Concerning which salvation the prophets diligently searched and thoroughly inquired, who prophesied concerning Christ for us, while inquiring into what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ among them revealed, testifying beforehand the passions of Christ and this glory after (1 Peter 1:10–11).
The Old Testament prophets revealed the passions of Christ and the glory that followed; however, they diligently searched and inquired about the details of this coming glory.
Passion goes beyond simple suffering. It describes an event or action that causes both pain and pleasure. It has such intensity that failing to do it causes a person pain, and they so strongly desire to work out their passion that doing it can also cause suffering. Within the flesh resides the sin nature. It has sinful passions that are aroused by the law to work out fruit unto death (Romans 7:5). When we put ourselves under law, the passions of abiding by the law are corrupted by the sin nature within us. We strongly desire to live righteously through the law, but we do the wrong we do not desire because of the passion our sin nature in our flesh has for doing what is wrong.
Since the Christian has been crucified with Christ, his passion should be to produce the fruit of the Spirit by walking according to the desires from the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:24). This passion will cause him even to suffer wrong for the opportunity to manifest love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, objectivity of mind and self-control by being filled where he lacks by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:22–23).
Through the passions of Christ, He brings many sons into glory as the captain of their salvation (Hebrews 2:9–10). Those in Christ have the bounds marked off as sons (Ephesians 1:5). Thus, they are not under law. In contrast to being under law, through the grace they abide under, they are free from sin and enabled to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3–5). Sons are those who have their senses trained to know the difference between right and wrong; thereby, they seek out, know, and do the will of God in all situations (Hebrews 5:14; Romans 12:1–2).
The psalmist foretold of the resurrection of Christ on the third day in Psalm 16:10 when he declared, “For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will you allow your pious one to see corruption.” Isaiah prophesied of both the suffering of Christ and His glorification in Isaiah 53. He would be a man accounted with grief (Isaiah 53:3–4). He prophesied Christ’s death for our trespasses and sins. He would be wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our perversities. He also foretold that through Christ we would have peace, for He was trained in the way of peace for us. By His stripe, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Christ’s grave would be with the wicked, yet his deaths were with the rich (Isaiah 53:9). Through this revelation, we understand that the Messiah would be killed as one who was wicked and placed in the tomb of a rich man. We also learn from Isaiah that Christ would die two deaths. One for our trespass, which separated us from God. This was seen in the three hours of darkness on the cross (Matthew 27:45). His physical death for our sins was when He breathed His last on the cross (Luke 23:46; Isaiah 53:12). Even Christ’s resurrection was revealed through Isaiah. Although He faced death, God would prolong His days and prosper His hand (Isaiah 53:10).
In their diligent searching and thorough inquiry, they learned that this salvation was not for them. They were ministers of the things that have now come to pass. The Messiah came, died on behalf of our sins, and was resurrected on the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1–5).
This salvation is such an incredible work of God; even the angels stoop down to look into it. Before the current Dispensation of Grace, God showed His power through visible means. Now, He shows His inherent ability in how He changes the lives of men and women who, through faith in Christ’s death on behalf of our sin and resurrection three days later, are transformed into the image of Christ (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:13).
