Death and Resurrection in the Old Testament

Earlier that week, on Friday afternoon, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, as dead as a dead man can be. In their view, Israel’s Messiah wasn’t expected to suffer and die. But Jesus certainly did suffer and die. He died tragically while hanging on a cross, the death-penalty usually reserved for criminals. What a total let-down for the hearts of Jesus’ followers. They failed to see that coming. Thus, their hopes and expectations were dashed and discouragement set in. Three days of sheer hopelessness.

After listening to their thoughts and troubles—like a good disciple-maker and counselor that he was--Jesus identified their problem as foolishness and a slow-heart of faith. They were slow to believe all that the Scriptures had promised. The engine of their faith had slowed down. From there, Jesus showed them from their own Bible—the TaNaKh—how their longed-for Messiah first had to suffer before entering his glory.

Male and Female: The Visible Image of God’s Firstborn

Based upon the repeated words in Genesis 1:1, 27, and 5:1-3, I will show that male and female are created, not simply according to the image of and in the likeness of God, but more precisely and in congruence with the teachings of the New Testament, according to the image of God’s Firstborn Son. Male and female, paired together as a unit, are created to be the visible and equal image-bearers of God’s Son who is the image of God.