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What is the defining title for Jesus of Nazareth? Although he kept it mostly a secret during his ministry, Jesus’ role as messiah was and is the organizing center of his identity. Join me as we work through the Gospels to understand Jesus by his own words and deeds.
—— Notes ——
Vocab:
- מָשַׁח meshach: anoint, spread a liquid.
- מָשִׁיחַ meshyach: anointed one. (for quiz, what does messiah mean?
- Χριστός = anointed one, messiah, christ
- Mashiack = Christos
- Messiah = Christ
- meaning anointed
Examples of anointing (prophet, priest, king)
- Moses anointing Aaron as high priest (ordination)
- Ex 30.22-33; Lev 8.1-12, so all the high priests were “messiahs”
- Samuel anointing Saul; David
- 1 Sam 9.27-10.1; 1 Sam 16.6-7, 11-13
- David would not take revenge on Saul b/c he was the LORD’s anointed
- 1 Sam 24.8-10, so all the kings were “messiahs”
- Elijah anointing Elisha
- 1 Ki 19.14-17
THE messiah
- “The Hebrew word means literally ‘anointed one,’ hence in theory either a prophet, priest or king. In Greek this translates as Christos; ‘Christ’ in early Christianity was a title, and only gradually became an alternative proper name for Jesus. In practice ‘Messiah’ is mostly restricted to the notion, which took various forms in ancient Judaism, of the coming king who would be David’s true heir, through whom YHWH would rescue Israel from pagan enemies.”[1]
messianic prophecies
- Gen 49.10 scepter will not depart from Judah
- 1 Chronicles 17.11-14: David’s son, God’s son
- Psalm 2: God’s son and world ruler
- Isaiah 11: supremely insightful and just ruler[2]
- Jer 23.5-6 God will raise up for David a righteous branch to reign as king[3]
- Zech 9.9-10 king comes on a donkey and cuts off weapons of war and rules from sea to sea
Jesus’ birth
- Luke 1.31-33 promised to set on throne of David and rule over Jacob
- Mat 2.2 where is he born king of the Jews?
Interchangeable terms
- son of God
- Luke 4.41 demons rebuked for saying “You are the son of God” b/c they knew he was the Christ
- John 11.27 Martha believes Jesus is “the Christ, the son of God, who is coming into the world”
- John 20.31 purpose of Gosp. Jn to believe Jesus is the Christ, the son of God
- Mat 26.63-64 Messiah, son of God, and Son of Man
- son of David
- Mat 12.22-23 this can’t be the son of David, can it?
- Mat 22.42 whose son is the Christ? they said, ‘the son of David’
- king of Israel
- John 1.49 Nathanael says “you are the son of God! you are the king of Israel!”
- Mat 27.42-43 if he is king of Israel let him come down from cross; he said, I am the son of God
Messianic secret and the son of man
- Mark 3.11 demons told to keep quiet about him being the son of God
- Mat 16.13-20 Jesus strictly charge disciples not to tell anyone he was the Messiah
- “We know of several other Jewish movements, messianic movements, prophetic movements, during the one or two centuries either side of Jesus’ public career. Routinely they e