Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled in John's Gospel

The Gospel of John, distinct in its theological depth and emphasis on the divinity of Jesus, profoundly illustrates the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies as evidence of Jesus being the Son of God and the Messiah. John's narrative is rich with signs and statements that directly connect Jesus' life and ministry to the ancient promises made to Israel, demonstrating that Jesus is the incarnate Word, sent by God to bring salvation to the world.

Throughout the Gospel, John highlights various prophecies and their fulfillment in Jesus' actions, teachings, and miracles. These fulfilled prophecies serve as a powerful testament to Jesus' divine nature and His messianic mission. From His incarnation ("The Word became flesh") to His crucifixion and resurrection, John's account meticulously shows how Jesus embodies the prophetic hopes and expectations of the Old Testament.

By emphasizing these fulfilled prophecies, John not only validates Jesus' identity as the true Messiah but also deepens the understanding of His unique relationship with the Father. The Gospel of John invites readers to believe in Jesus as the Son of God, whose coming was foretold by the prophets and whose life perfectly aligns with God's redemptive plan. This theological and prophetic continuity underscores the faith of believers, revealing Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises and the source of eternal life.

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true. There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written. John 21:24-25 BSB

The Word Made Flesh

• Prophecy: Genesis 1:1-3

  • Old Testament: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 1:1-3, 14

    • "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

  • Commentary: John’s prologue identifies Jesus as the divine Word (Logos) who was with God in the beginning, fulfilling the creative and redemptive purposes of God as described in Genesis.

The Lamb of God

• Prophecy: Isaiah 53:7

  • Old Testament: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 1:29

    • "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!'"

  • Commentary: John the Baptist’s declaration identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of the suffering servant who bears the sins of many.

Jacob’s Ladder

• Prophecy: Genesis 28:12

  • Old Testament: "And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!"

  • Fulfillment in John: John 1:51

    • "And he said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus’ reference to Jacob’s ladder indicates that He is the connection between heaven and earth, fulfilling the vision of access to God’s presence.

Water to Wine

• Prophecy: Amos 9:13-14

  • Old Testament: "'Behold, the days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.'"

  • Fulfillment in John: John 2:9-11

    • "When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, 'Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.' This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him."

  • Commentary: Jesus’ first miracle of turning water into wine at Cana fulfills the prophecy of abundant wine as a sign of messianic restoration and blessing.

The New Birth

• Prophecy: Ezekiel 36:25-27

  • Old Testament: "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 3:5-8

    • "Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again." The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus’ teaching on being born again through water and the Spirit fulfills Ezekiel’s prophecy of spiritual renewal and transformation by God’s Spirit.

Living Water

• Prophecy: Isaiah 12:3

  • Old Testament: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 4:13-14

    • "Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus’ offer of living water to the Samaritan woman fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy of drawing water from the wells of salvation, symbolizing eternal life and spiritual satisfaction.

The Bread of Life

• Prophecy: Exodus 16:4

  • Old Testament: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.'"

  • Fulfillment in John: John 6:31-35

    • "Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' Jesus then said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' They said to him, 'Sir, give us this bread always.' Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus identifies Himself as the true bread from heaven, fulfilling the provision of manna in the wilderness and offering spiritual nourishment and eternal life.

The Light of the World

• Prophecy: Isaiah 9:2

  • Old Testament: "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 8:12

    • "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

  • Commentary: Jesus’ declaration of being the light of the world fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy, indicating that He brings divine illumination and guidance to a spiritually dark world.

The Good Shepherd

• Prophecy: Ezekiel 34:23

  • Old Testament: "And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 10:11

    • "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."

  • Commentary: Jesus identifies Himself as the good shepherd, fulfilling Ezekiel’s prophecy and emphasizing His sacrificial care and leadership for His people.

The Triumphal Entry

• Prophecy: Zechariah 9:9

  • Old Testament: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 12:14-15

    • "And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 'Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!'"

  • Commentary: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey fulfills Zechariah’s prophecy, symbolizing His messianic kingship and the peaceful nature of His reign.

The Crucifixion

• Prophecy: Psalm 22:16-18

  • Old Testament: "For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 19:23-24

    • "When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, 'Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.' This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, 'They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.'"

  • Commentary: The details of Jesus’ crucifixion, including the piercing of His hands and feet and the casting of lots for His garments, fulfill the psalmist’s vivid depiction, confirming Jesus as the suffering Messiah.

Jesus’ Side Pierced

• Prophecy: Zechariah 12:10

  • Old Testament: "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 19:34-37

    • "But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness—his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth—that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'Not one of his bones will be broken.' And again another Scripture says, 'They will look on him whom they have pierced.'"

  • Commentary: The piercing of Jesus’ side fulfills Zechariah’s prophecy, highlighting the reality of His suffering and death, and prompting reflection and repentance.

The Resurrection

• Prophecy: Psalm 16:10

  • Old Testament: "For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption."

  • Fulfillment in John: John 20:9

    • "For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead."

  • Commentary: Jesus’ resurrection fulfills the prophecy of the Holy One not seeing decay, affirming His victory over death and His divine nature.

______________________________________

Matthew's Gospel: Read more...

Mark's Gospel: Read more...

Luke's Gospel: Read more...

[Index]