The leaders of the Jewish nation had the Old Testament Scriptures, which plainly foretold the manner of Christ's first advent. Through the prophet Isaiah, God had described the appearance and mission of Christ, saying, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."

Det jødiske folks ledere havde de gammeltestamentlige skrifter, som tydeligt forudsagde måde Kristus kom på første gang. Gennem profeten Esajas, havde Gud beskrevet Kristi mission og sagt: "Ringeagtet, skyet af folk, en smerternes mand og kendt med sygdom, en, man skjuler sit ansigt for, agtet ringe, vi regned ham ikke. Og dog vore sygdomme bar han, tog vore smerter på sig; vi regnede ham for plaget, slagen, gjort elendig af Gud. Men han blev såret for vore overtrædelser, knust for vor brødres skyld; os til fred kom straf over ham, vi fik lægedom ved hans sår. Vi for alle vild som får, vi vendte os hver sin vej, men Herren lod falde på ham den skyld, der lå på os alle. Han blev knust og bar det stille, han oplod ikke sin mund som et lam, der føres hen at slagtes, som et får, der er stumt, når det klippes. Han oplod ikke sin mund.”