for strangers” (Matt. 27:3-7).
7) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ would be sacrificed as the Passover Lamb of God.
Prophesied: “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter...” (Isa. 53:7).
Fulfilled: “For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us” (I Cor. 5:7). “Knowing that you were not redeemed by corruptible things … but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; Who truly was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for your sakes” (I Pet. 1:18-20).
8) Isaiah also prophesied the scourging and mocking that He would suffer.
Prophesied: “I gave My back to the smiters [scourgers], and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting” (Isa. 50:6).
Fulfilled: “Then he released Barabbas to them; but after scourging Jesus, he delivered Him up so that He might be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers, after taking Jesus with them into the Praetorium, gathered the entire band against Him; and they stripped Him and put a scarlet cloak around Him. And after platting a crown of thorns, they put it on His head; and a rod in His right hand; and bowing on their knees before Him, they mocked Him, and kept on saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ Then, after spitting on Him, they took the rod and struck Him on the head” (Matt. 27:26-30).
9) Both Isaiah and David prophesied that Jesus’ body would be mutilated.
Prophesied: “Many were astonished at Him—for His body was so disfigured—even His form beyond that of the sons of men” (Isa. 52:14). “I can count all My bones; they look and gloat over Me” (Psa. 22:17).
Fulfilled: “But after scourging Jesus, he delivered Him up so that He might be crucified” (Matt. 27:26). “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him” (John 19:1).
10) David prophesied the shame and dishonor that Jesus would suffer, being condemned as a criminal.
Prophesied: “...the reproaches of those who reproached You have fallen upon Me....You have known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonor; my enemies are all before You. Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none” (Psa. 69:9, 19-20).
Fulfilled: “At that point Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Have you come out to take Me with swords and clubs, as against a robber?’ ” (Matt. 26:55) “They answered and said, ‘He is deserving of death!’ ” (Matt. 26:66)
11) David also foretold that false witnesses would testify against Christ.
Prophesied: “Cruel witnesses rose up; they asked me of things that I knew nothing about” (Psa. 35:11).
Fulfilled: “And the chief priests and the whole Sandhedrin were trying to find testimony against Jesus, to put Him to death; but they did not find any. For many bore false witness against Him, but their testimonies did not agree. And some rose up and bore false witness against Him, saying...” (Mark 14:55-57).
12) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not make an effort to defend Himself at the trial.
Prophesied: “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7).
Fulfilled: “Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Don’t You hear how many things they testify against You?’ And He did not answer even one word to him, so that the governor was greatly amazed” (Matt. 27:13-14).
13) Isaiah also foretold Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as the sin offering for the world.
Prophesied: “Surely He has borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all....Yet the LORD willed to crush Him and He has put Him to grief: You shall make His life an offering for sin. He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days, and that the purpose of the LORD might prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:4-6, 10-11).
Fulfilled: “Therefore, he then delivered Him up to them so that He might be crucified. Now they took Jesus and led Him away; and He went out bearing His own cross to the place called ‘A Skull,’ which is called in Hebrew, ‘Golgotha’; where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on this side and one on the other side, and Jesus in the middle. Now Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross. And it was written, ‘Jesus the Nazarean, the King of the Jews’ ” (John 19:16-19).
14) As Isaiah had prophesied, He was numbered among lawbreakers.
Prophesied: “He was counted among the transgressors…” (Isa. 53:12).
Fulfilled: “And also two other malefactors were led away with Him to be put to death. And when they came to the place called ‘Skull,’ there they crucified Him and the malefactors, one on the right and one on the left” (Luke 23:32-33).
15) David prophesied that His hands and His feet would be pierced.
Prophesied: “Dogs have surrounded Me; a band of evildoers have encircled me; they have pierced My hands and My feet” (Psa. 22:16).
Fulfilled: “And they crucified Him” (Mark 15:25). “Then the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘If I do not see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger into the nail marks, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe at all!’ Now after eight days, His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. After the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Bring forth your finger, and see My hands; and bring forth your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing’ ” (John 20:25-27).
16) The parting of His garments was also prophesied by David.
Prophesied: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots upon My vesture” (Psa. 22:18).
Fulfilled: “Then they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to determine whose it shall be’; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, ‘They divided My garments among them, and they cast lots for My vesture.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things” (John 19:24).
17) In another psalm, David prophesied that they would give Him vinegar to drink.
Prophesied: “They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Psa. 69:21).
Fulfilled: “They gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink; but after tasting it, He would not drink” (Matt. 27:34).
18) David also prophesied that many would be watching Jesus during the crucifixion.
Prophesied: “...they look and gloat over Me” (Psa. 22:17).
Fulfilled: “And the guards sat down there to guard Him” (Matt. 27:36). “And all the people who were gathered together to this sight, after seeing the things that took place, beat their breasts and returned” (Luke 23:48).
19) Among those watching would be Jesus’ family and friends, who would stand at a distance.
Prophesied: “My loved ones and my friends stand apart from my plague [wounds]; and my neighbors stand far off” (Psa. 38:11).
Fulfilled: “Now all those who knew Him stood afar off observing these things, the women also who followed Him from Galilee” (Luke 23:49).
20) Some of His observers would shake their heads at Him.
Prophesied: “And I also became a reproach to them when they looked upon me; they shook their heads” (Psa. 109:25).
Fulfilled: “But those who were passing by railed at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matt. 27:39-40)
21) Even the words of His reproachers were prophesied by David.
Prophesied: “He trusted on the LORD; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He delights in Him!” (Psa. 22:8).
Fulfilled: “ ‘He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.” ’ And the two robbers who were also crucified with Him reproached Him with the same words” (Matt. 27:43-44).
22) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would make intercession for sinners. This intercession began even during His crucifixion.
Prophesied: “He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for transgressors” (Isa. 53:12).
Fulfilled: “Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not understand what they are doing.’ And they divided His garments, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).
23) David prophesied the thoughts of Jesus at the height of His suffering.
Prophesied: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me, and why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?” (Psa. 22:1.)
Fulfilled: “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matt. 27:46)
24) Zechariah prophesied that His body would be pierced with a spear.
Prophesied: “And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced...” (Zech. 12:10).
Fulfilled: “But one of the soldiers had pierced His side with a spear, and immediately water and blood had come out....And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look upon Him Whom they pierced’ ” (John 19:34, 37).
25) David prophesied that Jesus would commit His spirit to God.
Prophesied: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit...” (Psa. 31:5).
Fulfilled: “And after crying out with a loud voice, Jesus said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ And when He had said these things, He expired” (Luke 23:46).
26) David also prophesied Jesus’ last words.
Prophesied: “… that He has done this” (Psa. 22:31). The Hebrew literally reads, “For it is finished.”
Fulfilled: “Therefore, when Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, ‘It is finished.’ And after bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit” (John 19:30).
27) As no bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Ex. 12:46), not a bone of His would be broken.
Prophesied: “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psa. 34:20).
Fulfilled: “Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first one, and the legs of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs....For these things took place so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken’ ” (John 19:32-33, 36).
28) His burial in the tomb of a rich man was foretold by Isaiah.
Prophesied: “By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and with His generation who did consider that He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken? And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isa. 53:8-9).
Fulfilled: “And when evening was coming on, a rich man of Arimathea came, named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. After going to Pilate, he begged to have the body of Jesus. [Jesus would otherwise have been buried among the criminals] Then Pilate commanded the body to be given over to him. And after taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and placed it in his new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and after rolling a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away” (Matt. 27:57-60). All these prophecies were fulfilled by the suffering, death and burial of Jesus Christ on the Passover day. In the next chapter, we will learn the significance of the timing of Jesus’ death and of the miraculous events which occurred on that Passover day, Nisan 14, April 5, 30 AD.
