COULD JESUS HAVE PURPOSELY FULFILLED THESE PROPHECIES?
Though some of the prophecies could have been manipulated, most would be impossible to control such as His
place of birth, His family lineage, and the timing of His life. No one could decide where, when, and to whom they
would be born. Jesus could not force the soldiers to pierce His side nor could He control the existence of the
Jewish temple or the judicial power of Judah.
COULD THE DISCIPLES HAVE FABRICATED THESE FULFILLMENTS TO SUIT THEIR OWN PURPOSES?
Not likely, considering all of their fates: the original remaining apostles were executed as a result of their
testimony (with the exception of John who was exiled to the Island of Patmos).
Let's use this analogy: Mr. X decides to invent a fantastic story in order to receive wealth and fame. The media
goes hog wild and is willing to pay him for his story. But one day the government shows up at Mr. X's door,
arrests him, tortures him, and threatens to kill him for his testimony. Chances are, a sane Mr. X would confess to
the sham.
Scenario B: Mr. X decides to invent a fantastic story knowing he would be met with persecution, hardship, and
death. Would a sane Mr. X go through with this plot? Probably not.
Scenario C: Mr. X, his family, his friends, and his coworkers all decide to invent a fantastic story knowing they
would be tortured, imprisoned, and killed for their testimony. Does this seem plausible? Not remotely.
The early Christian witnesses had nothing to gain and everything to lose with their testimony- many losing their
property, freedom, and even their lives. A sane person may be willing to die for something they believe to be
true but no one would die for something they knew was a lie.
COULDN'T THESE PROPHECIES FIT OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL?
It is possible some of these prophecies could have been fulfilled by others. There certainly were other
Bethlehem-born Jews who lived before the destruction of the temple or who may have traveled to Galilee. But
were they miracle workers? Were they said to have been born of a virgin or raised from the dead? Were they
flogged, crucified, and pierced with a sword? The greater amount of prophecies mentioned, the slimmer the
chance.
HOW DO WE KNOW THESE VERSES ARE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES?
Some prophecies appear to have nothing to do with the Messiah. For instance, the reference cited as the
prophecy foretelling the slaughter of male infants by Herod:
PROPHECY: "A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and
refusing to be comforted because her children are no more." Jeremiah 31:15
FULFILLMENT: "Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 'A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because her children
are no more.'" Matthew 2:17-18
This certainly seems like a far-fetched reference but the meaning was understood by the Jews of the day. Ramah
was a small town about five miles north of Jerusalem. Rachel was one of the Jewish matriarchs. This is believed
to be a double reference to what was occurring at the time and also an allusion to the future Messiah. In the
current sense, Rachel is weeping for her children (the tribe of Israel) as they are being led off into captivity. In
the futuristic sense, Rachel is weeping for the babes of Judea as they are slaughtered by Herod. Many Messianic
prophecies have double references. God often uses the past to reveal aspects of the future.
Another way to interpret prophecy is to look at the context of the verses in question. For instance, Psalms
100/101 and Isaiah 52/53 contain several Messianic prophecies within their passages. If you isolate one verse
you may not recognize it as Messianic prophecy but the explanation becomes clear once you consider the
context. Example:
"He grew up before him like a tender shoot and like a root out of dry ground." Isaiah 53:2
At first glance, it seems the Bible is talking about plants and dirt. But when you read the context of the passage
you see the entire 53rd chapter of Isaiah describes Jesus' first advent. The chapter begins with the above
mentioned verse and goes on to discuss the various tribulations the Messiah would experience while on Earth.
Another indication a verse is considered a Messianic prophecy is by knowing the antiquity of the Jews. The Jews
were very familiar with the prophecies- they were fervently looking and praying for their Messiah's arrival. The
canonical books of the Jewish Bible were completed approximately 430 years before the birth of Jesus. The Jews
had ample time to become acquainted with their scriptures and prophecies. Evidence of this can be found in the
Book of Matthew. He references several Old Testament prophecies which appear meaningless to us but were
understood at the time.
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