And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them
in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
(Luke 24:27)
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he
talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
(Luke 24:32)
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while
I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of
Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he
opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
(Luke 24:44-45)
The disciples knew the Old Testament well but Jesus explained it in a different
way. A way that showed what it said about him. A Christ-centred way. We are not
correctly understanding the Old Testament unless it is viewed in the light of
Jesus. The disciples commented on how their hearts burned when he opened the
Scriptures. I had heard lots of sermons on the Old Testament before coming across
this Christ centred concept. Some were bad, some were good. Some were motivational,
some pulled out useful principles. But hearing about how I should seize the
moment like Esther even if it meant risking my life didn't make my heart burn like
the first (and twentieth) time I heard Tim Keller say that Jesus is the true and
better Esther who didn't just risk leaving an earthly palace but lost the ultimate
and heavenly one, who didn't just risk his life, but gave his life to save his
people.
