Foreshadowing in the Old Testament

Considering that Matthew wrote to a much more Jewish audience than John did when they were writing their gospels, John really draws out a lot of Old Testament imagery as he tells the story of Christ. The story begins with allusions to the Genesis creation story. Further along (John 1:51), Jesus proclaims Himself the new ladder from Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28:10-22). But it is the work of Christ on the cross that preoccupies John the most. Indeed, John spends chapters 13 to 20 basically detailing the last week of Jesus’ life. And it all reflects back on the foreshadowing of the story in the Old Testament - stories in which God purifies His sanctuary of sin by applying blood to the cover of the ark of the covenant: a flat surface with two angels, one on one side and one on the other, looking down upon God’s mercy where the blood is applied. So, this week, look into John’s telling of the passion of the Christ. But, more importantly, stoop into the cave in John 20:11-12, and see what Mary Magdalene saw - the flat surface where Jesus’ body had been lain and an angel, one on one side and one on the other, looking down upon God’s great mercy for us in the cross and the resurrection of Jesus.