One could practice the other nine disciplines – prayerfully, humbly, desperately, studiously, obediently, joyfully, expectantly, communally -- and not be Christian. The essential difference from studying the teachings of Aristotle, Lao Tze, Buddha, Mohammed, or Marx is Jesus the Christ, Son of Man, Son of God, Savior and Creator.
To ignore Jesus and look at the Bible as a book of moral tales would make for a study that is just as far removed from God as any of these other works. The Bible is a unique document. It’s unique in that it is 66 books, written by at least 40 authors (most of whom never met each other) over 1,500 years. It spans the cultures of at least 10 civilizations on three continents and uses three languages. That’s remarkable. There’s nothing like this in the history of humankind. But the difference doesn’t stop here. If it did, this would be unique literature. However, there is a unifying theme – Jesus.
Consider what he told the 11 apostles after his resurrection, “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 22:44-45). Even more directly to the “study groups” of the day – think Pharisees and Sadducees, he said: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life…If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me” (John 5:39-40, 46). BTW. In case you didn’t notice, those study groups didn’t take this message well.
Consider the outline of the Bible this way:
Old Testament – anticipation
Gospels – manifestation
Acts – proclamation
Epistles – explanation
Revelation – consummation.
In all of this, Jesus is the thread that stitches it together. God the Father had the plan and the Holy Spirit works, but Jesus is the essential component of that plan and the instrument by which the work can be done. More directly for humans, Jesus is the one that could be seen, and heard, and touched before time began through the history of the world and to its end and beyond.
As Smethhurst (2019) writes, “Above all, the story is one of rescue – God becoming man to bring man back to God. Though each of deserves separation from God forever because of sin, Jesus went to the cross in the place of sinners to pay their penalty. Jesus loves to forgive; that’s why he came. And he loves to make new; that’s why he’s coming again. Simply turn to him in trust and you can know him not as your Judge, but as your Savior and Friend.”
“In the meantime, approach the Scriptures Christocentrically – with a view to how the Bible in its entirety centers on Christ, the one in whom all the promises of God are “yes” and “Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20). If you’re looking for a collection of morality tales, check out Aesop’s Fables. Otherwise, crack open the greatest story of all time, the only story in which the central character loves us back.
“But be careful, He might just change your life” (Smethhurst, 2019, p. 76).
HERMENEUTIC LESSON #1
As a reminder of one of our early points, there are three primary benefits of the Psalms: serve as a guide to worship, “demonstrate how we can relate honestly to God”, and “demonstrate the importance of reflection and meditation on that which God has done for us” (Fee, 2014, p. 231).
ASSIGNMENT #1 – Prophetic Context
We can’t escape this life without experiencing trials. The Psalms show us that crying out to God during our trials is acceptable and appropriate. Psalm 22 is a lament psalm best known for its opening line, quoted by Jesus as He suffered on the cross (see Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). There are several other connections between this psalm and the Gospel accounts of Christ’s death. (Compare Psa 22:7 with Matt 27:39 and Mark 15:29; Psa 22:8 with Matt 27:43; Psa 22:18 with Matt 27:35, Mark 15:24 and Luke 23:34) (Curtis, 2014).
Keep in mind the often “two-vision” nature of many Old Testament prophetic scriptures. Often, there is both an immediate reality and a future reality. We see this in places like Isaiah. One of the indicators of this condition is a situation where some of the prophecy is immediately fulfilled, but others do not/cannot be fulfilled until much later. For example, Isaiah 7:14 is a message given to King Ahaz of Judah. This prediction of God’s protection and rescue have immediate and future meanings. This was not likely evident to those involved then, but when considering the book, as a whole, it becomes evident.
That’s what we see here in Psalm 22. Undoubtedly, these words make sense to David in his current context when He wrote. This contrasts with passages like Micah 5:2 (Micah lived in the same period as Isaiah) that predicts Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, which could only be fulfilled in the future.
ASSIGNMENT #2 – Prophetic Fulfillment
With this in mind, let’s look at the specific, prophetic fulfillment of these passages as seen in the life of Christ.
Psalm 22:1 -- Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34
Psalm 22:7-- à Luke 23:35; Matt. 27:39-43; Mark 15:29-42; [mocked] Matt. 27:31; Mark 15:20 --Luke 22:63, 23:36
Psalm 22:14-- General description but not specific terms
Psalm 22:15 -- John 19:28
Psalm 22:16 -- Acts 2:23
Psalm 22:18 -- Mark 15:24; Matt. 27:35; Luke 22:34; John 19:24
Psalm 22:27 -- Rev. 11:15
Psalm 22:14, 29 -- Problem?
ASSIGNMENT #3 – Christian Only?
Psalms 22 is one of several psalms, like Psalms 2, that have been identified as being prophetic from the beginning. Though you see Jesus theologians try to dismiss Psalm 22 as being “too Christian” after the coming of Jesus, it had been held as a prophetic psalm, long before Jesus was born. However, it wasn’t just before. Many rabbis continued to hold Psalm 22 as a prophetic psalm after the coming of Jesus.
As a Rabbi Rashi writes about Psalm 22 in theMidrash (ancient Jewish commentary – first oral then written in 2nd century AD): “‘Lema sabachthani?’ They are destined to go into exile, and David recited this prayer for the future.” He says that about verse 2 and he also attributes verse 27 to “the time of our redemption in the days of our Messiah.”
The famous Midrash from the eighth-century, Pesikta Rabbati, places some of the words of Psalm 22 on the lips of the suffering Messiah. In fact, the Midrash explicitly states that: “it was because of the ordeal of the son of David, that David wept, saying: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.” (Ps. 22:16)" (Bar, 2020).
FOLLOWUP
Learning the word is good but application makes that truth real. Remember, Pharisees & demons know God’s truth but don’t apply it as God desires (James 1:22).
· How does the truth revealed here affect my relationship with God?
· How does the truth here affect my relationship with others?
· How does the truth here affect me personally?
· How does the truth here affect my response to the enemy, Satan?
Curtis, Miles. 2014. Selections from Psalms: A life of worship. Lexham Press, Bellingham, Wa. (Available in Logos function in Faithlife.com. Go to the Winchester Community Church group. If you haven’t already been invited and joined, please request access.)
Fee, Gordon & Douglas Stuart (2014). How to read the Bible for all its worth (4th ed.). Zondervan Academic
Smethhurst, Matt. 2019.Before you open your Bible: Nine heart postures for approaching God’s word. 10 Publishing.
PSALM 22: Week 2
SOUP & SCRIPTURE
PSALM 22 (Day 2)
APPROACH YOUR BIBLE: CHRISTO-CENTRICALLY
One could practice the other nine disciplines – prayerfully, humbly, desperately, studiously, obediently, joyfully, expectantly, communally -- and not be Christian. The essential difference from studying the teachings of Aristotle, Lao Tze, Buddha, Mohammed, or Marx is Jesus the Christ, Son of Man, Son of God, Savior and Creator.
To ignore Jesus and look at the Bible as a book of moral tales would make for a study that is just as far removed from God as any of these other works. The Bible is a unique document. It’s unique in that it is 66 books, written by at least 40 authors (most of whom never met each other) over 1,500 years. It spans the cultures of at least 10 civilizations on three continents and uses three languages. That’s remarkable. There’s nothing like this in the history of humankind. But the difference doesn’t stop here. If it did, this would be unique literature. However, there is a unifying theme – Jesus.
Consider what he told the 11 apostles after his resurrection, “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (Luke 22:44-45). Even more directly to the “study groups” of the day – think Pharisees and Sadducees, he said: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life…If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me” (John 5:39-40, 46). BTW. In case you didn’t notice, those study groups didn’t take this message well.
Consider the outline of the Bible this way:
Old Testament – anticipation
Gospels – manifestation
Acts – proclamation
Epistles – explanation
Revelation – consummation.
In all of this, Jesus is the thread that stitches it together. God the Father had the plan and the Holy Spirit works, but Jesus is the essential component of that plan and the instrument by which the work can be done. More directly for humans, Jesus is the one that could be seen, and heard, and touched before time began through the history of the world and to its end and beyond.
As Smethhurst (2019) writes, “Above all, the story is one of rescue – God becoming man to bring man back to God. Though each of deserves separation from God forever because of sin, Jesus went to the cross in the place of sinners to pay their penalty. Jesus loves to forgive; that’s why he came. And he loves to make new; that’s why he’s coming again. Simply turn to him in trust and you can know him not as your Judge, but as your Savior and Friend.”
“In the meantime, approach the Scriptures Christocentrically – with a view to how the Bible in its entirety centers on Christ, the one in whom all the promises of God are “yes” and “Amen” (2 Cor. 1:20). If you’re looking for a collection of morality tales, check out Aesop’s Fables. Otherwise, crack open the greatest story of all time, the only story in which the central character loves us back.
“But be careful, He might just change your life” (Smethhurst, 2019, p. 76).
HERMENEUTIC LESSON #1
As a reminder of one of our early points, there are three primary benefits of the Psalms: serve as a guide to worship, “demonstrate how we can relate honestly to God”, and “demonstrate the importance of reflection and meditation on that which God has done for us” (Fee, 2014, p. 231).
ASSIGNMENT #1 – Prophetic Context
We can’t escape this life without experiencing trials. The Psalms show us that crying out to God during our trials is acceptable and appropriate. Psalm 22 is a lament psalm best known for its opening line, quoted by Jesus as He suffered on the cross (see Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34). There are several other connections between this psalm and the Gospel accounts of Christ’s death. (Compare Psa 22:7 with Matt 27:39 and Mark 15:29; Psa 22:8 with Matt 27:43; Psa 22:18 with Matt 27:35, Mark 15:24 and Luke 23:34) (Curtis, 2014).
Keep in mind the often “two-vision” nature of many Old Testament prophetic scriptures. Often, there is both an immediate reality and a future reality. We see this in places like Isaiah. One of the indicators of this condition is a situation where some of the prophecy is immediately fulfilled, but others do not/cannot be fulfilled until much later. For example, Isaiah 7:14 is a message given to King Ahaz of Judah. This prediction of God’s protection and rescue have immediate and future meanings. This was not likely evident to those involved then, but when considering the book, as a whole, it becomes evident.
That’s what we see here in Psalm 22. Undoubtedly, these words make sense to David in his current context when He wrote. This contrasts with passages like Micah 5:2 (Micah lived in the same period as Isaiah) that predicts Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, which could only be fulfilled in the future.
ASSIGNMENT #2 – Prophetic Fulfillment
With this in mind, let’s look at the specific, prophetic fulfillment of these passages as seen in the life of Christ.
Psalm 22:1 -- Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34
Psalm 22:7-- à Luke 23:35; Matt. 27:39-43; Mark 15:29-42; [mocked] Matt. 27:31; Mark 15:20 --Luke 22:63, 23:36
Psalm 22:14-- General description but not specific terms
Psalm 22:15 -- John 19:28
Psalm 22:16 -- Acts 2:23
Psalm 22:18 -- Mark 15:24; Matt. 27:35; Luke 22:34; John 19:24
Psalm 22:27 -- Rev. 11:15
Psalm 22:14, 29 -- Problem?
ASSIGNMENT #3 – Christian Only?
Psalms 22 is one of several psalms, like Psalms 2, that have been identified as being prophetic from the beginning. Though you see Jesus theologians try to dismiss Psalm 22 as being “too Christian” after the coming of Jesus, it had been held as a prophetic psalm, long before Jesus was born. However, it wasn’t just before. Many rabbis continued to hold Psalm 22 as a prophetic psalm after the coming of Jesus.
As a Rabbi Rashi writes about Psalm 22 in the Midrash (ancient Jewish commentary – first oral then written in 2nd century AD): “‘Lema sabachthani?’ They are destined to go into exile, and David recited this prayer for the future.” He says that about verse 2 and he also attributes verse 27 to “the time of our redemption in the days of our Messiah.”
The famous Midrash from the eighth-century, Pesikta Rabbati, places some of the words of Psalm 22 on the lips of the suffering Messiah. In fact, the Midrash explicitly states that: “it was because of the ordeal of the son of David, that David wept, saying: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.” (Ps. 22:16)" (Bar, 2020).
FOLLOWUP
Learning the word is good but application makes that truth real. Remember, Pharisees & demons know God’s truth but don’t apply it as God desires (James 1:22).
· How does the truth revealed here affect my relationship with God?
· How does the truth here affect my relationship with others?
· How does the truth here affect me personally?
· How does the truth here affect my response to the enemy, Satan?
· How do I apply this truth?
· Is there a memory verse or verses for you here?
· Is there something to share with others?
REFERENCES
Bar, Eitan. 2020. “Psalm 22: A prophecy about Jesus’ Crucifixion.” Answering rabbi’s objections to Jesus. Accessed at https://www.oneforisrael.org/bible-based-teaching-from-israel/psalm-22-a-prophecy-about-jesus-crucifixion/.
Curtis, Miles. 2014. Selections from Psalms: A life of worship. Lexham Press, Bellingham, Wa. (Available in Logos function in Faithlife.com. Go to the Winchester Community Church group. If you haven’t already been invited and joined, please request access.)
Fee, Gordon & Douglas Stuart (2014). How to read the Bible for all its worth (4th ed.). Zondervan Academic
Smethhurst, Matt. 2019. Before you open your Bible: Nine heart postures for approaching God’s word. 10 Publishing.