The OT witness to Christ is as rich and varied as are all of the functions he performs. When evangelicals talk about Christ in the Old Testament, they tend to look for images, patterns, or outright anticipations of Christ's work of substitutionary atonement. Of course, Christ's work as once-and-for-all sacrifice is central to the Christian hope for salvation, but it only gets at part of the distinct and lordly character and work of the Son of God himself.
In fact, the New Testament claims that Christ fulfills the Old Testament in many ways. Just to name a few, Christ is:
- Old Testament covenant Lord (John 8:58; see also kurios as title for Christ)
- Sovereign eschatological king (Rev. 21:22)
- Key actor in creation (John 1:1-5 [Genesis 1])
- True Israel (Matt. 2:15 [Hos 11:1]; John 15:1-17)
- The temple of God (John 2:19-21)
- Restorer from exile (Matt 3:3 [Isa. 40:3; Mar 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23])
- Final and authoritative prophet (Heb 1:2)
- Heir to the world (Heb 1:2; Ps 2:8)
- Sustainer of his people in wilderness (1 Cor 10:4 [Exod. 17:6])
- Foundation of human salvation (Acts 4:11 [Ps. 118:22])
- Wisdom teacher par excellence (Matt 12:42 [Luke 11:31])
- The very wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:23
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