14.1   ISAIAH'S (740 B.C.) PROPHECY OF THE PASSION OF CHRIST

(Isaiah: Chapters 52:13-15 & 53:1-12)

"See, my servant will prosper, He shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights."

As the crowds were appalled at the sight of Him - so disfigured did He look, that He seemed no longer human - so will the crowds be astonished by Him, and kings stand speechless before Him; for they shall see something never heard before:
"Who could believe what we have heard, and to whom has the power of Yahweh been revealed?"

Like a sapling He grew up in front of us, like a root in arid ground. Without beauty, without majesty (we saw Him), no looks to attract our eyes; a thing despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering, a man to make people screen their faces; He was despised and we took no account of Him.

And yet ours were the sufferings He bore, ours the sorrows He carried. But we, we thought of Him as someone punished, struck by God and brought low. Yet He was pierced through for our faults, crushed for our sins. (Luke 23:33; John 19:34) On Him lies a punishment which brings us peace, and through His wounds we are healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep, each taking his own way, and Yahweh burdened Him with the sins of us all. Harshly dealt with, He bore it humbly, He never opened His mouth, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter-house, like a a sheep that is dumb before its shearers never opening its mouth.

By force and by law He was taken; would anyone plead His cause? Yes, He was torn away from the land of the living; for our faults struck down in death. They gave Him a grave with the wicked, a tomb with the rich, (Luke 23:50-56) though He had done no wrong and there had been no perjury in His mouth. (Luke 23:41)

Yahweh has been pleased to crush Him with suffering. If He offers his life in atonement, He shall see His heirs, He shall have a long life and through Him the wishes of Yahweh will be done. His soul's anguish over He shall see the light and be content. By His sufferings He has justified many, taking their faults upon Himself.

Thus I will grant whole hordes for His tribute, He shall divide the spoils of the strong, for surrendering Himself to death and letting Himself be taken for a sinner, while he was bearing the faults of many, and praying all the time for sinners."
"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)

See King David's Psalm 21, which begins "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 & Mark 15:34)

14.2   ST. PETER'S ADDRESS TO THE ISRAELITES

(Acts 3:13-15; 17-19; 25,26 & 4:12)

Acts 3:13:
"Israelites! It is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, (See Exodus 3:6,14,15)
the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus,
the same Jesus you handed over, and then disowned in the
presence of Pilate, after Pilate had decided to release him." (See Matthew 27:20-26)

Acts 3:14,15:
"It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One. (See Isaiah 9:6,7)
It was you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer, (See Luke 23:13-25)
while you killed the Author of Life whom God (See John 5:26)
has raised from the dead, of which fact we are witnesses." (See Luke 24:1-8)

Acts 3:17-19:
"Now, brothers, I know you and your leaders had no idea of
what you were really doing; (See Luke 23:34) but herein is fulfilled
what God had foretold when he said through his prophets
that his Christ would suffer. (See Luke 24:44-47; 23:25-56)
Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out." (See Luke 13:1-5; 15:4-7)

Acts 3:25:
"You are the heirs of the prophets, the heirs of the Covenant
God made with our ancestors when he told Abraham:
"in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed."
(See Genesis 22:18)

Acts 3:26
"It was for you, in the first place, that God raised up his Servant
and sent him to bless you and convert you from the wickedness
of your ways."

Acts 4:12:
"For of all the names given under heaven to men, the name of Jesus
Christ the Nazarene, is the only one given, by whom we can be saved."