The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ Seen from the Old Testament (2)
by Samson Hutagalung

He is Preceded by a Forerunner (Mal. 3:1; ref. Luke 7:24,27)
and Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6; ref. Matt. 11:13-14)

The verse Malachi 3:1 is actually related to what has been studied in Is. 40:3-5. Both passages refer to the same person, namely the herald of the Messiah, John the Baptist. Nevertheless details in Malachi 3:1 describe John the Baptist as a forerunner of the coming Messiah. In this sense, John the Baptist was the person appointed by the Lord to hold several responsibilities before the Messiah revealed Himself to the people as the Prophet and the Saviour of the world. In preparation of the coming of the Messiah in the midst of the Jews, He first sent His messenger to do the necessary things to stir the hearts of the people so that they would ponder over the nearness of the coming of the Messiah. John the Baptist needed to prepare the hearts of the people morally and spiritually for the coming of the Messiah.[15]

In this regard, John the Baptist as the context of Malachi 3 demanded, displayed his function as an intercessor, “by whom God’s wrath might be mitigated, which the Jews had extremely provoked. This office John the Baptist undertook, who prepared the Jews to hear the voice of Christ.”[16] It was the Lord Himself who prepared John the Baptist to be the way-preparer and furerunner for the coming of Jesus Christ. It was probably because the Lord Himself knew the heart of every man that when His Son came to this world, they would not welcome Him. This was clear at the time of His birth in Bethlehem. None of the Jews realised the coming of the Messiah. In fact, when the news came to them, they did not accept the birth of the Messiah as that of the true Messiah. For this reason, there was a real psychological need among the Jews for one such as John the Baptist to be the forerunner of the Messiah so that the message the Messiah would bring would be welcomed by those who have heard the preaching of John the Baptist.

Malachi 3:1 says, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to this temple, even my messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.” The first phrase “I will send my messenger” is actually referring to John the Baptist himself as a way-preparer. In this same verse there is clear indication that another messenger would come suddenly to the temple. He is the messenger of the covenant, namely the Messiah. Thus, what John the Baptist had done as recorded in the gospel was not deleted by the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, He continued and improved upon what John the Baptist had done among the Jews. As Calvin said,

He called John the Baptist at the beginning of this verse a messenger, the messenger of Jehovah; and now he calls Christ a messenger, but he is the messenger of the covenant, for it was necessary that the covenant should be confirmed by him.[17]

It is important to note that when the way-preparer or the forerunner was preparing the way for the messenger of the covenant, the Messiah was in the world. He knew what John the Baptist was doing and confirmed what John had taught to the people. But as a herald and forerunner, John the Baptist must clear a way, “the self-satisfaction which prevents them from feeling the need of salvation and the impenitence which keeps them from acknowledging this need.”[18]

The ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ was truly predicted in the Old Testament. His herald must precede Him to prepare a way for Him in order that His coming would become a blessing to His people. The ministry of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, was testified by all the gospels (Matthew 3:2, 7-12; Mark 1:4-8; Luke 3:7-18; John 1:6-8, 19-36; 3:22-36).

In another occasion, the prophet Malachi also depicted that John the Baptist was not only as the way-preparer, forerunner but also Elijah. These three names were granted to John the Baptist to indicate that his ministry was so important to usher the coming of the Messiah that the Jews might know the Messiah was in their midst. This truth declared how near the coming of Jesus Christ and His manifestation in the midst of the Jews was. When a Jew saw these three functions of a herald in the person of John the Baptist, [19] he should know that the Messiah was nigh. This truth declared how near the coming of Jesus Christ and His manifestation in the midst of the Jews was. When a Jew saw these three functions of a herald in the person of John the Baptist, he should know that the Messiah was nigh. Nevertheless, having been proclaimed this message and informed that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Jews persisted in their wickedness.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself had declared during His ministry, “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt. 11:11). When one reads this verse, he can only say that the Lord Jesus Christ acknowledged the ministry of John the Baptist as His herald to usher His coming. In fact He did mention that John the Baptist was the one whom the Lord had promised in the Old Testament to be the Elijah (Mal. 4:5). It is confirmed by the Lord Jesus Christ when He said in Matthew 11:14 “This is Elias, which was for to come.” This verse is clearly referring to John the Baptist himself. As Calvin confidently put it in another way, “But Christ himself took away all doubt on this point, when he said, that John the Baptist was the Elijah, who had been promised; (Matt. 11:10) and the thing itself proves this, had not Christ spoken on the subject.”[20]

The Lord Jesus confirmed that what the prophet Malachi had said in Mal. 4:5 referred to John the Baptist himself. However, in the beginning of John the Baptist’s ministry, the Jews asked him whether he was Elijah, and John actually denied it in the literal sense of the word “prophet.” Elijah need not necessarily come literally to this world in order to fulfill this prophecy. When the Lord Jesus said that John the Baptist was the Elijah who was to come, He did not mean that John would come as a literal reincarnation of Elijah or a literal reappearance of Elijah. Instead, he came, “in the spirit and power of Elijah, and it is in this sense that we are to understand the second coming of Elijah.[21]

The ministry of John the Baptist was more excellent than a prophet,[22] because through John himself God reminded the Jews to “turn the hearts of men and restore them to a holy unity of faith.”[23] God intended to raise up John the Baptist for the purpose of restoring the worship toward the True and the Living God for in the time of John, the truth was corrupted and the worship of God vitiated though the Jews did not worship idols, but their hearts were far from the Lord.[24]

Based on this study, it can be summarized that it was prophesied that John the Baptist would come in the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah. His purpose must first be to turn the hearts of the Jews so that when the Messiah comes within their midst, their hearts would be well-prepared to welcome their only Saviour who would save them from their sins. It had been promised to their forefathers that John the Baptist would be sent to precede the coming of the Messiah. The coming of Elijah in the person of John the Baptist would truly be a real sign for the Jews. However what they were supposed to know hindered them. Instead, they killed him who testified the coming of the Messiah.

He is Declared the Son of God (Ps. 2:7; ref. Matt. 3:17)

Many people think that the Sonship of God was given to the Lord Jesus Christ only after He was manifested in the flesh. Traditionally, Old Testament believers had never thought of the Messiah being the Son of God. On the other hand, the New Testament books have recorded the account of how the Lord Jesus Christ claimed to be the Son of God. It is important to take note that the declaration of Jesus Christ as the Son of God was not proclaimed only by His disciples such as Peter and Paul, but also God the Father Himself who testified on two occasions. He testified firstly, during the baptism of Jesus Christ (Matt. 3:16) and secondly, while Jesus Christ was praying on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark. 9:7). God the father knew His Son and declared Him to the people that they might believe in Him.

The only passage in the Old Testament that testifies the Sonship of God is found in the book of Psalm. However although the revelation of the Sonship of God appeared only once in the Old Testament, various books have frequently recorded the appearance of the second person of the Trinity often called “theophany” or pre-incarnation of Christ which testified His existence and deity.[25]

The declaration of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God did not occur only after He was manifested in the flesh. In the Old Testament, hundreds of years before Jesus Christ came to this world, God the father had declared that the Messiah was His Son. This is an absolute truth. Before the Messiah appeared as the Son of God in the New Testament, the Old Testament believers had seen the Lord’s theophany, or pre-incarnation which testified His existence and deity.[26]

Psalm 2:7 says, “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath saith unto me, Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.” What did David mean by this verse? Theologians may have different interpretations. However, it is a fact that the second person of the Trinity would no longer be in the form of a spirit as are the first and third person but He would be a visible person.[27]

In addition, this verse declared to the Old Testament believers that the Messiah, the Savior of the world, is called the Son of God long before His manifestation in the flesh. Perhaps, it was hard for Old Testament believers to understand such a truth although God did not reveal His truth and revelation in just a single verse. God the Father had declared this in various parts of the Old Testament books concerning the first coming of His Son. It was their duty to search the Scripture in order to know this truth that the Son of God who was ‘in the form of God’ transformed into ‘the form of a servant and made in the likeness of men’ (Phil. 2:6-7). Thus, Psalm 2:7 is one of the passages that tell us the second person of the Trinity would come as the Son of God in the human flesh. Christ is the only begotten and the well-beloved Son of the Father – “a relationship unshared by any other and absolutely unique – a revelation of which was given to Peter by the Father leading him to exclaim, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”[28]

Although Jesus Christ himself did not claim to be the Son of God, but rather the Son of man, it does not mean that He rejects the idea of being the Son of God. Jesus proved that He was the Son of God who came to bear the iniquity of all men through the life He lived, the truth He taught and the work He wrought.[29] In fact Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews, “If you do not believe in me, believe the works I have done” (John. 10:37-38).

The writers of the New Testament books such as Luke did acknowledge in their writings, for example in Acts 13:33 that “God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.” Paul here explains to the people in Antioch that Jesus Christ is the One whom God the Father has promised to come to this world, and whom He declares to be His Son. Through this promised Messiah, those who believe in Him will be justified from all things (Acts 13:39). As Pounds rightly said,

Where is the evidence that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this passage? On three different occasions, the Gospel writers recorded the words from heaven, "this is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." It is not "one of my sons, but "My Son, My only one.[30]

On another occasion, the Apostle Paul, a Jewish scholar, shows no doubt that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to fulfill what His Father had commanded Him to do. Paul said in Rom. 1:3-4 “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” The writer of Hebrews said, “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son” (Heb. 1:5).[31]

The Galilean Ministry (Is. 9:1-2; ref. Matt. 4:13-16)

The ministry of Jesus Christ was not only revealed to the people whom the Lord had chosen during the last three and half years, but just as His birth had been proclaimed in the Bible hundreds of years before His actual birth to this world, it had been prophesied: what He would do and where He would serve. One of the prophets who prophesied about this ministry is the prophet Isaiah. He said that Jesus Christ would be fulfilling His ministry in the province of Galilee to be known as the Galilean ministry. The four gospels record that in this region of Galilee, Jesus Christ had done a great work to show the people that He is the Messiah whom the Lord had promised to their forefathers.

The context of Isaiah chapter 9 tells us about the condition of the nation of Israel at that time, particularly the Northern Kingdom which rejected God’s Word through the prophet Isaiah.[32] The land of Zebulun and Naphtali because of their disobedience and unbelief were the first targets of the Assyrians to hold captive. Nevertheless, the prophecies informs that these lands would also be the first to see the new and great light that God would focus on Israel (cf. Isaiah 60:1-3).[33] When the Lord gave His word to the prophet Isaiah in chapter 9:1-2, the Lord, despite their rejection of His Word, continued to give graciously the light again. In Matt. 4:13-16, Matthew wrote of the fulfillment of the prophecy given by Isaiah. As Grogan said, “Matthew rightly saw the fulfillment of this in the ministry of Jesus in Galilee (Matt. 4:15-16; cf. Luke 1:79; John 8:12; cf. John 7:52 with its reference to Galilee.”[34]

Based on this study, the light that would come to the nation of Israel would not rise upon the land of Judah first, though Christ was from the line of Judah, but rather upon other parts of the land, the region of Galilee.[35] During the invasion of the Assyrians the land of Zebulun and Naphtali suffered the most. Nevertheless Keil said, “these countries would be the very first that would be remembered when that morning dawn of glory should break. Matthew informs us (ch. Iv.13 sqq) in what way this was fulfilled at the commencement of the Christian times.”[36] A study of the ministry of the Messiah in the four gospels will show that the Lord had enlightened the people of God in the region of Galilee by spending more time in this region and performing more miracles. In fact Jesus spent most of His time together with His disciples in the region of Galilee.

Looking at the chronological order of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be noted that soon after the early Judean and Samarian ministries of Christ, His ministry was focused on the land of Galilee. There were three periods of great ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in Galilee during which miracle after miracle were performed in the midst of the people. In addition, it was during these ministries that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself as the Messiah through His teachings and miracles performed in the midst of the people.[37]

He Speaks in Parables (Ps. 78:2-4; ref. Matt. 13:34-35)

The ministry of Jesus Christ was often characterized by the miracles He performed. These miracles were performed to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. Such wonders done by Jesus had never happened before in the midst of the Israelites. The prophets and the high priests had never done such great miracles. No one can do such works accept the Lord is with Him (ref. John 3:2).

The ministry of Jesus Christ was not only known for His miracles but also for the parables that He uttered in His teaching. In the four gospels, Jesus spoke in parables frequently to convey the message that He received from the Father. Parables were the most effective way for Him to declare the truth. Some of the parables might be easy to understand but some might not. Nevertheless such ministry was not accidental but had been planned by God the Father.

In the Old Testament there is a prophecy given to the people of Israel concerning the ministry of Jesus Christ. Asaph recorded in Psalm 78:2-4 saying, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: which we have heard and known, and our father have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praise of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.” When Matthew recorded the ministry of Jesus Christ, he did emphasize that the parables spoken by Christ to the multitudes were the fulfillment of the prophecy given by Asaph. Although many scholars might not agree to this truth, Matthew did. He showed the prophecy of Asaph as the absolute truth that Christ spoke parables. “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet” (Matt. 13:35). Lenski rightly said, “Aside from inspiration, the honest assumption would be that Matthew made no mistake such as this: and another equally strong assumption would be that; if he had, those about him would have detected and at once corrected it.”[38] Hendriksen further said, “by the inspiration of the Spirit, Matthew sees in this use of parables as fulfillment of prophecy, once focusing the attention upon Jesus as being indeed the Messiah who was to come.”[39] In other words, Asaph was a type of Christ.

The parables spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ would remain unsolved riddles to those who do not believe in Him but are “highly illuminating illustrations for those having or receiving the solution (believers).”[40] The ministry of Jesus Christ is well recorded in the Old Testament that He would speak in parables to the multitudes. To them who believe in Him, His parables would be a light, on the other hand it would be unsolved riddles or mysteries to those who reject Him.

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• The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ Seen from the Old Testament
• The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ Seen from the Old Testament
• The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Seen from the Old Testament
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• The Call and Faith of Abraham