Connect Luke 24:20 with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah's suffering. Setting the Scene “Our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and they crucified Him.” This single sentence spoken by the two disciples on the Emmaus road captures the shock of seeing their hoped-for Messiah suffer and die. Yet Scripture had long prepared Israel for just such a scene. Prophecies of Betrayal and Condemnation by Leaders • Psalm 118:22 — “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” – Israel’s leaders (“builders”) would judge the Messiah as unfit, rejecting Him. • Isaiah 53:3 — “He was despised and rejected by men.” – Not merely overlooked, but actively despised—exactly what Luke records. • Isaiah 53:8 — “By oppression and judgment He was taken away.” – The Messiah’s condemnation would be a miscarriage of justice, matching the Sanhedrin’s late-night trial. • Daniel 9:26 — “After the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing.” – “Cut off” points to official execution, not a natural death. Prophecies of Physical Suffering and Crucifixion • Psalm 22:16–18 — “They pierce my hands and feet… they divide my garments among them.” – A graphic preview of crucifixion, quoted directly in the Gospel narratives. • Isaiah 50:6 — “I gave My back to those who strike, and My cheeks to those who pull out My beard.” – Foretells the scourging, beating, and humiliation Jesus endured. • Zechariah 12:10 — “They will look on Me, the One they have pierced.” – Anticipates a pierced Messiah whom the people will later recognize. Prophecies of the Messiah Bearing Sin • Isaiah 53:4–5 — “Surely He took on our infirmities… He was pierced for our transgressions.” – Explains why the Messiah had to suffer: substitution for sinners. • Genesis 3:15 — “He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” – The first hint of redemptive suffering: the serpent’s strike (the cross) precedes the Messiah’s ultimate victory. Seeing Luke 24:20 in Light of the Old Testament 1. Delivered by leaders → Psalm 118, Isaiah 53, Daniel 9. 2. Condemned to death → Isaiah 53:8, Daniel 9:26. 3. Crucified, pierced, mocked → Psalm 22, Zechariah 12, Isaiah 50. 4. Purpose: atone for sin → Isaiah 53:4–6, Genesis 3:15. Takeaway The tragedy the disciples described in Luke 24:20 was no accident; it fulfilled a tapestry of prophecies woven across centuries. Scripture’s consistent message: Messiah would suffer at the hands of His own people, be executed unjustly, and through that very suffering provide salvation. |
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