Jesus Messiah

The Messiah

The Jewish leaders looked forward to the coming Messiah. He was going to lead them to freedom from the oppressive reign of Rome. The had been under the control of the Roman Empire from about 63 BC So roughly about 90 years and in their mind when the Messiah came He would free them. Where they wrong to think that? I don’t believe so. Remember God has been silent for about 400 years, so all they have to go on is the Old Testament texts.

Lets take a look at one of the main texts where they get this impression of the messiah being this conquering millitary leader, who would over throw the great Roman Empire and usher in peace for Israel. Psalm 110

1 The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 2 The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!”

3 Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. 6 He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. 7 He will drink from a brook along the way, and so he will lift his head high.

Two things i want you to notice is 1

 The LORD says to my lord:

1. In verse 1 King David writes what we read as lord twice. However, they are not the same word in the Hebrew. The first LORD if you notice is written in all capital letters. In your Bible it’ll be written as a big capital L and smaller capital ORD. This is translated from the word

יהוה (yhwh): Yahweh

This is the proper name of God revealed to Moses in Exodus. The other use of lord is name the same in the Hebrew this word is

ădōnāy (אָדוֹן)

Which means lord or master often used in a divine sense. So basically what David is saying is Yahweh said to my lord.

The second thing i want you to notice in these verses is the use of military and victory language. Here are some examples

Enemies a footstool

extend your mighty scepter

Rule in the midst of your enemies

He will crush kings

crushing rulers of the whole Earth

This is how the religious leaders of Jesus’ day thought the messiah would come. We know today it didn’t quite work the way they thought it would.

The people thought Jesus the Messiah, as we’ve seen by their reaction at the triumphal entry. However, the religious leaders saw a homeless Rabbi who challenged their way of life and teachings. They have tried to trap Jesus into saying the wrong things, however that plans has backfired and the last thing we read in the book of Mark is, “from then on no one dared to ask him anymore questions.” That brings us up to date and back to the book of mark. We’ll be looking at Mark 12 35-40

35 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David?

36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight

Jesus turns the table on them so to speak. The teachers of the Law knew rightly that the Messiah would be from the lineage of David making him human, however they missed the divinity of the Messiah, as they would still David with a superior position calling the Messiah “son of David” Jesus baffles them with the verses we looked at earlier from Psalm 110 and the crowd still being on Jesus’ side delights in the fact that Jesus silences them. Though they are not completely wrong the Messiah would come from the line of David as Written in isaiah 9

Isaiah 9:6–7 (ESV)

6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Jesus leaves them with the question, how can David himself call his own decendent lord? A question they can give no answer to.

Jesus, after likely tarnishing these teachers of the law, reputations as the subject matter experts on all things Messiah, then warns the people about these teachers.

The New International Version (Chapter 12)

38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces,

39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

It was likely not all the Religious leaders were corrupted by the power and money they yielded for their position. We can see this with Nicodemus in the book of John. The Knew the scriptures better than anyone, They could likely recite any part of the Old testament you asked them to without difficulty. They the Laws and all the words and warnings of the profits, but chose a life of ease, that included power , fame and fortune.

They demanded respect, making sure they were seen by the masses as they walked around. They had to be be guests of honor at all the events they attended. They took advantage, financially, of widows bleeding their them dry of what was left to them by their husbands who had passed away. Rather than hepl them and take care of them the essentially robbed them. Finally their prayers were very long a repetitive. Jesus tells us these men would be punished the most severe. That seems harsh, at least they are sharing Gods word right?

The thing is they knew the scriptures and cherry picked the things they liked. Verses that showed that those who have Gods favor would be prosperous. Such as:

The New International Version Chapter 29

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

The New International Version Chapter 1

8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Jerimiah 29:11 was sent to the profit to remind Israel that he hasn’t forgetten about them in captivity and He still has a plan for them.

Joshua 1:8 Was given to Joshua as he was replacing Moses. The point is we must read and read God’s word as a whole.

I believe their hearts were hard too. They had all the knowledge, influence, and resource anyone could ask for to do the work of the Lord But they Chose selfish ambition.

Shiny things are often just bait to lure in the unsuspecting prey.

Not to say we can’t have nice things but remember 1 peter 5:8

The New International Version Chapter 5

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Over the years of silence the Jewish leaders had let their guard down and created a set of man made traditions that profited themselves. Deeming themselves worthy as keepers of the Law.

Back to verses 35-38

Jesus shut them up after answering all their questions earlier on and then makes them look inadequate as a Bible scholars with his question about David calling the messiah lord when the messiah was to be a descendant of David called a son of David. They did not see or know who or what the Messiah would fully be like they only knew one part of what the Messiah would do.

OK so let me try to bring this all together. These are the takeaways i want you to walk away with.

1. Always read scripture in context.

Read and try to understand a verse or verses based on the authors intended purpose. Not injecting our own thoughts and preconceived ideas of what scripture should say.

Allow Scripture to interpret scripture. Ask what else does the bible say about a subject. Remember the bible is inspired by the holy Spirit and will likely have multiple verses on a subject giving us a bigger picture.

2 Allow God to examine your heart and reveal any areas you may be falling short.

Often we don’t see our less blatant and obvious sins and short comings. We need to allow the Holy Spirit who dweels within all believers to speak to, show, and convict us where we are failing. It’s not hard to fall into the trap of doing all the right things, to look good to outside people but our hearts are hard and we are pushing the Spirit down, trying to distance ourselves from God, as if that were possible.

3. Know who Jesus is. Don’t limit him to one or two attributes that make you feel comfortable.

Jesus is more than we can imagine, and many only look at one aspect of who Jesus is. Maybe, its Jesus’ love, or kindness, or forgiveness. but the truth is He is so much more than that.

here is just some things that describe who Jesus is.

Jesus is Love and Justice

Jesus is Master and Servant

Jesus is Conquering King and the Sacrificial Lamb

Jesus was there at the beginning and will be there at the end. Alpha and Omega

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

Jesus is the Word of God, the Son of God, He is God.

Jesus is Lord and Savior.

Jesus Is fully human and fully God

These are just some things the bible tells us about Jesus but there are so many more things we should know about Him.

The Bible tells us everything we need to know about Him.

The first step to know Jesus is to make a choice today. Jesus already Chose you all you have to do is accept, surrender your life to Him. He is standing with open arms waiting for you to run to him. If you have question, need prayer or are ready to take that leap of faith into the arms of Jesus there will be a few of us in the back.

Pray