Jesus says of the Old Testament Scriptures that “they … bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). This is especially true of two central messianic prophecies, Isaiah 52:13–53:12 and Psalm 22, which feature prominently in Holy Week services. In Isaiah 52–53, we gain remarkable details about Jesus’ crucifixion from a prophecy that was written more than 700 years before His death. In Psalm 22, the Holy Spirit inspired David, about 1,000 years before Jesus’ birth, to record words that apply in part to David himself but above all to the Messiah. It would not be a stretch to say that Isaiah 52–53 is a biographical portrait of Jesus Christ, and Psalm 22 is autobiographical, since Jesus took the words of David on His own lips at His crucifixion. Or perhaps we should view it the other way around, with “David’s Son, yet David’s Lord” (LSB 451:1; cf. Matthew 22:41–46) lending the words to His ancestor. Either way, opening the Old Testament leads us straight to Jesus.

Rev. Carl Roth, pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Elgin, TX, joins Sarah to talk about the “Searching Scripture” feature in the April 2025 issue of the Lutheran Witness titled “The Suffering Servant” on Isaiah 52:13–53:12 and Psalm 22. This year, “Searching Scripture” is themed “Opening the Old Testament” and will walk through ways that the Old Testament witnesses to Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy and peace, delivered through the holy Christian church. Follow along every month and search Scripture with us!

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