How does Matthew 11:5 demonstrate Jesus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? Matthew 11:5—Jesus’ Answer in One Sentence “ ‘the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the gospel is preached to the poor.’ ” Why This Line Matters • John the Baptist asked if Jesus was “the One who is to come.” • Jesus replied by pointing to six tangible works—each one foretold centuries earlier. • These works function as a living résumé, proving He is the promised Messiah. Echoes of Isaiah and the Prophets • Isaiah 35:5-6 – “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame will leap like a deer…” • Isaiah 29:18 – “In that day the deaf will hear the words of a scroll, and out of gloom the blind will see.” • Isaiah 42:7 – Messiah sent “to open blind eyes, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon.” • Isaiah 61:1 – “He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.” • Isaiah 26:19 – “Your dead will live; their bodies will rise.” • Hosea 13:14 – The Lord will “ransom them from the power of the grave.” Item-by-Item Fulfillment • Blind receive sight → Seen in Jericho (Matthew 20:29-34), Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-25), Jerusalem (John 9). • Lame walk → Paralytic at Capernaum (Mark 2:3-12); man by Bethesda pool (John 5:1-9). • Lepers cleansed → Ten lepers near Samaria (Luke 17:11-19); single leper in Galilee (Matthew 8:1-4). • Deaf hear → Deaf-mute in Decapolis (Mark 7:31-37). • Dead raised → Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:35-43); widow’s son at Nain (Luke 7:11-17); Lazarus (John 11). • Gospel to the poor → Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7); teaching in villages (Luke 4:18-21). A Composite Portrait No One Else Fits • No Old Testament prophet ever opened blind eyes; Jesus did it repeatedly. • Cleansing leprosy was regarded as an act only God could accomplish (2 Kings 5:7). • Raising the dead placed Jesus squarely in the realm of divine power foretold for Messiah. • Preaching “good news” to the economically and spiritually poor fulfilled the heart of Isaiah 61. Why Matthew 11:5 Settles the Question • The verse weaves together multiple strands of prophecy into one unified fulfillment. • It shows literal, observable events matching literal prophetic promises, affirming the reliability of Scripture. • Jesus’ works provide objective evidence that He is not merely a teacher or miracle-worker, but the long-awaited Redeemer foretold by the prophets. Takeaway Matthew 11:5 is more than a list of miracles; it is the prophetic checklist completed in real time, proving that Jesus perfectly, visibly, and literally fulfills the Old Testament portrait of the Messiah. |
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