Luke 22:37
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus isn't just fulfilling a prophecy; he's highlighting that this specific fulfillment—being numbered with lawbreakers—is the very climax that brings his earthly mission to its ultimate conclusion. This isn't just about being treated like a criminal, but about the divine settlement of everything concerning him, culminating in a death that will resolve all that was written about the suffering Servant.
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Jesus doesn't just quote Scripture; He is the unfolding of it. What does it mean that this particular prophecy must be fulfilled in Him?
Jesus is keenly aware that His impending suffering and death are not random events. He explicitly states that the Scripture, 'And he was numbered with the transgressors,' must be fulfilled in Him. This isn't just a coincidental alignment; it's the deliberate culmination of God's plan. The word 'accomplished' (or 'consummated') speaks to a finality, a settling of accounts that only His death could bring about. It signifies that every prophetic word concerning the suffering Messiah is on the verge of being perfectly realized. He is pointing to the ultimate purpose behind His mission: to fulfill every jot and tittle written about Him, especially in passages like Isaiah 53.
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Jesus willingly associates Himself with criminals. What profound truth is revealed about His identity and mission in this act?
The prophecy says Jesus was 'numbered with the transgressors,' meaning He was treated as one of them. This wasn't because He was a sinner, but because He was bearing the sin of others. He was innocent, holy, and undefiled – yet He was deliberately placed in the company of lawbreakers. His crucifixion alongside two criminals wasn't accidental; it was an essential part of God's plan to fulfill the prophetic picture of the suffering servant. This highlights the immense substitutionary love of Christ: He took the place of sinners, experiencing their condemnation so that we might receive His righteousness.
Jesus speaks of His mission having an 'end.' How does this temporal understanding frame His present suffering and His disciples' future?
When Jesus says, 'For the things concerning me have an end,' He's signaling the immediate proximity of His crucifixion. His earthly work, the mission He was sent to accomplish, is reaching its final, crucial stage. This isn't a moment of despair for Him, but a confident declaration that the purpose is about to be realized. This realization also carries a weight for His disciples. If their Master is treated as a criminal and faces death, they, as His followers, should expect similar hostility and persecution. Their previous comforts and assumptions are ending; a new, more challenging reality is beginning.
Understand the original words
anomos · Greek Noun
A person who violates a law or moral code; in a biblical context, it refers to those who are rebellious against God's will or covenant.
teleō · Greek Verb
The action of carrying out, completing, or realizing what has been spoken or written by God, particularly concerning messianic prophecy.
Jesus' declaration connects his impending crucifixion, where he'll be executed alongside criminals, to a prophecy in Isaiah 53, highlighting that his suffering and death are not accidental but a divinely ordained fulfillment of Scripture.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Suffering Servant Prophecy
Isaiah the prophet records a profound vision of a suffering servant who will be wounded for the sins of the people and numbered with transgressors, foreshadowing a future Messiah.
Early 1st century AD
Jesus' Ministry and Teachings
Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, performs miracles, and teaches about righteousness, love, and repentance, gathering disciples.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Jesus enters Jerusalem as king, but without the military might the disciples expected, setting the stage for his Passion.
c. AD 30 (Night before crucifixion)— this verse
The Last Supper
Jesus shares a final meal with his disciples, instituting a new covenant and warning them about his betrayal and their own future trials.
c. AD 30 (Hours after Last Supper)
Jesus' Arrest and Trial
Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and undergoes a series of trials before the Jewish and Roman authorities.
c. AD 30 (Day of crucifixion)
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is crucified between two criminals, fulfilling the prophecy of being numbered with transgressors.
This is the direct Old Testament prophecy Jesus is referencing, showing the foreknowledge of God and how Jesus' suffering was predicted long before it happened.
Hebrews 7:26This passage highlights Jesus' sinlessness, providing a stark contrast to the 'transgressors' among whom He was numbered, underscoring the sacrificial nature of His suffering.
Luke 23:33-34This passage describes the actual crucifixion, showing Jesus being crucified with two criminals, fulfilling the prophecy that He would be numbered with transgressors, and also demonstrating His incredible love and forgiveness.
Romans 10:4This verse connects Jesus to the 'end' of the law, echoing the concept in Luke 22:37 that the prophetic and sacrificial purposes concerning Him were reaching their divinely appointed conclusion.
vincentLuke 22:37: "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."
Have an end (τέλος ἔχει)The phrase is synonymous with be accomplished (τελεσθῆναι, Rev., fulfilled). In classical Greek this latter word is often used of the fulfilment of an oracle: also of things which are settled beyond controversy. The two expressions here give the two meanings. The prophecy is fulfilled; the t…
barnesLuke 22:37: "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."
This that is written - See the notes at Isaiah 53:12 . Was reckoned among the transgressors - Not reckoned as a transgressor, but "among or with" them - that is, he was treated as transgressors are. He was put to death in their company, and as he "would have been" if he had been a transgressor. He was innocent, holy, h…
Jesus isn't just fulfilling a prophecy; he's highlighting that this specific fulfillment—being numbered with lawbreakers—is the very climax that brings his earthly mission to its ultimate conclusion. This isn't just about being treated like a criminal, but about the divine settlement of everything concerning him, culminating in a death that will resolve all that was written about the suffering Servant.
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 53:12", "connection": "This is the Old Testament passage Jesus is directly quoting, showing the prophecy of the suffering Servant being numbered with transgressors." }, { "reference": "Luke 23:34", "connection": "This passage describes Jesus being crucified between two criminals, fulfilling the prophecy of being 'numbered with the transgressors' in a very literal sense." }, { "reference": "Philippians 2:8", "connection": "This verse speaks to Jesus humbling himself and becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross, which directly relates to his willing submission to being treated as a transgressor." }, { "reference": "2 Corinthians 5:21", "connection": "This passage explains the theological significance of Christ becoming sin for us, which is the deeper reality behind being 'numbered with the transgressors' – the innocent taking on the penalty of the guilty." } ] }
{ "references": [ { "reference": "Isaiah 53:12", "connection": "This is the Old Testament passage Jesus is directly quoting, showing the prophecy of the suffering Servant being numbered with transgressors." }, { "reference": "Luke 23:34", "connection": "This passage describes Jesus being crucified between two criminals, fulfilling the prophecy of being 'numbered with the transgressors' in a very literal sense." }, { "reference": "Philippians 2:8", "connection": "This verse speaks to Jesus humbling himself and becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross, which directly relates to his willing submission to being treated as a transgressor." }, { "reference": "2 Corinthians 5:21", "connection": "This passage explains the theological significance of Christ becoming sin for us, which is the deeper reality behind being 'numbered with the transgressors' – the innocent taking on the penalty of the guilty." } ] }
"For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”" — Jesus isn't just fulfilling a prophecy; he's highlighting that this specific fulfillment—being numbered with lawbreakers—is the very climax that brings his earthly mission to its ultimate conclusion.…
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