Journal: Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
Volume: JETS 63:1 (Mar 2020)
Article: Finding Christ In The Old Testament
Author: Gregory K. Beale

JETS 63:1 (March 2020) p. 25

Finding Christ In The Old Testament

G. K. Beale

G. K. Beale is J. Gresham Machen chair of NT and research professor of NT and biblical interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary, 2960 Church Road, Glenside, PA 19038. This essay is a minor revision of a plenary address titled “Finding Christ in the Old Testament” delivered at the annual meeting of the ETS on November 20, 2019 in San Diego, CA. Much of the essay has been previously published elsewhere, and has been footnoted accordingly, though the present organization of the material is revised and different.

Abstract: The Old Testament anticipates the coming Christ in a number of discernible ways, not least of which is that of typology. In the present study, an approach will be set forth which justifies “seeing Christ in all of Scripture.” This approach does not read in Christological ideas where they are not present but develops the original meaning of the Old Testament. Various criteria for discerning types of Christ in the Old Testament will be discussed, along with certain presuppositions of New Testament writers in interpreting the Old Testament. Additionally, attention will be given to the question of Christophanies in the Old Testament, and the incomplete nature of the Old Testament as anticipating the New Testament.

Key words: use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, typology, prophecy, Christotelic, Christocentric, Christophany

The relation of the OT to the NT not only has been an area of debate between evangelicals and non-evangelicals but also among evangelicals themselves. The issue is whether or not Jesus and the NT writers interpreted OT passages in line with their original OT meaning. Some scholars, including some evangelical scholars, argue that Jesus and the NT writers found Christ in OT passages where the OT writer never intended any reference to Christ. Thus, they were reading their Christological lens into OT passages that originally had nothing to do with Christ.

There are numerous examples where scholars view the NT writers to be “reading in Christ” to OT passages that originally had nothing to do with Christ. Though other passages could be cited, a classic example is Matthew’s use of Hos 11:1 in Matt 2:15. Matthew’s use of Hos 11:1 is a well-known, notoriously difficult and debated text: Joseph “was there [Egypt] until the death of Herod in order that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet should be fulfilled, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’”1<...