How does Matthew 20:19 connect with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? The Text Under Discussion “and will deliver Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. And on the third day He will be raised to life.” (Matthew 20:19) Five Key Details in Matthew 20:19 • Delivery to Gentiles • Mocking • Flogging (scourging) • Crucifixion (piercing, death) • Resurrection on the third day Old Testament Prophecies Foreseeing Each Detail • Delivery to Gentiles – Isaiah 49:6: “He says: ‘It is too small a thing for You to be My Servant to restore the tribes of Jacob… I will also make You a light for the nations.’” – Psalm 2:1-2: “Why do the nations rage… The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed.” • Mocking – Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men… and we esteemed Him not.” – Psalm 22:7-8: “All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: ‘He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD deliver him.’” • Flogging / Scourging – Isaiah 50:6: “I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from scorn and spitting.” – Isaiah 53:5: “He was pierced for our transgressions… by His stripes we are healed.” • Crucifixion / Piercing – Psalm 22:16-18: “They pierce my hands and feet… they divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” – Zechariah 12:10: “They will look on Me, the One they have pierced.” – Isaiah 53:9: “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.” • Resurrection on the Third Day – Hosea 6:2: “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.” – Psalm 16:10: “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” – Jonah 1:17: “Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” (cf. Matthew 12:40 where Jesus applies Jonah to Himself) Threads That Tie the Passage Together • Matthew 20:19 is not an isolated prediction; every phrase traces back to divinely inspired promises given centuries earlier. • Jesus brings into one sentence a panoramic summary of Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, and the “third-day” hope of Hosea 6:2 and Jonah 1:17. • By specifying Gentile involvement and the precise timeline of resurrection, He shows perfect foreknowledge and perfect fulfillment, underscoring the reliability of both Testaments. Why the Connection Matters • It demonstrates God’s sovereign plan: the suffering and rising Messiah was always central, not a last-minute adjustment. • Fulfillment validates Jesus’ claim to be the promised Anointed One and confirms the unity and trustworthiness of Scripture. |
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