Thursday, June 27, 2024

Paulus Wyns on possible typological links between the building of the Wall in Nehemiah 6 and the Crucifixion

 . . . the Gospel writers, particularly Matthew, understood the building of the “wall” by Nehemiah as typifying the crucifixion, as demonstrated in the following table:

 

Nehemiah

Christ

“At that time I had not set up the doors of the gates” (6:1)

Possess the gates of his enemies, hell and death (Rev. 1:18; Gen. 22:17)

Asked four times to come down off the wall . . . “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down” (6:3).

Asked four times to come down off the cross (Mtt. 27:41-43).

Accused of wanting to be king of the Jews (6:6).

Crucified as king of the Jews (Mtt. 27:37).

“Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands” (6:9).

His hands strengthened for the cross.
“And there appeared an angel from heaven strengthening him” (Lk. 22:43—Gethsemane).

“And I said, should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that being as I am, would go into the Temple to save his life? I will not go in” (6:11).

“Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Mtt. 26:53, 54).

“For they perceived that this work was wrought of our God” (6:16).

“Truly this was the Son of God” (Mtt. 27:54).

 

Source: Paulus Wyns, God is Judge: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Biblaridion Media, 2011), 280