The prophecy concerning the Messiah being pierced is a significant aspect of the Old Testament predictions about the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This prophecy is primarily found in the book of Zechariah and is fulfilled in the New Testament accounts of Jesus' crucifixion.

Old Testament Prophecy

The prophecy of the Messiah being pierced is explicitly mentioned in Zechariah 12:10: "Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son."

This passage is a profound prediction that the Messiah would be pierced, leading to a time of mourning and repentance among the people. The imagery of piercing is significant, as it foreshadows the method of execution that Jesus would endure.

Fulfillment in the New Testament

The fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in the New Testament, particularly in the Gospel of John. During the crucifixion of Jesus, the Roman soldiers pierced His side to ensure His death. John 19:34 states, "Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out."

John explicitly connects this event to the prophecy in Zechariah, affirming its fulfillment in John 19:36-37: "These things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: 'Not one of His bones will be broken,' and, as another Scripture says, 'They will look on the One they have pierced.'"

Significance in Christian Theology

The piercing of Christ holds deep theological significance within Christian doctrine. It is seen as a fulfillment of prophecy that underscores the suffering and sacrificial nature of Jesus' mission. The act of piercing, resulting in the flow of blood and water, is often interpreted as symbolizing the outpouring of grace and the establishment of the New Covenant through His sacrifice.

Furthermore, the piercing is a testament to the physical reality of Jesus' suffering and death, countering early heresies that denied His humanity. It serves as a vivid reminder of the cost of redemption and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan as foretold by the prophets.

Conclusion

The prophecy of the Messiah being pierced, as foretold in Zechariah and fulfilled in the crucifixion of Jesus, is a cornerstone of biblical prophecy and its fulfillment. It highlights the continuity between the Old and New Testaments and affirms the divine orchestration of salvation history through Jesus Christ.John 19:34,37
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and immediately came there out blood and water.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of ...
... definite and distinct were the Old Testament prophecies respecting the Birth of
Christ, that the ... call attention to one of the prophecies which declared ...
/.../the divine inspiration of the bible/chapter five the fulfilled prophecies.htm

John xix. 16-18
... disciple concerning His mother, fulfilling prophecies, holding forth ... of men imagining
nothing great respecting Him; but ... 2525] when one leaves Christ heir with ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily lxxxv john xix 16-18.htm

The Opinions
... house of Elias, whose tradition respecting the millennium ... not that those very clear
prophecies of events ... just after its commencement, "Jesus Christ, the first ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the opinions.htm

On Turning the First Page of the Review which Follows...
... Doctor of Divinity, having reduced the prophecies "capable of ... the nature of his own
delusion respecting Prophecy. ... a Minister of the Gospel of Christ can speak ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/ii on turning the first.htm

The Song of the Redeemed
... expressed my belief, that many prophecies, respecting the spread ... and facts to which
the prophecies already fulfilled ... before the judgment-seat of Christ, he adds ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xlviii the song of.htm

The Declensions of Christianity, an Argument of Its Truth.
... infidelity are the subject of his prophecies""There shall ... Respecting arts and sciences,
mankind may never have ... There we shall see Christ's glory, though we ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon iv the declensions of.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... This concludes the oracular utterances respecting Rome ... After some other prophecies
we come to the mention of ... In Christ's hands extended on the cross the writer ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Interpretation of Holy Scripture. --Inspired Interpretation. --The ...
... the very silence of Scripture respecting Melchizedek's death ... Esau's posterity and
Balaam's prophecies,"the Cloud ... the universal efficacy of Christ's Death, who ...
/.../burgon/inspiration and interpretation/sermon v interpretation of holy.htm

Period iii. The Critical Period: AD 140 to AD 200
... for he it is who is called Christ, to set ... He says, also, that even the prophecies
were derived from ... people, writes in these very words respecting the appendages ...
/.../a source book for ancient church history/period iii the critical period .htm

part i
... them enter into his heart, which Jesus Christ alone ought to ... soul is in the very
midst of his being"in the ... words of the God of glory are fulfilled every time ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm

How can I identify messianic prophecies in the Old Testament? | GotQuestions.org

How many prophecies did Jesus fulfill? | GotQuestions.org

What biblical prophecies were fulfilled in AD 70? | GotQuestions.org

Prophecies: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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