Seeing Christ in the Scriptures

By on March 2, 2011
    “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” Or, “Search the scriptures…they are they which testify of me (Jesus).” John 5:39

Here the Son of God is correcting the Jewish leaders of His day. The religious people Jesus was speaking to here knew the law/Word of God, yet vainly thought they could mentally assent to and keep the letter of the law of God without coming to know the living LORD Himself – the Person. To this type of heart, He will never reveal himself. They were hardened in heart and didn’t want to repent of their sinfulness which would be a prerequisite for knowing God, who is holy. (Mark 7:1-23; John 15:22, etc.)

A wise man once stated; It is one thing to know the Word of God, it is another thing to know the God of the Word.

God gave to us His Word as a window through which we see Him. (Luke 24:27, 44) He is integrally involved in opening our understanding that we might know Him more intimately:

    “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at *Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:25-27
    “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.” Luke 24:44-45

“Moses”, “the prophets”, and the “Psalms” always refer to the written Word of God, namely the Old Testament Scriptures (Acts 24:14; 26:22; Ephesians 2:20, etc.).

When the Scriptures are opened, Christ is revealed – brought forth into focus on the center stage of our hearts. God is all about opening to us His Word that we might behold a glimpse of Jesus Christ.

Several verses in the NT Scriptures reveal that Jesus Christ is the Word of God. (John 1:1,14; 1:2; Rev. 19:13) Jesus is the Person who is revealed in all the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation. He is the central Theme of all of Scripture.

Jesus Christ is the revelation of God – the Word of God, that is, God’s expression to man. (John 1:1, 14:9; Heb. 1:1-3). The personhood and nature of God is clearly revealed to us in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ who is “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.” (Hebrews 1:3) He chose to reveal Himself to us through words. The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Word of Life, and has given to us His eternal Word, is the perfect and permanent portrait of God.

    “…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father…” John 14:9

May God open our hearts through His Word and by His Spirit, that we might know and love Him supremely. The Psalmist prayed and we should also; “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalms 119:18