Saying What the Prophets Said
A guest post by Chad Ramsey.
Although Paul was being held as a prisoner, he was often allowed to speak for himself. On one such occasion, King Agrippa, the Roman ruler of Galilee, came to hear Paul’s defense. As Paul began, he stated,
“I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because today I shall answer for myself before you concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews” (Acts 26:2).
Going on to describe his early life and eventual conversion, Paul emphasized the message he proclaimed was consistent with the prophecies of the Old Testament.
He argued that he said “no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come— that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:22-23).
Let’s consider what Paul preached.
The prophets predicted Christ would suffer.
Perhaps no other aspect of Jesus’s existence is depicted in such detail.
From Psalm 22, known for its description of the crucifixion, to Isaiah 53, known for its explicit prophecy about the vicarious suffering of Christ, the Old Testament clearly foretold the suffering of the Messiah.
Thus, Paul’s proclamation of the same was justifiable.
The prophets predicted Christ would be the first to rise from the dead.
Quoting from a prophecy in Psalm 16:8-11, Peter applied those words to Jesus’ resurrection in his sermon on Pentecost and said:
“For David says concerning Him… You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (Acts 2:25-28).
By preaching the same message, Paul stood without guilt.
The prophets predicted Christ would proclaim light to the Jews and to the Gentiles.
The Messiah would not only save the Jews but also shine His light on all men.
“Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined” (Isaiah 9:1-2).
When Paul declared this truth, he proclaimed the message previously revealed by the prophets.
Chad Ramsey preaches for the Gloster Street Church of Christ in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can access their Bible classes and Chad’s sermons on Gloster Street’s YouTube page.
Chad was - and still is - “my preacher” from when I spent my high school and early college years at Gloster Street. I’m thankful to be able to share some of his writings with you.
