With convincing power Paul reasoned from the Old Testament Scriptures that "Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead." Had not Micah prophesied, "They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek"? Micah 5:1. And had not the Promised One, through Isaiah, prophesied of Himself, "I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting"? Isaiah 50:6. Through the psalmist Christ had foretold the treatment that He should receive from men: "I am . . . a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see Me laugh Me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver Him: let Him deliver Him, seeing He delighted in Him." "I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me. They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture." "I am become a stranger unto My brethren, and an alien unto My mother's children. For the zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon Me." "Reproach hath broken My heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none." Psalms 22:6-8, 17, 18; 69:8, 9, 20.

Med overbevisende kraft forklarede Paulus ud fra det gamle Testamente, at "Kristus måtte lide og opstå fra de døde." Havde ikke Mika profeteret: "Med stokken slår de Israels hersker på kinden"? Mika 4,14. Og havde ikke den forjættede ved Esajas profeteret om sig selv: "Min ryg bød jeg frem til hug, mit skæg til at rives, mit ansigt skjulte jeg ikke for hån og spyt"? Es. 50,6. Ved salmisten havde Kristus forudsagt, hvilken behandling, han skulle få af mennesker: "Jeg er til spot for mennesker, folk til spe; alle, der ser mig, håner mig, vrænger mund og ryster på hovedet: "Han har væltet sin sag på Herren; han fri og frelse ham, han har jo velbehag i ham!" Sl. 22,7-9. "Jeg kan tælle alle mine ben; med skadefryd ser de på mig. Mine klæder deler de mellem sig, om Kjortelen kaster de lod." Sl. 22,18-19. "Fremmed er jeg for mine brødre, en udlænding for min moders sønner. Thi nidkærhed for dit hus har fortæret mig, spotten mod dig er faldet på mig." "Du ved, hvordan jeg smædes og bærer skam og skændsel, du har rede på alle mine fjender. Spot har ulægeligt knust mit hjerte, jeg bied forgæves på medynk, på trøstere uden at finde." Sl. 69,9-10. og 20-21.