Problem: In Matthew 11:4-5, Jesus claimed to fulfill Isaiah 35:4-6. This passage states, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; the recompense of God will come, but He will save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the Arabah.” How did Jesus fulfill this passage?
Solution: Isaiah 35 refers to the return of the Jews from Exile. This is not explicitly a messianic passage, but it refers to God rescuing his people. Since Jesus was God incarnate, he ultimately fulfills this passage in a fuller sense. Of course, the four gospels record Jesus’ miraculous career of miracle working. But even hostile Jewish sources believed that Jesus (Y’shua, the Nazarene) performed miracles:
TALMUD: “On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, “He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.” But since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover!”[1]
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day believed that Jesus did miracles, but that he did them by the power of Satan (Mt. 12:24). Everyone agreed on the fact that Jesus was a miracle worker. It was always the source of this power that was questioned.
[1] Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 43a.
