Luke 22:37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”
Prior to heading up to the Mount of Olives the Lord Jesus makes this statement to his disciples. It is in the context of Jesus telling his disciples to get a moneybag, knapsack and a sword in preparation of the coming days.
The Scripture reference that the Savior sites is from the prophet Isaiah, specifically the 12th verse of the 53rd chapter. Of course the 53rd chapter of Isaiah is one of the clearest conglomerations of Messianic prophecy contained in the Old Testament. Isaiah writes with prophetic precision as he foretells of the manner in which the Son of David would suffer and die as he accomplishes redemption.
Notice though as you read this passage the articulation of resolve by Jesus, “this Scripture must be fulfilled in me.” Jesus here interprets the Jewish prophet as referring to him and the necessity of it being fulfilled. Jesus was intent on doing exactly what the Scripture said because Scripture says exactly what God wanted to be done. Here we see the beautiful marriage between the Word and will of God. What God has spoken shall indeed come to pass.
In addition we see the reality of Christ being ‘numbered with the transgressors’. Exhale. This is still hard to fathom, particularly in light of the perfect life that we see modeled in the Gospel According to Luke. Jesus Christ, the incarnation of beauty, perfection, holiness, and purity is going to be brushing up next to and being punished with the ungodly, unrighteous, evil, rebellious and sinful. This is what Jesus said he ‘must’ do.
I love reading this passage and hearing Jesus grab that pronoun ‘he’ and Velcro it to his chest, he is the suffering servant, the son of David, the one who would ‘justify the many’ as he is ‘pierced for our transgressions’. I read this passage and I find myself more impressed with my Savior who loves the Word of God, the will of God, the elect of God all to the glory of God. Jesus Christ indeed has it all together as he goes to die for folks who can’t get it right. I love him because he is so different than me, so perfect and so full of a holy zeal that terminates on the glory of God. I love him because he is different than me and is everything that I want to be. Simply, I love him because he is Jesus, the one and only.
