Prophetic Patterns in the Passion of Jesus

Although typology has been recognized since the early church, modern discussions have focused on the exact nature of typology, particularly whether it has a prophetic nature. In Prophetic Patterns in the Passion of Jesus, Schmidt examines Davidic psalms as they are quoted in John's Gospel and in Acts in order to determine whether these ancient authors read these psalms prophetically. After clarifying a traditional, prophetic understanding of typology and the modern, analogical understanding, Schmidt argues that prophetic David typology best explains the application of David's Psalms to the events of Jesus' passion in John's Gospel and in Acts. He demonstrates that psalms relaying events about David in their original contexts provide prophetic patterns, which predict corresponding but climactic New Testament realities fulfilled in Jesus and the events of his suffering, resurrection, and exaltation. Schmidt concludes that John and Luke each present portraits of Jesus as the promised Davidic Messiah, the new and greater David.