Messianic prophecy in Christianity

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Many Christians[citation needed] believe that the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) contains certain messianic prophecies of Jesus, or references that predict the coming of Jesus, being written well before his birth. Some of these claims result from statements in the New Testament in which Jesus is said to fulfil a prophecy in the Old Testament, and others are not mentioned in the New Testament, but nevertheless believed by many Christians to be prophecies of the coming of Jesus.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Commonly cited messianic prophecies

[edit] Isaiah 53 (The Suffering Servant)

Main article: Isaiah 53

Isaiah 53 is probably the most famous example of a messianic prophecy claimed by Christians. It speaks of a sinless man known as the "suffering servant" who will "atone" for his people's sins. By his voluntary suffering, he will save sinners from Yahweh's punishment. Jesus is said to fulfill this prophecy,[1] although Jewish scholars argue that the suffering servant is actually Israel.[2] The following verse from Isaiah 53:5 is understood by Christians to speak of Jesus:

5But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

[edit] Zechariah 12:10

Zechariah 12:10 is another verse commonly cited by Christian authors as a messianic prophecy as interpreted by the Gospel writers. [3]

“And they shall look upon him whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for an only son; and they shall grieve over him, as the manner is to grieve for the death of the firstborn.”

The Gospel writers make reference to this prophecy when referring to the crucifixion of Jesus, as can be seen in the following account from the book of John:

“So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Jesus; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water… For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of him shall be broken.’ And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look on him whom they have pierced’” (John 19: 32-37).

[edit] Daniel 9:24-27

“Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a Most Holy. 25. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an Anointed, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. 26. And after the sixty-two weeks, an Anointed shall be cut off, and shall have nothing; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war; desolations are decreed. 27. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week; and for half of the week he shall cause sacrifice and offering to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator” (Daniel 9: 24-27).

According to Christians, the references to “most holy”, "anointed" and "prince" speak of Jesus, while the phrase “anointed shall be cut off” points to his crucifixion, and the “people of the prince who is to come” are the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. [4]

Verse 27. “And he shall make a strong covenant with many” – i.e., “…this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26: 28). The messiah will “cause sacrifice and offering to cease;” – i.e., by his sacrifice upon the cross, Jesus abolished all the sacrifices of the Torah.

Finally, verse 27 mentions the “horrible abomination” or “abomination of desolation,” to which Jesus refers at Matthew 24: 15. “So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the prophet Daniel…” This abomination was the Roman army, which surrounded and destroyed Jerusalem.

[edit] Hosea 11:1

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Because Israel pre-figured Christ, Christian authors point to the apostle Matthew's application of this text from Hosea to the calling of the Christ child out of Egypt as a messianic prophecy. [5] “An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt have I called my son’” (Matthew 2: 13-15).

[edit] Isaiah 9:1

The use of Isaiah 9:1 by the Gospel author of Matthew has lead many Christian authors to cite its messianic applications. [6]

“But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.”

The apostle Matthew refers to this, since Jesus began his public mission in Galilee.

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth he went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulon and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: ‘The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned’” (Matthew 4: 15-16).

[edit] Isaiah 7:14

The concept of Isaiah's Immanuel is one that Christian authors have used in the context of the Christmas narrative as well as in study of its application to messianic prophecy. [7]

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold a young woman [LXX: virgin] shall conceive, and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.”

The fulfilment of this prophecy is spoken of when the angel Gabriel declared to the Virgin Mary, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus… For with God nothing will be impossible” (Luke 1: 31, 37).

More explicitly, the birth of Jesus is connected directly with Isaiah’s prophecy, in the Gospel according to Matthew. “‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit…’ All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1: 20, 22-23).

[edit] Zechariah 9:9

Christian authors have interpreted Zechariah 9:9 as a prophecy of an act of messianic self-humiliation. [8]

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass.”

The messiah will come in lowliness. See the apostle John’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. “And they cried out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ And Jesus found a young ass and sat upon it; as it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on an ass’s colt!’” (John 12: 13-15)

[edit] Micah 5:2

While near the end of Micah's prophecy on the Babylonian captivity, Christian scholars have interpreted the text as a messianic prophecy that Christ would be born in Bethlehem. [9]

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrata, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.”

Bethlehem-Ephrata is the tiny city and clan from which comes the ancient Davidic dynasty with its messianic King. Hence the debate recorded in the book of John: “Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?’ So there was a division among the people over Jesus” (John 7: 41-43).

Yet the mother of Jesus gave birth to him in Bethlehem, as recorded at Luke 2: 1-7. That is why the Church of the Nativity is in Bethlehem; it was built on the site where Jesus was born.

“Assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, king Herod inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel’” (Matthew 2: 4-6).

[edit] Psalm 2

Psalm 2 has been noted by Christian authors for it messianic features that were interpreted by the authors of Acts and Hebrews as relating to Christ. [10] “Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? 2. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his Anointed, saying, 3. ‘Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.’ 4. He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision. 5. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 6. ‘I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.’ 7. I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said thttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Messianic_prophecies_of_Jesus&action=edit&section=10o me, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you. 8. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel’” (Psalm 2: 1-9).

Verse 2. “Anointed” – in Hebrew mashiah, “anointed”; in Greek christos, whence English Messiah and Christ.

Verse 7. The LORD is the messiah’s father.

As for kings and rulers setting themselves against the Christ, both Herod and Pontius Pilate set themselves against Jesus, whom God had anointed, according to Acts 4: 25-27.

Acts 13: 33 interprets Jesus’ rising from the dead as confirmation of verse 7 (“You are my son, today I have begotten you”).

Hebrews 1: 5 employs verse 7 in order to argue that Jesus is superior to the angels, i.e., Jesus is superior as a mediator between God and man. “For to what angel did God ever say, Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee?”

[edit] Psalm 110

Christian authors have interpreted Pslam 110 as a messianic passage n light of several New Testament passages. [11] “A psalm of David. The Lord says to my lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.’ 2. The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty sceptre: ‘Rule in the midst of your foes! 3. With you is sovereignty in the splendour of holiness on the day of your birth: before the morning star, like the dew, I have begotten you.’ 4. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’ 5. The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. 6. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will crush heads over the wide earth. 7. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.”

Verse 1. The messiah will be David’s son, and will be lifted up, over his enemies, to the Lord God’s right hand. David, however, calls the messiah “my lord.” Hence, “while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, ‘What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David in the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet? If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?’ And no one was able to answer him a word” (Matthew 22: 41-46). So David’s son is David’s Lord. Jesus makes a claim to divinity: although he is the messiah, the son of David, David recognized the messiah as ‘Lord.’

Also of note is what Paul says of Jesus, namely, that “he must reign, until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15: 25).

Verse 3. Before the morning star, like the dew, I have begotten you. The relationship between the Lord God and the messiah: God has begotten the messiah before the morning star, i.e., before the world began. Hence Jesus says, “Father, glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world was made” (John 17: 5).

Verse 4. The New Testament letter to the Hebrews connects Jesus to the priest Melchizedek. “Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee’; as he says also in another place, ‘Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek.’ For Jesus, in the days of his flesh, offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5: 5-10).

The argument in Hebrews, chapter 7 should be read. One point to highlight is that the priesthood of Melchizedek foreshadowed the priesthood of Jesus. The sacred scriptures do not mention Melchizedek’s father, mother, genealogy, birth, or death. So Melchizedek prefigured Jesus, the eternal priest. Since Jesus always lives, he has no successor. He is a priest forever.

It is also interesting that Jesus used bread and wine at the Last Supper; while bread and wine are mentioned in connection with Melchizedek in Genesis 14: 18.

Verse 7. The Messiah refreshes himself with a drink from a wayside torrent. That is, the divine help will always aid the Messiah.

[edit] Psalm 16

The interpretation of Psalm 16 as a messanic prophecy is common among Christian evangelical hermeneutics. [12] “I bless the Lord who has given me understanding, because even in the night, my heart warns me. I keep the Lord always within my sight; for he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. For this reason my heart is glad and my soul rejoices; moreover, my body also will rest secure, for thou wilt not leave my soul in the abode of the dead, nor permit thy holy one to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life, the fullness of joys in thy presence, and delights at thy right hand forever” (verses 7-11).

According to the preaching of Peter, this prophecy is about the messiah’s triumph over death, i.e., the resurrection of Jesus.

“God raised Jesus up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken… For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption… Thou wilt make me full of gladness with thy presence.’ Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it” (Acts 2: 24-32).

Also of note is what Paul said in the synagogue at Antioch. “And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he spoke in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he also says in another psalm, ‘Thou wilt not let thy Holy One see corruption.’ For David, after he had served the counsel of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and saw corruption; but he whom God raised up saw no corruption” (Acts 13: 34-37).

[edit] Psalm 34:20

Christian writers have used John's allusion to Psalm 34:20 as an example of a messanic psalm. [13]

“Many are the afflictions of the just man; but the Lord delivers him from all of them. He guards all his bones: not even one of them shall be broken.”

The Gospel explains how this prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus’ crucifixion.

“So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with Jesus; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water… For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of him shall be broken.’ And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look on him whom they have pierced’” (John 19: 32-37).

[edit] Psalm 22

Psalm 22 has been particularly noted for its messianic character and is considered by Christian authors to be a key prophecy of Christ’s Passion from which Jesus himself quoted from while he was dying on the cross. [14] From the cross, Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” These words of Jesus were a quotation of the ancient Psalm 22 (written by David, Jesus’ forefather, 10th century B.C.). David, in Psalm 22, foretold the sufferings of the messiah. E.g., “I am a worm and no man, the reproach of men and the outcast of the people. All who see me, laugh me to scorn, they draw apart their lips, and wag their heads: ‘He trusts in the Lord: let him free him, let him deliver him if he loves him.’ Stand not far from me, for I am troubled; be thou near at hand: for I have no helper… Yea, dogs are round about me; a company of evildoers encircle me; they have pierced my hands and feet – I can count all my bones – they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my raiment they cast lots” (Psalm 22: 7-19).

[edit] Psalm 69:21

"They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" Christians believe that this verse refers to Jesus' time on the cross in which he was given a sponge soaked in vinegar to drink, as seen in Matthew 27:34, Mark 15:23, and John 19:29.[15] Jewish scholars, however, argue that reading further in the Psalm reveals that the psalmist is referring to someone different altogether. [16]

[edit] References

  1. ^ George Dahl Journal of Biblical Literature Vol. 57, No. 1 (Mar., 1938) requires subscription for full content
  2. ^ Joel E. Rembaum Harvard Theological Review Vol. 75, No. 3 (Jul., 1982) requires subscription for full content
  3. ^ Richard H. Hiers Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 90, No. 1 (Mar., 1971) Requires subscription for full content
  4. ^ Tim Meadowcroft Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 120, No. 3 (Autumn, 2001) Requires subscription for full content
  5. ^ John H. Sailhamer Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 44/1 (March 2001)
  6. ^ J. M. Powis Smith American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 40, No. 4 (Jul., 1924) Requires subscription for full content
  7. ^ Edward E. Hindson Grace Journal 10.3 (Fall, 1969)
  8. ^ George Livingstone Robinson American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 12, No. 1/2 (Oct., 1895 - Jan., 1896) Requires subscription for full content
  9. ^ W. Muss-Arnolt Biblical World, Vol. 9, No. 6 (Jun., 1897) Requires subscription for full content
  10. ^ Marco Treves Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 15, Fasc. 1 (Jan., 1965) Requires subscription for full content
  11. ^ Herbert W. Bateman IV Bibliotheca Sacra 149 (Oct. 1992)
  12. ^ Darrell L. Bock Bibliotheca Sacra 142 (July, 1985)
  13. ^ Ray Pritchard What A Christian Believes: An Easy to Read Guide to Understanding chapter 3 Crossway Books ISBN 1-58134-016-8
  14. ^ Mark H. Heinemann BIBLIOTHECA SACRA 147 (July 1990)
  15. ^ James Montgomery Boice and Philip Graham Ryken The Heart of the Cross pg 13 Crossway Books ISBN 1-58134-678-6
  16. ^ G. Vall Shofar: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies - Volume 21, Number 4, Summer 2003 Requires subscription for full access

[edit] Further reading

  • Dr. Herbert Lockyer All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible Zondervan 1988 ISBN 0-310-28091-5
  • Nelson Reference Guides Find It Fast Messianic Prophecies Fulfilled In Jesus Christ Nelson Reference 2001 ISBN 0-7852-4754-8
  • Charles A. Briggs Messianic Prophecy: The Prediction of the Fulfilment of Redemption Through the Messiah

Wipf & Stock Publishers 2005 ISBN 1-59752-292-9

  • Edward Riehm Messianic Prophecy: Its Origins, Historical Growth and Relation to New Testament Fulfillment Kessinger Publishing 2006 ISBN 1-4254-8411-5
  • Aaron Kligerman Old Testament Messianic Prophecy Zondervan 1957 ASIN B000GSNPMQ

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Christian and Evangelical analysis


Skeptical and Critical analysis


Jewish analysis

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