Peace be to you. In the last lesson we study the Old Testament prophecies,

showing that Jesus Christ alone was pre-announced. Now we must study the New Testament

documents concerning his life, but still from the historical point of view.

As yet, we do not know that the Scriptures are inspired.

It may be asked if there were so many prophecies in the Old Testament.

Why did not the Jews accept them? Why did they not recognize Christ as the

son of God and the Messiah's? Well, one reason is this. They made no objection to the fulfillment

of individual prophecies in our Lord, but the general conception

which the rabbis had formed of the messiahs differed totally from that in which he revealed

himself. Remember that the Jews had been subjected for centuries,

to all manner of political slavery by the Babylonians, the Caldians, the Greeks, and the Romans.

Wasn't it natural, therefore, for them,

begin to lose the spiritual aspects of the promises,

and to begin to expect a Savior who would save them from political bondage

rather than from the spiritual bondage of sin.

And that was what happened.

In many instances, the Romans were walking their streets.

Roman judges were in their courtrooms.

Actually, therefore, they thought the Savior means a political liberator.

And then in any case, why should we be blaming them?

Remember, we have exactly the same prophecies today in the Old Testament.

They're just as valid for us as they were for the Jews.

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