A Brief Note Related to Messianic Prophecy

(avg. read time: 1–2 mins.)

This post is something of a redirect in a manner somewhat similar to what has proven to be my most-read post on Tolkien and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, only it will not be quite as extensive. In this case, I know there has been plenty of confusion and inaccuracy in the treatment of messianic prophecy in popular apologetics, and I think Eric Chabot has done some good work in addressing those issues and linking to helpful sources here (also see resources provided here, here, and here).

I would like to offer my own expansions on diverse messianic expectations at another time, but I have addressed that to some extent previously here and here. I plan to address the matter of typology later this week, but my most extensive work on the subject thus far is here. I have previously reviewed references to the fulfillment of Scripture or the use of Scripture that includes but goes beyond the direct fulfillment of prophecy here and here, and I plan to do similar installments on each of the Gospels next year. I have also endeavored to examine the broader use of the OT in the NT in many ways and places, as listed here. Besides the sources Chabot recommends, I have recently reviewed this helpful book.

Because claims are so widespread and diverse, I am only offering a general orientation to the pertinent subject matters here. Otherwise, I would need specific examples to work with. But for reasons that Chabot outlines, and for reasons I have shown in my own work, I do not think anyone should be making some blanket statements about how many messianic prophecies there are in the OT without vetting the claims for themselves. There also needs to be clarity on what kind of fulfillment is being claimed, as most cases are not matters of direct fulfillment of prophecy as such (although these are not entirely absent either). They may be typological or some other kind of fulfillment. Precise and limited but more truthful claims about fulfillment will always be more valuable than broad and sweeping but inaccurate claims.