Jesus is the Main Character of the Whole Bible: Reflections on Luke 24
Following the resurrection, Luke’s Gospel tells the account of Jesus walking alongside two travelers on the road to Emmaus. These two were, “Discussing everything that had taken place,” when Jesus came and joined them on their journey, “But they were prevented from recognizing him” (see vv. 14-16). When Jesus inquired of their dispute, the travelers told him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene,” whom they had hoped, “was the One who was about to redeem Israel” (see vv. 19-21). They spoke of his crucifixion and recounted the rumors of his resurrection.
Jesus said to them: “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken! Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?”[1] Luke continues, “Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”[2] Later, when their eyes were opened to recognize Jesus, they said: “Weren’t our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?”[3] Don’t you wish you could have heard that conversation?! Yet, we have Peter’s sermons in Acts 2 and 3 that show us some of the ways Jesus probably taught his disciples about how the Scriptures testify about him.
Luke 24 goes on to recount Jesus’ appearance to his disciples and he spoke similar words to them: “ ‘These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”[4]
The Scriptures here refer to what Christians call the Old Testament. The Jewish Bible has the same content as our Old Testament but is arranged differently. It has three parts – the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Psalms is the first book among the collection of this third part. So, when Jesus says, “The Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms,” he is essentially saying that the entire Old Testament speaks of him. He is the main character of the Bible, even in the Old Testament where he is not mentioned in a direct, explicit way.
The Bible is ultimately a single Story of redemption with Jesus as the Hero and Redeemer. All the prophets, priests, and kings of the Old Testament ultimately point to Jesus, the Prophet, Priest, and King. As the author of Hebrews points out throughout the book, Jesus is greater than the angels, the greater Moses, the greater Joshua, the greater high priest, and the greater sacrifice. Jesus himself points out that with his presence and ministry, something greater than the temple (Matt. 12:6), greater than Jonah (Matt. 12:41), and greater than Solomon (Matt. 12:42) is among them.
From creation to the new creation, God is redeeming the world through His Son and making all things new. How can you participate with God and play your part in His Unfolding Story?