Synopsis
The Gospels teach us that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. Of the four, this is taught most frequently by Matthew. The 13 times he does so is almost as much as the other Gospels combined. He also uses explicit expressions such as “this took place to fulfil.” Mark only does so on three occasions. But this doesn’t mean that this wasn’t important to him, he just doesn't explicitly say so. But almost everything Jesus says or does in Mark is related to the Old Testament in some way. What is unique about Luke is that he is the only one to tell us that Jesus himself taught that he fulfilled what Moses and the prophets had written about him. John, on the other hand, is mostly concerned about showing us how Jesus’ passion fulfilled the Old Testament. It appears that for him, the main way in which Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures was through his passion and death.
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The fulfillment of so many written prophecies is unique to Christianity. In comparison, no other person in human history has been the subject of so many prophecies. For example, there are no written prophecies about the coming of Buddha or Mohammed. Therefore, biblical prophecy functions as a visible proof which show that the assent of faith is by no means a blind impulse of the mind.
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Learning Objectives
You will have successfully completed this lesson when you understand and can:
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Describe how each of the four Gospels teaches that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. What do they have in common? What is unique to each Gospel?
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Explain how the fulfillment of prophecy is a motive of credibility.
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Introduction
The Gospels present Jesus as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. “Think not that I have come to abolish them [the law and the prophets] but to fulfil them” (Mt 5:17). There are different ways this can be said about Jesus. For example, the Old Testament ends with the expectation of the coming of the Messiah.
The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. (Mal 3:1)
The coming of Jesus brings this expectation to completion. So, if we read the Bible as one continuous story, this story would appear unfinished had Jesus not come.
Jesus also fulfills everything written about him in the Old Testament. When the resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples, he said to them: “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled” (Lk 24:44). We can understand this fulfillment in two ways. (1) He fulfilled the prophecies which spoke about his coming and mission. “This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet…” (Mt 2:15). And (2) he fulfilled biblical typology. Old Testament types foreshadow or prefigure the principal events in the New. They function like prophecies except that they are formed by the people, events, and objects in Israel’s history rather than by words.
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We will present and explain some of the more important prophecies and types in upcoming lessons. In this lesson we want to look at what the Gospels say about Jesus as the fulfillment of the Scriptures. All four Gospels agree on this point. However, the way they go about showing it differs significantly. Studying these differences can be quite enlightening. We will then end with a short reflection on the importance of biblical fulfillment for our faith.
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Fulfillment in Matthew
Matthew was especially keen on telling his readers how the events in Jesus’ life fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament.
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“All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son…” (Mt 1:22).
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“They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet’” (Mt 2:5).
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“This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt have I called my son’” (Mt 2:15).
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“Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation…’” (Mt 2:17–18).
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“And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled” (Mt 2:23).
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“For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness…’” (Mt 3:3).
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“He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled…” (Mt 4:13–14).
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“This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, ‘He took our infirmities and bore our diseases’” (Mt 8:17).
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“This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles’” (Mt 12:17–18).
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“All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet: ‘I will open my mouth in parables’” (Mt 13:34–35).
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“This took place to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on an ass’” (Mt 21:4–5).
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“’But all this has taken place, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples forsook him and fled” (Mt 26:56).
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“Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver’” (Mt 27:9).
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There are three things you should notice that distinguish this Gospel from the others. (1) Matthew repeatedly mentions that Jesus fulfilled the prophecies. In fact, he does so almost as often as the other Gospels combined. (2) He is also very explicit about this, using expressions such as “this took place to fulfil.” And (3) he describes events throughout Jesus’ whole life (birth, infancy, public mission, and passion) that fulfilled the Old Testament.
This emphasis is unique to Matthew and is one of the reasons why biblical scholars think that he wrote for Jewish converts to Christianity. After the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, Jewish Christians were being expelled from the synagogues and their Jewish communities. Matthew wrote to encourage them to remain faithful despite these difficulties. One of the ways he did so was by showing them how Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. As former Jews who knew their scriptures well, this would have strengthened them in their faith.
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Fulfillment in Mark
The other Gospels also say that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures, but they go about this in different ways. Mark, for example, only explicitly mentions this on three occasions.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
who shall prepare thy way;
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight—” (Mk 1:2–3)
And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’” (Mk 7:6–7)
And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.” (Mk 14:48–49)
Of these, only the last one refers to Jesus. The first one speaks about John the Baptist and the second about the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. This suggests that Mark was less concerned than Matthew about showing how Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. This is one of the reasons why scholars generally think that Mark wrote his Gospel for Christians who had converted from paganism. As former pagans, they wouldn’t have known the Jewish Scriptures as well as their Jewish counterparts. Therefore, they would have been less interested in learning about their fulfillment. But this doesn’t mean that Mark didn’t care about this at all. In the course on Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, we saw how almost everything Jesus says and does in the Gospel is related to the Old Testament in some way.
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Fulfillment in Luke
Luke twice explicitly mentions that John the Baptist fulfilled specific prophecies. “As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet” (Lk 3:4) and “This is he of whom it is written” (Lk 7:26). But he also teaches that Jesus fulfilled everything written about him in the Scriptures. He does this four times. The first takes place when Jesus returns to Nazareth.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Lk 4:16–21)
The second occurs when Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. As he is walking with his apostles, he tells them the following:
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon; they will scourge him and kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” (Lk 18:31–33)
The third and fourth times occur in the last chapter of the Gospel. On the evening after the resurrection, Jesus appears to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.
And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Lk 24:25–27)
And later that night, he appears to his apostles locked up in the upper room.
Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Lk 24:44–47)
What distinguishes Luke’s Gospel from the others is that in it, Jesus himself teaches that he is the fulfillment of the Scriptures. In the other Gospels, it is Matthew, Luke, and John who tell us this. Furthermore, according to Luke, this was the first and last thing Jesus taught during his public ministry. This highlights its importance for Luke. In these first Christian Bible studies, Jesus taught the most important principle regarding Christian exegesis: that is, that he is the key to understanding the Old Testament. That is why we read the Old Testament in the light of Christ (see CCC 129).
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Fulfillment in John
Like in each of the Synoptic Gospels, the author of the Fourth Gospel also presents John the Baptist as the fulfillment of certain Old Testament prophecies. When the Pharisees ask the Baptist who he is, he replies:
“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (Jn 1:23).
The fact that all four Gospels mentions this highlights the importance of the figure of John the Baptist. About Jesus, we read that Philip said to Nathanael:
“We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (Jn 1:45)
We find another eight occasions in which John tells us that events in Jesus’ life fulfilled the Scriptures.
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1. Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem
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And Jesus found a young ass and sat upon it; as it is written,
“Fear not, daughter of Zion;
behold, your king is coming,
sitting on an ass’s colt!” (Jn 12:14–15)
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2. The unbelief of the people
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Though he had done so many signs before them, yet they did not believe in him; it was that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. (Jn 12:37–38)
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3. Judas’ betrayal
“I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’” (Jn 13:18)
4. The world’s hatred
“It is to fulfil the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’” (Jn 15:25)
5. Jesus prays for his disciples
“While I was with them, I kept them in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (17:12)
6. Jesus’ tunic
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfil the scripture,
“They parted my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.” (Jn 19:23–24)
7. “I thirst”
After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture), “I thirst.” (Jn 19:28)
8. Jesus’ bones aren’t broken
For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, “Not a bone of him shall be broken.” (Jn 19:36)
So, John, like Matthew, tells us on numerous occasions that specific events in Jesus’ life fulfilled the Scriptures. But what makes John’s account so unique, is that he only does this for events that occur during Jesus’ passion. Remember, Matthew describes events that occur throughout Jesus’ entire life. This difference seems to indicate that for John, the main way in which Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures was through his passion and death.
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The Importance of Fulfillment
The Gospels emphasize the fact that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. This is very important for us. As Christians, we believe many extraordinary things about Jesus. For example, we believe that he is God, that he is our savior, and that he died on a cross but then resurrected after three days. Why do we believe these things? Is it just because the Bible says so or the Church teaches it? Are we being naïve? In response to these questions, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches:
What moves us to believe is not the fact that revealed truths appear as true and intelligible in the light of our natural reason: we believe “because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, who can neither deceive nor be deceived”. So “that the submission of our faith might nevertheless be in accordance with reason, God willed that external proofs of his Revelation should be joined to the internal helps of the Holy Spirit.” Thus the miracles of Christ and the saints, prophecies, the Church's growth and holiness, and her fruitfulness and stability “are the most certain signs of divine Revelation, adapted to the intelligence of all”; they are “motives of credibility” (motiva credibilitatis), which show that the assent of faith is “by no means a blind impulse of the mind”. (CCC 156)
That is, we believe these things about Jesus because God has revealed them to us, and we trust in God because he can neither deceive or be deceived. But we don’t believe them blindly. God has given us visible proofs that confirm these claims. That is why we call them “motives of credibility.” They make it reasonable for us to believe.
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One of these proofs consists in the fulfillment by Jesus of the many prophecies and types found in the Old Testament. What makes this so special is that these were put into writing hundreds and even thousands of years before Jesus’ birth. This is something unique to Christianity. In comparison, no other person in human history has been the subject of so many of them. For example, we know of no written prophecies about the coming of Mohammed or Buddha. The first Christians were aware of their importance for our faith. Justin Martyr, writing around the year 155, said:
For with what reason should we believe of a crucified man that he is the first-born of the unbegotten God, and Himself will pass judgment on the whole human race, unless we had found testimonies concerning Him published before He came and was born as man, and unless we saw that things had happened accordingly. (Justin Martyr, First Apology 53)
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Assignments
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Describe how each of the four Gospels teaches that Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. What do they have in common? What is unique to each Gospel?
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Explain how the fulfillment of prophecy is a motive of credibility.
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