Anointed, expected, misunderstood...

36 Pages·2011·1.3 MB·English

march 2011
Messiah
Anointed, expected,
misunderstood...
bruce winter | discordant worship | true esteem
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March 2011
No. 634
www.ap.org.au
t h e m a g a z i n e o f t h e p r e s b y t e r i a n c h u r c h o f a u s t r a l i a
messiah
e d i t o r i a l
4 JesustheMessiah:BruceWinter
W
hen Jesus once asked Peter: “But who do
10 Undercoverboss:JaredHood
men say that I am?” Peter replied with the
12 TheOneforetold:BobMendelsohn confessionthathasbecomethestandardof
everytruedisciple,“YouaretheChrist,the
reflection
SonoftheLivingGod”(Mt.16:16).
Naturally, our curiosity is aroused by the specific term
14 Discordantworship:IainMurray
thatPeterusedwhenhereferredtoJesusas“theChrist”.
bible study Forthoseinthefirstcenturytheanswerwasself-evident.
The term, “the Christ”, was the Greek equivalent of the
15 Wordtothewise Hebrewword,“Messiah”whichmeant“God’sanointed”.
20BiblestudiesinProverbs27-31;Obadiah;2&3John But anointed for what? In Jewish tradition, anointing
with oil was normally reserved for special acts of
church directory consecrationtotheofficesofprophet,priestandking.Ina
way that, even at this stage, Peter himself couldn’t fully
17 EveryPresbyterianchurch,statebystate understand,JesusembracedandexhaustedinHimselfeach
of these different offices. Earlier in Israel’s history
news
Melchizedek had combined the offices of priest and king.
Lateron,Davidassumedtwoofthoseofficesintakingthe
25 News
throne and exercising a prophetic ministry. However, it
27 OntheAgenda remainedforJesustosubsumealltheseofficesinHisown
Person, which perhaps explains that enigmatic phrase in
the christian walk
the Psalms where David says of the Messiah that he is
“anointedabovehisfellows”(Ps.45:7).
30 Trueesteem:BarneyZwartz
Now the appearance of the Messiah was a matter of
supreme significance to the Jews. Charles Briggs, in his
letters
book,MessianicProphecy(1886),says:“Messianicprophecy
32 is the most important of all themes; for it is the ideal of
redemption given by the Creator to our race at the
prayer beginning of its history, and it ever abides as the goal of
humanity until the divine plan has been accomplished.”
34
Brigg’s statement suggests that God has a predetermined
plan of redemption, culminating in the revelation of a
books
Saviour,whichHeannouncesbeforehandintheScriptures.
35 FaithUnfeigned:JohnCalvin Of course, this explains why Jesus introduced His
disciplestoadistinctive,Messianichermeneuticfollowing
TheCaseforTraditionalProtestantism Hisdeathandresurrection.Heopenedthedisciples’minds
to a new way of reading Scripture when He said:
WhenGraceComesAlive:TerryL.Johnson
“EverythingwrittenaboutMeintheLawofMosesandthe
Let’sTalkAboutParenting:TonyandJudyWillis prophetsandthePsalmsmustbefulfilled”(Luke24:44).If
wearetoreadtheBibleandmakesenseofit,wemustmake
back page
thestudyofMessianicprophecyapriority.
36 Uselessidols:PeterBarnes
PeterHastie ap
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Jesus the Messiah
From Isaiah to Vespasian, the Davidic king is understood.
D
rBruceWinterhasbeenthe emperorDomitianhadgiventohim.
principal of the Queensland BruceWinter Interestingly, the Roman emperor’s
Theological College at the talksto titles were very similar to that of the
UniversityofQueenslandin PeterHastie Messiah.Theyincludedexpressionssuch
St Lucia, Brisbane, since 2006 when he as“Ruleroftheworld”,“Lordoftheseas”
left Tyndale House, Cambridge, where and similar terms. Josephus was very
hehadservedaswardensince1987and and Philo and Paul Among the Sophists: astuteandknewhowtoprotecthisown
as director of the Institute for Early AlexandrianandCorinthianResponsestoa interests. He was also influenced by the
Christianity in the Graeco-Roman Julio-Claudian Movement, Eerdmans, OldTestamentandtheideathattheulti-
World. 2001. mate ruler of the world would arise in
Dr Winter was a Fellow of St Heliveswithhiswife,Lyn,nearBribie Israel itself. He may have been currying
Edmund’s College, University of IslandnorthofBrisbane. favourwithVespasianandhissons,Titus
Cambridge, and is a Visiting Research andDomitian,bymentioningthisbelief.
Fellow (2006-2011). He has also served Josephus,inhisbook,TheWarsofthe After all, Vespasian had conquered
asamemberoftheuniversity’sFacultyof Jews, says that there was a strong Galilee withhislegionsand crushed the
Divinity, lecturing on Thomas Cranmer, belief among the Jews in the first Jews.Hewasaworldrulerwhohadwon
andarchaeologyandtheNewTestament, centuryADthataruleroftheworld significant victories in Israel. Josephus
aswellassupervisingPhDcandidates.He would one day arise from Israel. was certainly adept at playing political
has also served as a lecturer at Moore What exactly did Josephus mean, games and looking after his own inter-
Theological College, Sydney, and Trinity andhowwidespreadanddeeplyheld ests.Regardlessofwhetherhedidornot,
TheologicalCollege,Singapore. wasthisbelief? there certainly was a common belief in
DrWinter’smainareasofinterestare We need to remember that when thefirstcenturythattheMessiahwould
in New Testament studies, theology, Josephus wrote The Wars of the Jews, soonariseinIsrael.
apologetics and ethics. To this end he Israelhadeffectivelyceasedtoexistasa
has undertaken research which is nation. When Josephus died soon after Was the belief in a world ruler
designedtobenefittheacademyandthe AD 100, Israel had been without any arisingfromamongtheJewsanidea
church. His special interest is in the boundaries and without any king for that was known outside of Jewish
intersectionoftheWordofGodwithits morethanaquarterofacentury. circles?Ifso,howfarhaditspread?
ancient setting and its significance for Although Josephus was a Jew and Yes,itwas.Forexample,Tacitusinhis
contemporarythinkingaboutthechurch had earlier fought against the Romans, Histories (5:13) and Suetonius in The
anditsrelationshipwithmodernsociety. he was freed by the emperor Vespasian TwelveCaesars(Vespasian4:5)bothrefer
Heistheauthorofnumerousjournal whenhepredictedthatVespasianwould to a time when men from Judea would
articlesandhaspublishedoreditedsev- soon become emperor. He subsequently rule the world. No doubt Vespasian
eralbookssuchasTheBookofActsinits became a client of Vespasian and spent thoughtofhimselfintermsofthemes-
First Century Setting, Eerdmans, 1994; mostofhistimeservingtheRomansas sianicprophecyinNumbers24:7,buthe
Seek the Welfare of the City, Eerdmans, amediatorandinterpreterintheirdeal- was probably aware of other ways that
1994; RomanWives,RomanWidows:The ings with the Jews. After the war, the “ruler oracle” could have been inter-
Appearance of New Women in the Pauline JosephusreturnedtoRomeandenjoyed preted.
Communities,Eerdmans,2003;AfterPaul the patronage of the Roman emperors. Therewascertainlyastrongfeelingof
Left Corinth: The Influence of Secular Hedidmuchofhiswritingfromagrace- anti-Semitism in Rome in reaction to
EthicsandSocialChange,Eerdmans,2000; and-favourapartmentinRomethatthe Jewish nationalism. The Romans took a
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dim view of Jewish attempts to rebel anyfuturethreatstotheirrule. figure – needs to come into the
against their rule. They made the Jews world? What particular needs
pay the pagan temple tax in Rome as a Where exactly did the belief come amongtheJewsgaverisetotheidea
wayofkeepingthemundercontrol.The from, that is, a belief in this world ofaMessiah?
ideathatafutureworldrulerwouldarise ruler? Was it a biblical source? And Much Jewish thinking about the
fromIsraelonlyaddedtotheirconcerns what was actually meant by the Messiah related to the loss of the
abouttheJews. term“anointedone”,or“Messiah”? PromisedLandandthekingdom.When
The Jewish hope of a coming ruler the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem
How seriously did some of the and Messianic figure is certainly found in 587 BC they took the king captive,
Roman emperors, like Vespasian, in the Old Testament. In fact, the first exiled the people and seized the land.
DomitianandTrajan,taketheview hint of it can be found in the idea of a The kingdom was lost. The prophets
that there was a world ruler who promised “seed”, especially as the idea declaredthatthedisasterwasduetothe
was supposed to arise from the people’s covenant unfaithfulness and
Jews? sin.SotheJewswerelookingforsome-
I think they took it seriously. Each onewhowasanointedbyGod,asallthe
one took the view that, as emperor, he kingsofIsraelwere,whocouldactually
was a god, or at least the son of a god. restore the Promised Land to the
Theyweremeanttorule.Theyassumed nation. Of course, if this were to hap-
all the titles which Jesus had, such as pen, the Messiah would have to deal
“Saviour of the world” and “God mani- with the causes for the loss. He would
fest”. They certainly had inflated views have to deal with the people’s sin and
of themselves which they were keen to the curse that was imposed on them
pushonothers.Forinstance,youcould It’s the loss, the terri- because of their inability to keep God’s
not speak to Domitian without calling ble loss of the Promised covenant.
him “Lord”, and because the emperors So, it stands to reason that if you’ve
Land that is the major
were keenly aware of the dangerous lost the visible promises of God – of a
driver behind the Jewish
nature of Jewish nationalism, they landthatisblessedwithprosperityand
hope for the Messiah.
instructed their proconsuls to keep a flowingwithmilkandhoney–ifyou’ve
careful watch on the Jews throughout lost that and you’ve lost the king who
theDiaspora. couldpossiblywinitback,thenyouare
WeknowthatVespasianregardedthe develops through God’s promise to facedwithahugeproblem:Howcanyou
prophecy of a Jewish world ruler with Abrahamthatthroughhis“offspring”all ever recover the Promised Land?
concern. No doubt this was one of the thefamiliesoftheearthwillbeblessed. Obviously you need a king who will
reasonswhyhetookpartinthedestruc- PaultellsusinhislettertotheGalatians remainutterlyfaithfultoGod’scovenant
tionofJerusalem.Hewaswellawareof thatthepromisewasofa“seed”,singular andwhowillbeabletoovercomeGod’s
the danger to Rome that any claimants (Gal. 3:16). This gave rise to the belief enemies and recover the land. That’s
tothethroneofDavidwouldpose,sohe thatGod’sblessingwouldcometoallthe howIseeit;it’stheloss,theterribleloss
wanted to destroy not only Jerusalem nationsthroughtheworkofsomefuture of the Promised Land that is the major
andtheTemple,butalsotheremaining individual. driver behind the Jewish hope for the
membersofDavid’shouse. As the Scripture unfolds, Moses Messiah.Andthissenseoflosswasonly
In regard to Domitian, he certainly speaks of a future prophet even greater intensified because, from 587 BC
discriminated against the Jews. He thanhimselfwhowilldeclareGod’swill onwards, indeed right to the first cen-
ordered the execution of the descen- tous(Deut.18:14-22).Thenwehavethe tury,therereallywasnoestablishedking
dants of David. He actually had some prophecies in Isaiah which speak of the whowasasonofDavid.
Jews from the house of David brought Messiahintermsofbeinganeverlasting
toRomeforquestioning.Whenhemet kingaswellasaservantwhosuffersfor IstheMessianicideaactuallyearlier
them,heaskedspecificquestionsabout the sin of God’s people (Is. 9:1-7; Is. than587BC?
their connection to the house of David 52:13-53:12). These few references give Well,theideaofGod’sanointedKing
and “for information about Christ and ussomeideaofwhatHewilldoandwhat is there. Certainly there were earlier
His kingdom”(Eusebius HE 3.19). I Hewillbelike. prophecies about the Messiah because,
think this suggests that Domitian took Now the term anointed one is, well, as Amos reminds us, “Surely the
very seriously the potential threat of a really you’re anointed because you’re Sovereign Lord does nothing without
Davidicruler. appointed. So the anointed is the revealing his plan to his servants the
InthecaseofTrajan,weknowthathe appointed and the task that He’s been prophets”(Amos3:7). Beforethelandof
endorsedthepersecutionandkillingof setasideforbyGodisaveryspecifictask Israelwaseverlost,Godgaveprophecies
Christians who were not Roman citi- intheunfoldinghistoryofsalvation.So as to what the next step would be in
zens, especially those who had connec- that’s basically what Messiah means; it termsoftherestorationoftheland.So,
tions with the house of David. The simplymeansanointedandempowered of course, I believe that the prophets
Romans were always alert to the possi- fortheappointmentthatGodhasgiven were preparing God’s people quite early
bility of future uprisings, especially Him. onabouttheirneedforaMessiah.These
whentheyhadconqueredanotherking- earlier prophets such as Amos, Micah
dom. They usually rounded up the DoestheBiblegiveusanyreasonsas and Isaiah were simply disclosing God’s
ruler’sfamilyandkilledthemtoprevent to why such a figure – a Messianic secretplantoHisservantsinadvance.
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ArethereindicationsoftheMessiah thought about the Messiah in political That’s why the Pharisees and members
in earlier books, like in the book and military terms is because the oftheSanhedrinwenttoquestionJohn
of Genesis, Numbers and ScripturestaughtthattheMessiahwas theBaptist.Theysentadelegationtoask
Deuteronomy? to be the son of David. In other words, him, “Are you the Messiah?” Of course,
I think there are. For instance, it He was to be a royal figure similar to all this interest in the coming Messiah
becomes clear towards the end of David.NowDavidwascertainlyapoliti- raises questions about Jesus. Is He the
Deuteronomy that God must devise a calandmilitaryfigure.Youonlyhaveto one who is to come? This explains why
solution so that people’s hearts and readhislifetodiscoverthathewasfully there is so much controversy surround-
mindswillbeabletokeepthelaw.This involvedinmattersofstateandwar. ing His ministry. The people of Israel
can only happen by God providing a AtthetimeofJesus,Israelwasunder were desperate to find someone who
meansofdeliverancefrompeople’ssin. Roman occupation. It was ruled by for- claimedtobetheMessiah.
Just as God had delivered the people eigners who were hostile to the Jewish
fromEgyptthroughMoses,thereneeds faith.TheJewsdeeplyresentedforeign- Was the number of people who
tobeanevenmorefundamentaldeliver- claimed to be Messiah in the first
anceofthepeoplefromtheirsin. century greater than in previous
times?You’vementionedthatitwas
A Jewish-Christian scholar by the atimeofheightenedexpectation.
nameofAlfredEdersheimsaidinhis Yes,firstcenturyIsraelwasalivewith
book,TheLifeandTimesofJesusthe Messianic expectation. It reaches even
Messiah, that more than 450 greater heights in the time of the
passagesintheOldTestamenthave EmperorGaius(Caligula),whoonceput
aMessianicapplicationandatleast apaganstatueintotheHolyofHoliesin
558 references in the ancient the Temple. I think this explains why
rabbinical writings that support The reason Matthew there was a surge of Messianic fervor
that view. This seems to suggest begins with genealogies during his reign. On the one hand, the
that the coming of the Messiah was Romanemperorswereclaimingtobring
is that anyone claiming
one of the central doctrines, if not inaruleofuniversalpeaceandprosper-
to be the Messiah had to
the central one, in the Old ity. On the other hand, the Jews were
Testament.Isit? demonstrate that he sayingthatsuchpaganrule,whateverits
Although I haven’t actually counted stood in the direct line material and political benefits, fell far
thenumberofpassagesmyself–indeed of David. short of God’s ideal rule under the
scholarswilldifferamongthemselvesas Messiah.
to the exact number of prophecies or
allusions to the Messiah there are – I Did the Roman emperors think of
thinktheideaoftheMessiahiscertainly ers ruling over them. After centuries of themselves in terms somewhat
presentintheBiblefromveryearlyon.It Babylonian, Persian, Greek and Roman similartotheMessiah?
is undoubtedly clear from the time of rule,theJewsyearnedforakingoftheir Yes, they did. Under the emperor
Abraham onwards that God is going to own. At various times in the centuries Augustus,theRomanshadbroughtuni-
reverse the fall of mankind and living leadingtoJesus’birththeyhadrevolted versal law and order to the world. The
east of Eden. Even when Israel finally against their foreign over-lords. The world had not experienced such a state
arrives in the Promised Land, the Bible Maccabean revolt was one such rebel- before and people spoke about the Pax
tellsusthatthereisstillsomethingmore lion. Romana (the Roman peace) in almost
thatisyettocome. AsfarastheJewsinJesus’timewere Messianicterms.Someofthepoetswho
Idon’tthinkthere’sanydoubtabout concerned, only a political figure quali- wrote about Augustus described him in
itthatintermsofsalvationhistory,the fied asapotentialMessiah.Thisiswhy termsthatsoundedasthoughtheycame
coming of the Messiah for the redemp- the book of Acts names two Messianic straight out of the book of Isaiah. The
tion of mankind is the central hope of pretenders in the first century who Pax Romana sounds very much like the
the Bible. While I would be more hesi- rebelled against Roman rule (Acts 5:36- Messianicpeace.
tantthanEdersheimtoidentifyaprecise 37). At this time, people naturally
numberofMessianicpassagesintheOld thoughtthatanyonewholedanuprising Apart from the fact that many
Testament,theonethingthatisclearis against the foreign occupiers must be people believed that the Messiah
that God has a final step in His plan of thepotentialMessiah.Thisexplainswhy must be a political or military
redemptionthatisyettocome–andthis Luke mentions Theudas and Judas the figure, were there any other views
stepisthearrivaloftheMessiah.When Galilean.Actually,Josephus,theJewish aboutwhotheMessiahhadtobe?
Israel was restored in 1948 there was a historian, tells us that there were more I think the critical thing for anyone
lotoftalkaboutthisatthetime. people who were leading rebellions whoclaimedtobetheMessiahwasthat
against Rome. So anyone who rose up he had to prove that he was in the lin-
Why did the majority of people in againstRomeatthisparticulartimewas eage of David. The Messiah was always
Jesus’ generation settle on the idea a potential claimant to the throne of spokenofasDavid’sson;inotherwords,
thattheMessiahhadtobeapolitical Israel. hecamefromDavid’shouseorroyalline.
ormilitaryfigure?Whatgaveriseto The Gospels tells us that there was That was crucial. As you know,
thoseexpectations? definitelyaheightenedMessianicexpec- Matthew’sGospelbeginswithageneal-
ThereasonwhypeopleinJesus’time tation at the time of Jesus’ ministry. ogy.Thereasonwhyitbeginsthiswayis
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thatanyoneclaimingtobetheMessiah ence true salvation then out hearts 44, 46). Indeed, He is at pains to show
hadtodemonstratethathestoodinthe must undergo a radical change.” The them that an essential part of the
direct line of David. Again, it was also Pharisees, on the other hand, said that Messiah’sministryisthatHeshouldsuf-
crucialthathehadtoprovethathewas man’s problems come from outside of fer. So Jesus proves conclusively to His
thepromised“seed”ofAbraham.And,of himself.Theybelievethatwecouldlive followers that He is the Christ by
course,inMatthew1Jesusgetsatickin our best lives now in the earthly king- demonstrating how He fulfills the
bothboxes. domofIsrael. propheticScriptures.
Ofcourse,wealsoseethatmiraculous
SowhydidpeopleturnonJesusand The apostle Peter seems to suggest signs are given to confirm the written
rejectHimastheirMessiah?Wasit that the most persuasive line of word.However,Peterdoesmakeitclear
thatHedidn’tfittheirstereotype? evidencethatJesusistheMessiahis that the words of the prophets are a
Well, He certainly didn’t fit their to be found in the prophetic sounder basis for a faith in Christ than
stereotype. Jesus’ ministry did not fit Scriptures.Doesthatmeanthatthe anything else, including special experi-
their expectations in the way that the divinely inspired Scriptures are a ences which may involve hearing voices
MessiahwasgoingtodeliverIsrael.Fora sounder basis for faith in Christ from heaven. When Jesus explains that
start,Jesus’diagnosisofman’sproblem HeistheMessiahtopeopleafterHisres-
was not a popular one. He tells us in urrection,Hetakesthemtothewordsof
Mark 7:14-15 that all our problems are theprophets.Ithinkthisindicatesthat
located within us, not outside us. Jesus ifwearegoingtodefendJesus’statusas
says “Nothing outside a man can make theMessiahthenthebestplacetostart
himuncleanbygoingintohim.Rather,it is with the references to Him in the
iswhatcomesoutofamanthatmakes prophets.
him unclean.” In other words, Jesus
locatestheprobleminthehumanheart. When people back away from
Nowthisviewofhumannaturewasnot looking at these Messianic
popularamongmostoftheJews.Many Some things must have prophecies and try to find evidence
ofthemdisagreedwithJesus’diagnosis forbelievingthatJesusistheChrist
been a puzzle to the
ofthehumancondition. in other areas, are they going
prophets who wrote
Then again, Jesus confronts them againsttheapostolicgrain?
them. They didn’t fully
with a proposal for a different kind of Well, to some extent they are. The
kingdomtotheonetheyweredreaming understand everything Scriptureshavetheirownuniquepower
about.TheyequatedthekingdomofGod they wrote and, indeed, whichissomethingthatChristianapolo-
with the nation of Israel. For them, gistssometimestendtoforget.TheBible
they could not have.
everythingwouldbeperfectandaccord- has its own spiritual authority and per-
ing to God’s will if a Davidic ruler suasive effect. John Calvin understood
ascended the throne and threw the this better than most. He asked the
Romans out of the country. In other thanotherthingssuchassignsand question, “How do you know that the
words, they saw their deliverance in wonders? BibleisthewordofGod?”“Well,”Calvin
purelypoliticalterms.Salvationintheir Yes, the testimony of the Scriptures said, “When you read the Bible you will
eyesmeantthattheygotabetterformof is a sounder basis for faith than so- hear God the Holy Spirit speaking to
government. calledsignsandwonders.Ifinditinter- you.TheBiblehasthisuniquepowerto
This is why so many Jews were estingin2Peter1:19-21thattheapos- addressyou.”
shocked when Jesus did not lead an tle tells us that he actually heard God’s Of course, one of the important
uprising against Rome when He came voice from heaven on one occasion thingsthatweneedtodoinapologetics
into the city of Jerusalem on Palm telling him that Jesus was God’s own is to clear away some of the common
Sunday. They thought He would seize beloved Son with whom He was well objectionsthatpeoplehavetowardsthe
powerandascendtothethrone.Instead, pleased.Inotherwords,Godwasdeclar- Bible. Here I am thinking of prejudices
withinafewshortdays,Hewasstanding ingdirectlyfromheaventhatJesuswas that may prevent them from listening.
before the judgment seat of Pontius theMessiah.However,Petergoesonto However, the real need is to get people
Pilate. say that despite the fact that he had backtoreadingtheBibleand,especially
Ithinkit’sclearthatthereasonwhy heard an audible voice from above, he inviewofPeter’scomments,readingthe
peoplerejectedJesusisthatHisdiagno- had an even more reliable testimony in many prophecies about Jesus Christ
sisofthehumanpredicamentwasnotin the prophetic word. He says, “And we thatwefindwithintheScriptures.Jesus
keeping with theirs. They had a very have something more sure, the showsushowimportantthisprocessis
superficialdiagnosisofthehumancon- prophetic word, to which you will do by going over all these prophecies with
dition, much like modern day Marxists welltopayattention.” hisdisciplesinthetimeafterhisresur-
and others. They believe that if you As far as Jesus was concerned, the rection. He shows them that “both in
changeaperson’scircumstancesandput prophetic witness in the Bible is of the the law of Moses and the Psalms, and
theminabettersituation,thenalltheir utmost importance in understanding the prophets, all that is written about
problems will disappear and they will His ministry. After Jesus’ resurrection, Mehasbeenfulfilled”(Luke24:27,45).
reach their full potential. Jesus said, HeexplainsHislife,deathandresurrec- So if we want to show people that
“No, this is simply untrue. Man’s prob- tiontoHisdisciplesfromtheScriptures JesusistheMessiah,wecantakealeaf
lemliesintheheart.Ifwearetoexperi- onseveraloccasions(Luke24:7,25,26, out of Jesus’ book by going back to the
|australian presbyterian March2011 7
m e s s i a h
text of the Old Testament and showing from a virgin. Then in 9:6 he says that the distinctive feature about the
them how the Prophets speak in great His person will be different – His name Messianicprophecies.Theyarealwaysa
detail about Him, especially His death shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, wordfromGodastowhatHeisgoingto
and resurrection. We need to be careful MightyGod,EverlastingFather,Princeof do.
thatourapologeticsdon’tsimplyconsist Peace.ThenIsaiahtellsusinchapter53
of well-constructed and sophisticated thatHisdeathwillbedifferent–Hewill Many rabbis today do not believe
argumentsfortheexistenceofGodand becrushedforouriniquities. thatJesusChristwastheMessiah.Is
omittheimportanceofthefulfillmentof there some reason for their
OldTestamentprophecy. Are you saying that His death was rejectionofhim?
unlike any other death? It didn’t Apart from the Bible, the rabbis also
Of the hundreds of prophecies that happenasanaccidentorasaresult refer to the Talmudic and Midrashic
can be found in the Old Testament ofnaturalcauses? commentaries,whichareavastbodyof
about the Messiah, some, on the Yes, that’s exactly what Isaiah is say- literature.IntheScripturesandintheir
surface at least, appear to be ing. It was not like any other death. own commentaries, they are faced with
contradictory. For example, some IsaiahsaysthatHewaswoundedforour passagesfromIsaiahthatactuallyspeak
proclaimthatHewillbeakingwho transgressions, He was bruised for our about the suffering servant. Many of
rules over an everlasting kingdom these passages are quite perplexing to
whereasotherssaythatHewillbea them.
sufferingservantwhodies.Howdo It just seems to me that they are
wereconciletheseprophecies? unable to reconcile the idea that He is
I’msuretheremusthavebeenpeople the supreme ruler with the fact of His
inIsaiah’sowndaywhowouldhavebeen sufferingsanddeath.Theycan’tputthe
scratching their heads at the time he two things together because, as Paul
wrote his prophecies. For instance, at says, the Jews seek a sign and the sign
one time he is talking about a Davidic they’reseekingisnotthesignofthecru-
king who will have an everlasting reign cifiedMessiah.TheGreeks,ontheother
and, as well, he has several prophecies hand, are looking for a salvation that
Even on the night before
that indicate that this Messianic figure appealstohumanwisdom,buttheJews
His death, the disciples
willsufferanddieforthetransgressions are all the time looking for some defin-
still hadn’t worked it
of the people. That certainly wasn’t on ing miraculous sign that will point con-
theradarofpiousandreflectiveJewsat out. And yet suddenly, clusively to Jesus as the Messiah. So
thetime,orindeed,insubsequentperi- their hermeneutic of the their writings show the confusion –
ods. they’ve lost the land, the temple –
Old Testament is com-
Nevertheless, they’re in the they’velosteverything.Theyaresearch-
pletely revolutionised.
Scriptures, and some things there must ingforanyinterpretationoftheancient
havebeenapuzzletotheprophetswho textsthatwillhelpthemtounderstand
wrote them. They didn’t fully under- their plight but their exegesis is very
stand everything they wrote and, iniquities, the chastisement that much wanting in regard to some of the
indeed,theycouldnothaveunderstood broughtuspeacewasuponHimandby texts, especially Isaiah 53, that discuss
itall.Atleast,that’stheimplicationthat hisstripeswearehealed.IthinkIsaiahis theMessiah.
the apostle Peter draws from some of makingitquiteclearthatHisdeathwas
their statements (1 Peter 1:10-12). The notduetonaturalcausesoranaccident, Were there particular reasons why
waybelievershavehandledtheseappar- butitwasdirectlyrelatedtotheforgive- Jewish scholars ignored many of
ent contradictions in the past is similar nessofoursins. their theological traditions and
tothewaythatwedealwiththemtoday. So, for me, the book of Isaiah con- actuallyturnedagainstJesus?
We take a smorgasbord approach; we tains the most significant statements Ithinksomeoftherabbishaverecog-
takethebitswelikeandsometimespass about the person and work of the nised that Jesus fulfills certain aspects
overthebitsthatwedon’tfindamenable Messiah. He points out that His birth, of the Messianic prophecies, but the
or existentially relevant at the present person and death will be three distin- whole idea of a Messiah who was hung
time. guishing features of His life and min- onthecrossisamajorproblemforthem.
istry. They ask, “How could God’s anointed
We’ve dealt with the issue of when servant be cursed by God?” It’s the
the Messiah first appeared in the Are there any special or unique offenceofthecrossthatistheproblem
Bible. Which texts in the Old features that seem to characterise formanyJewishscholars.Ofcourse,the
Testament do you think are most Messianicprophecies? Islamic world gets around the death of
determinative for the development I think the distinctive feature of Jesus by saying that it actually never
ofthenotionoftheMessiah? Messianicprophecyisthatit’sGodwho occurred. He didn’t die on a cross; He’s
The texts which hit me immediately initiatesthewholeprocess.It’snotasif just the great prophet. However, for
arealltobefoundinthebookofIsaiah. it’s initiated from below by Israel. Only Jewishscholars,theoffenceofthecross
There are three things that Isaiah says GodcansaveIsraelfromEgypt;onlyGod istheirgreatstumblingblock.Theyjust
abouttheMessiahthatareofenormous can save Israel from its enemies and can’t comprehend the atoning death of
significance.Hetellsusin7:14thatHis oppressors.Itisthisthemeofdivinesal- Jesus without the revelation of the
birthwouldbedifferent–Hewillbeborn vation–thatonlyGodcansave–that’s Spirit.
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m e s s i a h
Some people say that the early Are you saying that the 40-day That’s right. If God wants to destroy
Christians tried to impose the idea period after the resurrection was therecordssothatpeoplecan’tbeledup
of a Messiah upon the Old when Jesus helped them to thegardenpath,that’sfinebyme.
Testament so they’d have grounds understand the full meaning of the
for putting forward Jesus as the Scriptures with respect to the So in the providence of God, the
bestcandidate.What’syourviewon personandworkoftheMessiah? searchforaMessiahwasbroughtto
that? Absolutely. We learn from Luke that a screaming halt, simply by the
I think it’s a naïve suggestion. It in the 40 days after the resurrection, destruction of the temple of
ignoresthefactthatthefirstChristians Jesus opened the disciples’ minds to Jerusalem?
struggled for some time to understand understandtheScriptures(Luke24:45). Yes,that’strue.AfterChristdiedand
not only that Jesus is the Messiah, but Throughout this period He spent His wasraisedagain,thetemplehadfulfilled
also how He intended to perform His its purpose. God’s presence was no
roleasIsrael’sSaviour.Forinstance,the longer in the temple. The presence of
apostle Peter only comes to realise that GodisnowtabernacledinHisSonandin
JesusistheMessiahinMatthew16:16. thechurch.Itcan’tbefoundinanytem-
Further, Jesus reminds him that he ple. This explains why God allowed the
didn’t arrive at this conclusion on his temple and its records to be destroyed.
own, “For flesh and blood has not Everythingthattheyhadpointedtowas
revealedthistoyoubutmyFatherwhois nowfulfilledinJesusChrist.Thetemple
inheaven”(16:17).ItisclearthatJesus and genealogies no longer served any
knowswhoHeisbutevenwellintoHis usefulpurpose.
ministry, His disciples are struggling to
Jesus showed them how
understand exactly how He is meant to How did the early Christians prove
fulfill the Messianic hopes of the Old all the Old Testament thatJesuswastheMessiah?
Testament. Scriptures testified Well, they followed the method of
Again, even after His death, Jesus’ about Him. All they scriptural interpretation that they
disciplesstillhadnotputallthepiecesof learnt from Jesus. He showed them
had to do was look at
the puzzle together. Luke tells us that how all the Old Testament Scriptures
the way that Jesus
whilesomeofthemwereontheroadto testifiedaboutHim.Alltheyhadtodo
Emmaus, they were discussing how it interpreted the texts. was look at the way that Jesus inter-
waspossiblethattheMessiahshoulddie preted the texts that spoke about the
toredeemHispeople. Messiah, and how those verses that
Ifinditmostinterestingthatnoneof they had previously ignored were now
the disciples expect Jesus to die, even timewiththemexplaininghowthelaw, fulfilled in the person of Christ. From
when they discover He’s the Messiah. the prophets and the psalms were ful- the post resurrection period onwards,
Perhaps this explains why Jesus con- filledinHim.Inparticular,Heexplained theapostlestooktheOldTestamentas
stantly reinforces the point that as the the necessity of His sufferings and the basis for their proclamation and
Christ,Hemustalsosufferanddie.Even death,Hisresurrectionandthemessage defense of Jesus as the Messiah. In
onthenightbeforeHisdeath,theystill oftheGospelthathadtobeproclaimed doingso,theyinterpreteditinthesame
hadn’tworkeditout.Andyetsuddenly, to all the nations. So in this 40-day wayasJesusdid.Theydidnotengagein
in the post-resurrection period, their period, He sorts everything out. He individual interpretations. They pre-
hermeneutic of the Old Testament is givesthemthedefinitiveinterpretation sented the interpretation that Jesus
completely revolutionised. How do we ofHisministryastheMessiah. gaveandtaught.
accountforthis?IthastobethatJesus
explained to them quite exhaustively With the destruction of Jerusalem If Jesus is the Messiah, how should
whytheMessiahwouldsuffer.Onlythen in AD 70, along with all its werespond?
do they begin to understand that the genealogical records, has it been The first thing that we should do is
Christshouldsufferandonthethirdday possible since that time to prove submit to His rule, deny ourselves
risefromthedead. anyone else has a better claim to everydayandtakeupourcross.To“take
Sotheideathattheyplannedtofoist beingMessiahthanJesus? up our cross” means we must be like a
theirownunderstandingoftheMessiah No.Whenthetemplewasdestroyed, person who’s coming to the end of
upontheOldTestamentandproclaimed so were all its records. Since that time, his/herlife.Ourlifeonearthisnotthe
Jesus as the candidate who best fitted no one has been ableto show from the ultimatereality;ourultimatedestinyis
the description is simply not borne out ancientrecordsthattheycomefromthe either heaven or hell. They’re the reali-
by any of the evidence. What the New lineofDavid.EvenatthetimeofJesus, tiesthatmatter,notthepresentone.
Testament reveals is that the disciples and in the years following, there were Second,wemustfollowHimbecause
didnothaveaclearunderstandingofthe people who rose up against Rome and Christhasdiedforoursins.That’show
roleoftheMessiahupuntilthetimeof made Messianic claims. But as far as I weshouldrespond.It’samazingthatthe
hisresurrection.Theviewthattheyhad know,nonecouldactuallyestablishthey remedy of mankind’s problem is initi-
an elaborate strategy to put forward wereofthehouseandlineageofDavid. atedbyGodwhoallowsHisonlySonto
Jesusasthecandidatewhomostclosely bedeliveredupforoursins.Thismeans
fulfilledalltheBiblicaldatacan’tbesus- So it’s been a theological imposs- thateveryChristianneedstobeadisci-
tained. ibilityeversince? pleofJesus. ap
|australian presbyterian March2011 9
m e s s i a h
Undercover boss
Jesus is everywhere in the Psalms, but sometimes disguised.
JaredHood
J
esus was the first undercover Secondly, Psalms 1 and 2 are intro-
boss. So says a church sign ductory Psalms. We read the whole
near where I live. It is a Psalterthroughthislens.WhatisPsalm
Christmasmessage,butwhata 2 about? It is about the “Son”, who is
greatdescriptionofJesusinthePsalms. overtly called “My Messiah” (or “My
In the Psalms, Jesus is the undercover Anointed One”, v. 2 – a substantive
boss! adjective). He is also the King (v. 6)
TheChurchhasalwaysbelievedthat within the terms of the Davidic
the Psalms speak about the Messiah covenant(v.7).ThisKingwilljudgethe
What would be the point
(theChrist),buthowandwheredothey nations, but saves all those who put
speak about Him? There are two views of a text having a theirtrustinHim(v.12).
atlarge:apopularandanacademicone. hidden, divine meaning? WhoistheKingofthewholePsalter,
Popularly, many think only a select God declares the future then?IsitDavid?Psalm2saysitisthe
group of Psalms are about the Christ. Messiah.Thetermking,andthetheme
openly and in advance.
The Psalms so cited in the New ofreigningandjudging,arethetriggers
Testament are Messianic. Psalm 22 for us to see that a Psalm is about the
standsout.“MyGod,myGod,whyhave victorious Messiah. When we come to
you forsaken me,” Jesus said from the thelightoftheresurrection. the“King”ofPsalm45,weknowitisthe
cross. The psalm prophetically adds, Somewillsay,Godmeansmorebya Messiah. Furthermore, we are stunned
“They pierced my hands and my feet”; text than what the human author when we see that the Psalm also says
“Mybonesareoutofjoint”;“Theydivide meant.Davidmeantonething,butGod that this King is God! The Messiah is
mygarmentsamongthem”. meantsomethingextra.Thisisthesen- divine! (See Heb. 1:8. Cf. Ps. 102:25-27
Calamity strikes, though, with the susplenior. Atexthasa“fullermeaning”. and Heb. 1:10-12. God, the Lord, the
complexity of Psalm 69, for example. Sensuspleniorisanalienprinciplein Creator,istheSon.)
The New Testament uses both verses 9 evangelical thought. The Reformation
T
and 21 of Christ. “Zeal for your house wasbuiltonaliteralreadingofthetext hirdly, we readily take Psalm 22 as
has consumed Me” and “For my thirst (withdueregardforgenre).ABibletext Messianic. The New Testament
they gave me vinegar to drink”. But will have many, rich applications, but teaches us this, but also we know that
whatofverse5?“Mysinsarenothidden stillonlyonemeaning. Daviddidnotgothroughthetorments
fromyou”?Christdidnotsin!Howcan What would be the point of a text that the Psalm describes. When were
Psalm 69 be Messianic? The popular having a hidden, divine meaning? God David’s garments divided by lot? This
view is not robust enough to cope. We declares the future openly and in Psalm is so embarrassingly prophetic,
needtoknowmorethanwhichtextsare advance (Isa. 41:22-26), not in a code that some medieval Jewish scribes
Messianic. We need to know how they thatwehavetowait1000yearstocrack. amendedthetext:“Likealionmyhands
areMessianic. If God’s voice does not equate with the and feet”! The discovery of the ancient
Some academics have recently prophets’ voices, how would we ever DeadSeaScrollsputflighttothatfancy.
claimed a solution. No Psalms are know what He was saying? The whole “Theypiercedmyhandsandfeet”.
Messianic. They were originally only purposeofScriptureisforGodtocom- WhyquarantinethethemesofPsalm
about King David and his heirs. The municate through human beings to 22 to that Psalm alone? The righteous
Jews invented Messianic belief quite human beings, in the ordinary manner suffererappearsthroughoutthePsalter.
late, it is said. Under the thumb of the of human beings. Hence the incarna- Sufferingisanothertriggerforustosee
GreeksandRomans,theybegantolong tion. that the Messiah is in view. A friend
for a royal saviour. They re-read the Which psalms are Messianic, then? betraysHim–evenonewithwhomHe
Psalmstomatchtheirhope. More importantly, how is Christ the atebread(41:9).This,too,isaboutthe
Jesusandtheapostlesfollowedsuit, undercoverbossofthePsalms? Christ. We thought these were David’s
wearetold.PetertaughtthatPsalm16 First, the New Testament cites at sufferings,butwerealisewearelooking
was about the resurrection of Christ leastPsalms2,8,16,22,34,40,41,45, attheChrist.
(Acts 2:25-31. David was a prophet, no 68, 69, 102, 109, 110 and 118 as This brings us back to the question.
less). However, Psalm 16 is clearly only Messianic. This is just the start of the HowcanPsalm69beabouttheChrist,
about David. Peter was re-reading it in journey. sinceitcontainsaconfessionofsinfrom
10|australian presbyterian March2011