In what ways does Luke 22:68 connect to Isaiah's prophecies about the Messiah? Setting the Scene in Luke 22:68 • “and if I ask you, you will not answer.” (Luke 22:68) • Jesus is before the Sanhedrin. Their hearts are fixed in unbelief; He knows any further dialogue will be fruitless. • The verse highlights two realities: their refusal to believe and their refusal to answer. Both ideas echo themes Isaiah had already laid down about Israel’s response to the coming Messiah. Isaiah Foresees a People Who Will Not Listen • Isaiah 6:9-10 – “Be ever hearing, but never understanding… Make the hearts of this people calloused.” • The leaders in Luke embody Isaiah’s prophecy; they see and hear Jesus but remain spiritually blind and deaf. • Isaiah 53:1 – “Who has believed our message?” The Servant’s message would largely be rejected, exactly what Jesus experiences when He says, “you will not believe.” • Connection: Luke 22:68 shows the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prediction of persistent unbelief. Isaiah Describes the Messiah’s Controlled Silence • Isaiah 53:7 – “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth.” • Isaiah 50:6 – “I offered My back to those who struck Me… I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.” • In Luke 22:68 Jesus chooses a measured response, refusing to engage a hostile court that will not answer Him. His restraint mirrors Isaiah’s Servant who “did not open His mouth.” • The Messiah’s silence is not weakness; it is purposeful submission to the Father’s redemptive plan foretold by Isaiah. Rejected Yet Exalted—A Shared Pattern • Isaiah 53:3 – “He was despised and rejected by men.” • Luke 22:68 captures the rejection; Luke 22:69 immediately points to exaltation: “But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” • Isaiah 52:13 – “My Servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.” • The sequence—rejection first, exaltation next—runs straight from Isaiah into Luke’s narrative. Implications for Our Faith Today • Scripture’s unity: the scene in Luke confirms Isaiah’s centuries-old prophecies with literal accuracy. • Christ’s unwavering purpose: He remains calm when faced with unbelief because the Father’s plan is unfolding exactly as written. • Assurance for believers: if the prophecies of rejection and silence proved true, so will the promises of redemption and future glory (Isaiah 53:11; Luke 24:46-47). |
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