The Pietá by Michelangelo, 1499
It is generally believed that 300-350 messianic prophesies were fulfilled in Jesus. His life, death, and resurrection were so perfectly matched to scripture that, for 2,000 years, we have defined complete, unassailable truth with the word “gospel.”
Reading through the events minute by minute, you will see different details come out of God’s living word each time you read these passages. Centuries-old prophesies come true around the people who would build the early church. The cruelty and brokenness of the people and their religious leaders are on full display. Roman colonial politics are juxtaposed with Jewish nationalism. In Luke 23:12 we read, “That day Herod and Pilate became friends - before that they were enemies.”
People can still find friends by aligning against Christian beliefs, and they very often do, but don’t worry about that too much. Slamming on the gospel message has been bringing fools together since 33 A.D., including a popular young Pharisee named Saul who zealously persecuted christians until the Lord revealed himself. Today we keep loving those who speak and work against the gospel message as we pray for them, trusting that Jesus will continue to reveal himself to those who don’t know him, changing their names forever.
The end of the gospels is not a cliffhanger. Jesus is taken up to heaven, his earthly ministry complete, and the Great Commission is in place. Still, we move from the Gospels to Acts seamlessly thanks to the hand of Luke, who wrote Acts as the second volume of his testimony. Here is a great shareable video from the Bible Project that focuses on the resurrection, which is actually a cliffhanger after all.
The final nine weeks of our Year in the Bible will be a beautiful exploration of the power of the Holy Spirit, the patterns of Christian life, and the messiness of church growth. Every week this is going to feel less like historical reading, and more like a self-help book on character and morality. Once again, God’s plan is revealed in his living word! In the final 23 books of the New Testament the early church will strive to model the humility, love, character, and generosity that show his righteous rule to a skeptical word. The fruits of the Spirit will abound in those who give their lives to him, and the kingdom will grow until he comes. Praise God!