As It Is Written: Old Testament Foundations For Jesus’ Expectation Of Resurrection -- By: Byron Wheaton

Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 70:2 (Fall 2008)
Article: As It Is Written: Old Testament Foundations For Jesus’ Expectation Of Resurrection
Author: Byron Wheaton


As It Is Written:
Old Testament Foundations
For Jesus’ Expectation Of Resurrection

Byron Wheaton

Byron Wheaton is pastor of discipleship at Bay Park Baptist Church, Kingston, Ontario, and adjunct professor of Old Testament at Emmanuel Bible College, Kitchener, Ontario.

No one who reads the account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus can fail to feel the sting of the words of reproof spoken by the Savior: “How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” Jesus’ words suggest that his disciples should have clearly known and expected the events that transpired that first “Easter” weekend. That knowledge should have been theirs on the basis of their study of the OT, as Jesus demonstrated, for Luke goes on to observe, “Beginning with Moses and all of the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all of the Scriptures concerning himself “ (Luke 24:27).

But the sensitive reader might wonder whether the reproof was indeed deserved. Where does one find clear OT statements that the Messiah must suffer, die, and rise again? There are some texts that speak of a suffering servant, but resurrection especially is hard to discern.1 Even the texts cited by the apostles in their post-resurrection sermons such as Ps 16:8–11; Ps 110:1; and Isa 55:3 to buttress the resurrection as an OT expectation hardly qualify as obvious statements of resurrection.2 Only a nuanced reading of the text can yield that result.3

Some scholars argue that the OT is devoid of teaching about resurrection prospects.4 Those commentators who take Jesus seriously look to individual texts as they interpret Jesus’ statement. Plummer, commenting on the phrase “beginning with Moses” writes, “Such prophecies as Gen iii.15; xxii.18; Num xxiv.17; Deut xviii.15 and such types as the scapegoat, the manna, the brazen serpent, and the sacrifices are specially meant.”5 These texts and types certainly anticipate substitutionary atonement, but o...

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