On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, all the prophecies concerning His suffering were fulfilled in every detail—a lasting testimony that Jesus truly is the Messiah. The first prophecy, the oldest of all, had been given by God at the time of Adam and Eve’s sin:
1) The serpent would bruise the seed of the woman.
Prophesied: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
Fulfilled: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” (John 12:31-33).
2) The Messiah would be cut off, but not for Himself, as prophesied by Daniel.
Prophesied: “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26).
Fulfilled: “Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” (John 11:50- 52).
3) The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was foretold by David.
Prophesied: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalms 41:9).
Fulfilled: “And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him” (Mark 14:10-11).
4) Jesus Christ would be forsaken by His disciples, as prophesied by Zechariah.
Prophesied: “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones” (Zechariah 13:7).
Fulfilled: “And they all forsook him, and fled” (Mark 14:50).
5) The price of His betrayal was also foretold by Zechariah.
Prophesied: “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12).
Fulfilled: “And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver” (Matthew 26:15).
6) Zechariah also foretold what would be done with the betrayal money.
Prophesied: “ And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.” (Zechariah 11:13).
Fulfilled: “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in” (Matthew 27:3-7).
7) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ would be sacrificed as the Passover Lamb of God.
Prophesied: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
Fulfilled: “For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” (1st Corinthians 5:7b). “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1st Peter 1:18-21).
8) Isaiah also prophesied the scourging and mocking that He would suffer.
Prophesied: “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.” (Isaiah 50:6).
Fulfilled: “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.” (Matthew 27:26-30).
9) Both Isaiah and David prophesied that Jesus’ body would be mutilated.
Prophesied: “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:” (Isaiah 52:14). “I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me” (Psalms 22:17).
Fulfilled: “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.” (Matthew 27:26). “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him” (John 19:1).
10) David prophesied the shame and dishonor that Jesus would suffer, being condemned as a criminal.
Prophesied: “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. …Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee. Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none” (Psalms 69:9, 19-20).
Fulfilled: “In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me” (Matthew 26:55). “What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death” (Matthew 26:66).
11) David also foretold that false witnesses would testify against Christ.
Prophesied: “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. ” (Psalms 35:11).
Fulfilled: “And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands” (Mark 14:55-58).
12) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not make an effort to defend Himself at the trial.
Prophesied: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).
Fulfilled: “Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly” (Matthew 27:13-14).
13) Isaiah also foretold Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as the sin offering for the world.
Prophesied: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all... Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities” (Isaiah 53:4-6, 10-11).
Fulfilled: “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:16-19).
14) As Isaiah had prophesied, He was numbered among lawbreakers.
Prophesied: “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
Fulfilled: “And also two other malefactors were led away with Him to be put to death. And when they came to the place called ‘Skull,’ there they crucified Him and the malefactors, one on the right and one on the left” (Luke 23:32-33).
15) David prophesied that His hands and His feet would be pierced.
Prophesied: “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalms 22:16).
Fulfilled: “And they crucified Him” (Mark 15:25). “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” (John 20:25-27).
16) The parting of His garments was also prophesied by David.
Prophesied: “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Psalms 22:18).
Fulfilled: “They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did” (John 19:24).
Fulfilled: “They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did” (John 19:24).
17) In another psalm, David prophesied that they would give Him vinegar to drink.
Prophesied: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalms 69:21).
Fulfilled: “They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink” (Matthew 27:34).
18) David also prophesied that many would be watching Jesus during the crucifixion.
Prophesied: I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me” (Psalms 22:17).
Fulfilled: “And sitting down they watched him there;” (Matthew 27:36). “And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned” (Luke 23:48).
19) Among those watching would be Jesus’ family and friends, who would stand at a distance.
Prophesied: “My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off” (Psalms 38:11).
Fulfilled: “And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things” (Luke 23:49).
20) Some of His observers would shake their heads at Him.
Prophesied: “I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me they shaked their heads” (Psalms 109:25).
Fulfilled: “And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:39-40)
21) Even the words of His reproachers were prophesied by David.
Prophesied: “He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him” (Psalms 22:8).
Fulfilled: “He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth” (Matthew 27:43-44).
22) Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would make intercession for sinners. This intercession began even during His crucifixion.
Prophesied: “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12).
Fulfilled: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Luke 23:34).
23) David prophesied the thoughts of Jesus at the height of His suffering.
Prophesied: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” (Psalms 22:1).
Fulfilled: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
24) Zechariah prophesied that His body would be pierced with a spear.
Prophesied: “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).
Fulfilled: “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. ...And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced” (John 19:34, 37).
25) David prophesied that Jesus would commit His spirit to God.
Prophesied: “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth” (Psalms 31:5).
Fulfilled: “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46).
26) David also prophesied Jesus’ last words.
Prophesied: “They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this” (Psalms 22:31). The Hebrew literally reads, “For it is finished.”
Fulfilled: “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (John 19:30).
27) As no bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Exodus 12:46), not a bone of His would be broken
Prophesied: “He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken” (Psalms 34:20).
Fulfilled: “Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken” (John 19:32-36).
28) His burial in the tomb of a rich man was foretold by Isaiah.
Prophesied: “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:8-9).
Fulfilled: “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed” (Matthew 27:57-60).
