27:27- 41 And they crucified him, and parted his garments―(27) Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole
band of soldiers. (28) And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. (29) And when they had platted a
crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him,
and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (30) And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote
him on the head. (31) And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own
raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. (32) And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene,
Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. (33) And when they were come unto a place called
Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, (34) They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when
he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. (35) And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting
lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and
upon my vesture did they cast lots. (36) And sitting down they watched him there; (37) And set up over his
head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (38) Then were there two thieves
crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. (39) And they that passed by reviled him,
wagging their heads, (40) And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save
thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. (41) Likewise also the chief priests mocking
him, with the scribes and elders, said.‖
There are many citations of Scripture from the Tenakh used by Matthew (and other "New Testament" writers)
in association with Y‘shua being the Messiah. The quotation in these verses is from Psalm 22:1 and Psalm
22:14-18. Many people will cite such statements from "New Testament" as a fulfilled prophecy.
―My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?...‖ (Psalm 22:1)
(14) ―I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted
within Me.
(15) My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to
the dust of death.
(16) For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My
hands and My feet;
(17) I can count all My bones.
(18) They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast
lots.‖ (Psalm 22:1, 14-18)
But one can legitimately ask: What is the basis for quoting a verse from the Tenakh is a prophecy about the
Messiah; and furthermore, specifically that "Y‘shua fulfilled it".
Examining the text of Psalm 22 (which Matthew cites), we see that it is a Psalm of David and is written in the
"first person". Therefore, it is David who is crying out to YHWH in a time of his need. There is no specific
reference to "Messiah" anywhere in the text. How, then, is this a "Messianic prophecy" as well as being
"proof" for Y‘shua being Messiah?
The same can be said of most of the other prophecy fulfillments of the "New Testament". For example, the
Jewish New Testament and Jewish New Testament Commentary both have lists of "Messianic prophecies"
fulfilled by Y‘shua. (Jewish New Testament Jewish, Introduction, section VII, Jewish New Testament
Commentary, pp. 79-80).
Examining the Tenakh citations, we find the same thing in these texts – no mention of "Messiah". (In fact, the
term "Messiah" is only found in one place in the entire Tenakh – in chapter 9 of Daniel.)
Unfortunately, we lack the level of understanding that the (Hebrew) "New Testament" authors had to
demonstrate why these Tenakh verses are "Messianic prophecies" and how they make the connection to
Y‘shua fulfilling them. Our ability to decipher these Scriptures is hampered due to almost two thousand years
of reading the "New Testament" outside the context of Torah as it was understood and presented in the
Hebraic minds of Matthew, John, Peter, Paul, James, etc.
27:42-45 If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him―(42) He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from
the cross, and we will believe him. (43) He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for
he said, I am the Son of God. (44) The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his
teeth. (45) Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.‖