The Scriptures, said Jesus, “bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). Isaiah 53, the passage read by the Ethiopian, was a prime example. It bore witness to the Christ’s agony. But that made no sense to those focused on a conquering king. Their king would not be despised and killed like a sheep. After rising from death, Jesus brought the picture into clearer focus for His own followers. After proving the “flesh and bones” reality of His resurrected body, He said to them,
“These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:44-48)
The whole Old Testament—the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms—had writings about the Christ. No prophecy specifically stated, “the Messiah will rise in three days.” Yet, for those who paid attention, Isaiah showed first the suffering and death (Isaiah 53:8-9), then the life that followed (Isaiah 53:10-11). In Psalm 16, David spoke of a fleshly body that would not decay. Jonah’s three days inside a huge fish was a “sign” for Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 12:39-40 cf. Jonah 1:17). Likewise, Isaiah 2 and Micah 4 used mountain imagery about Jerusalem which Jesus put into plain language in Luke 24 (fulfilled in Acts 2). Thus, much of what was written was not understood until it had taken place and been explained. Peter, in confronting Jesus’ murderers, also showed that the prophets focused on Jesus and His mission (Acts 3:21).
Moses said, “The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.” And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. (Acts 3:22-24 cf. Acts 10:43)
In business, an “executive summary” accurately reduces a long document to a few sentences. Acts 3:21-24 is a sort of “executive summary” for the Scriptures. The inspired historian Luke quoted the inspired apostle Peter who reflected on the inspired prophets. Acts 3 is Scripture interpreting itself, revealing Scripture’s main theme. Of course, the old prophets had vital messages for their own time. But, like streams that come together to form a river, the flow of Old Testament stories was towards its ocean, the Christ. Come to know Jesus—the Son of God and Son of Man—and you know the Bible’s main message. Like the Ethiopian, there will be plenty you have yet to understand. But, with your Lord and Savior, you too can go on your way rejoicing (Acts 8:39). You will have what matters most, the Person who is the point of the Bible.