By using the word “fulfillment,” Scripture is referring to the pattern of completion of something that was referred to in the past, or in the Old Testament, that is being finally realized. The article entitled “Scribes of the Kingdom” explains this by starting with this encompassing notion: “the Scriptures present the abiding form of God’s providence, and if Jesus is their fulfillment, he is so because he realizes in himself the whole of God’s work in Israel.” Jesus is the fulfillment of many aspects of the Old Testament. One example of this is in Matthew’s reference of Hosea, in which he says, “Out of Egypt, I called my son,” (Matthew 2:15). The actual line from Hosea is “When Israel was a child I loved him, out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the father they went from me, sacrificing to the Baals, and burning incense to idols,” (Hosea 11:1-2). These lines can be seen as referring to Exodus, with all of Israel in exile. In the New Testament, additionally, they can also be thought of regarding Jesus as the final Exodus, a son called out of Egypt, just as Israel was called out of Egypt. Although it took place in the past, Exodus is “fulfilled” by Jesus, which shows that more fulfillment is to come from him.
In Luke 1, there is a parallel of Zechariah to several people in the Old Testament, some of whom are Abraham’s wife Sarah and the people of Israel during Exodus and Numbers. Zechariah doubts the Lord’s ability to deliver him and his wife a child as they are so old, and therefore the Lord takes his ability to speak. Sarah also doubts that the Lord can give her a child, mirroring Zechariah, and the people of Exodus doubt God’s ability to bring them to the land of milk and honey and sin by selfishly asking for quail. Additionally, the marriage of Joseph and Mary in Matthew 1 could be compared to the marriage of Boaz and Ruth, as both Ruth and Joseph marry Boaz and Mary because either they were told to by the Lord or in line with Israel’s Law. They are putting aside their own desires to do as the Lord wishes.
I thought you were very clear in your description of “fulfillment” and it demonstrates your understanding of Jesus as the final Exodus who will deliver us from sin and death. I thought your parallel of Zechariah is also great, but I have one question about your presentation of Boaz. Do you think he was required by the Law to marry Ruth? If he were, then I am not the merciful nature would be present. I thought the Law didn’t require him to marry her, but it did allow the relationship to be an authentic passing down of Ruth’s family name.
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I like how you say Exodus is fulfilled by Jesus and your connection to Hosea’s prophecy makes a lot of sense as well. The relationships you establish between the OT and Luke are also very profound. Do you think these similarities are the same in essence, or do you think that because the NT’s narratives are set with the knowledge of Jesus’ presence of God that they are thus inherently different?
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I like how you said that Jesus acts as the “final Exodus” as part of his fulfillment. I made a similar connection in my post, saying that in order to fulfill the things introduced in the OT, Jesus must embody the role of the perfect elect. Why do you think chose this time to present Himself in the form of Jesus and begin this fulfillment?
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