Jesus in the Old Testament

I think Tim Keller gives the best summary of what our approach should be:

Don’t get to Christ artificially. This is a big subject of course, but I believe two of the best ways are (a) by identifying in your text one of the many inner-canonical themes that all climax in Christ (Don Carson’s language), and (b) identifying in your text some “Fallen Condition Focus,” some lack in humanity that only Christ can fill (Bryan Chapell’s language).

(Via the Resurgence blog.)

Comments and thoughts about Jesus in the Old Testament:

• Rather than Old and New Testament we should be thinking pre and post Incarnation and pre and post Pentecost
• God works contextually and progressively (eg Heb 11:13, 39-40)
• I think in preaching and pastoral care we should arrive at Jesus more quickly than in our theological thinking and discussion