Did Jesus know He would be resurrected from the dead?
Yes, Jesus knew, and He told His disciples, but apparently they "didn't press enter," because they deserted Him when the soldiers captured Him in the garden. Only one of them was present at the crucifixion.
Matthew 16:21 and mark 8:31 both say, "From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Who in the Old Testament knew about resurrection in general and a Redeemer in specific?
Moses knew.
Mark 12:26-27 refers to the story in Exodus 3:6: "Now about the dead rising - have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but the living.'"
Job knew.
Job 19:25-27 quotes Job as saying, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes - I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!"
The song writer of Psalm 49 knew.
Psalm 49:7-9, 15 says, "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him - the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough - that he should live on forever and not see decay... But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself."
Isaiah knew.
All of Isaiah 53 describes Jesus life, death, and resurrection. Part of it says, "After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
These all looked forward to the event we call "Easter." We look back and celebrate Christ's victory over death. This is the most exciting and glorious event in Christianity, and its central issue.
Pondering,
Paulita
