How does Matthew 27:50 fulfill Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? Matthew 27:50 “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.” Immediate Narrative Context Matthew records a second loud cry immediately after Jesus’ earlier quotation of Psalm 22:1 (v. 46). The deliberate act of yielding His spirit forms the climactic moment of the Crucifixion narrative, introducing the earthquake, torn veil, and resurrections that follow (vv. 51-53). Primary Prophetic Themes Fulfilled 1. Voluntary self-sacrifice of the Messiah 2. Entrusting His spirit to Yahweh 3. Loud cry of the Righteous Sufferer 4. Messianic “cutting off” and atoning death 5. Passover-lamb typology 6. Vindication and triumph following suffering 1 · Voluntary Self-Sacrifice Isaiah 53:10-12 foretells that the Servant “poured out His soul to death” and did so willingly: “He Himself bore the sin of many” . Matthew’s use of παρέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα (“He yielded up the spirit”) mirrors this prophecy. The Greek verb indicates an intentional release, not a passive succumbing, matching Isaiah’s portrayal of a self-offering substitute. Genesis 22 presents the voluntary obedience of Isaac—later commemorated at Passover—as a prophetic template. Just as Abraham’s son submits to potential death, the greater Son submits in actuality. The correlation is heightened by Christ’s death at the hour the Passover lambs were slain (Exodus 12:6; John 19:14), binding Matthew 27:50 to the sacrificial motif. 2 · Psalm 31:5—Entrusting The Spirit Psalm 31:5 reads, “Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD, God of truth.” Luke records Jesus quoting the verse verbatim (23:46). Matthew’s concise summary—“He yielded up His spirit”—conveys the same fulfillment: the Messiah consciously places His life in the Father’s care exactly as David’s prophetic prayer anticipates. The Dead Sea Scroll 4QPsa (c. 50 BC) preserves Psalm 31 with wording identical to the Masoretic Text, confirming that first-century readers recognized the phrase as a pledge of trust in Yahweh. Jesus’ act turns this ancient petition into literal history. 3 · Loud Cry Of The Righteous Sufferer—Psalm 22 Earlier (v. 46) Jesus cites Psalm 22:1. Verse 21 of that psalm climaxes with a shout of assurance: “You have answered Me.” Matthew’s mention that Jesus “cried out again in a loud voice” aligns with the psalm’s hinge from suffering to impending deliverance. The strength of a “loud” cry moments before death is anomalous physiologically, underscoring supernatural purpose and signaling that prophetic vindication is at hand. 4 · Daniel 9:26—The Messiah ‘Cut Off’ Daniel foretells, “After the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing” . Matthew presents precisely that termination. The Aramaic יִכָּרֵת denotes an abrupt, violent death, often covenantal in significance (cf. Genesis 15:18). Jesus’ yielding of His spirit fulfils the timetable and manner Daniel envisioned. 5 · Passover And Exodus Typology Exodus 12 stipulates the lamb must be slain without broken bones (v. 46) and its blood applied for deliverance. John notes Jesus’ bones were unbroken (19:36, quoting Psalm 34:20); Matthew emphasizes the moment the Lamb dies. Paul clarifies, “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Thus Matthew 27:50 meets Exodus’ criteria: voluntary, substitutionary death at the Passover hour securing redemption. 6 · Isaiah 53:11-12—Atonement And Intercession “He will bear their iniquities … He bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors” . The Gospel immediately shows this intercessory effect: the temple veil tears, opening access to God (v. 51). Jesus’ final breath signals that atonement has been accomplished, fulfilling the Servant’s mission. 7 · Genesis 49:10 & Psalm 118—Triumph Implicit In The Cry The loud cry is not defeat but proclamation. Psalm 118:17 declares, “I will not die, but live, and proclaim what the LORD has done.” Jesus’ intentional declaration anticipates resurrection, fulfilling Jacob’s oracle that Shiloh will gather the peoples (Genesis 49:10) after His passion. Archaeological Support 1QIsaa (complete Great Isaiah Scroll, 2nd cent. BC) contains Isaiah 53 exactly as cited, predating the Crucifixion by two centuries and demonstrating the prophecy was not retrofitted. Ossuary inscriptions like the “Yehohanan” crucifixion remains (Jerusalem, 1968) verify the first-century practice of Roman crucifixion with nails through ankles and wrists, matching Gospel details and situating Matthew’s record firmly in historical reality. Theological Implications By aligning Matthew 27:50 with multiple prophecies, Scripture presents a unified testimony: the Messiah consciously gives His life as atonement, fulfilling centuries-old predictions. The voluntary yielding authenticates Jesus’ authority over life and death (cf. John 10:18), confirming His divine identity and providing the legal ground for justification (Romans 5:9). Conclusion Matthew 27:50 crystallizes the prophetic portrait of the Messiah: the willing, sin-bearing Servant who entrusts His spirit to the Father, dies at Passover as the spotless Lamb, cries out in the language of Psalm 22 and 31, and is “cut off” in perfect accord with Daniel’s timetable. Every element synchronizes with Old Testament prophecy, demonstrating that the Crucifixion is not an unforeseen tragedy but the predetermined, Scripture-saturated means by which God brings salvation to His people. |
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