Messianic Thread - Intro

Unraveling the Messianic Thread

Bible Passage: John 5:39–40; Acts 17:11; Luke 24:27; Nehemiah 8:8; Colossians 3:16; Ezra 7:10; Acts 8:35; Romans 15:4; Psalm 119:18; Acts 18:24–28; Luke 16:29

Messiah is a transliteration of the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ māšîaḥ or Messiah, anointed one. Its first use for a person is found in 1 Samuel 2:10 in Hannah’s prayer. It refers to a person who is ‘anointed with oil’. This anointed person could be a priest, a king, or the King of Kings. Jesus is called, the Anointed One, the Christ, and the Messiah. These all translate that same word in English, Greek, and Hebrew and they are interchangeable. We would like to trace the thread of the Messiah through the Bible. We start with a statement by Jesus about the veracity of the Old Testament record concerning Him.

1. Search the Scriptures for Christ

John 5:39–40 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.”

Jesus was speaking to some Jews who were searching the Scriptures for ways to attaining eternal life. Their though naturally went to the Law and obedience to the smallest part. They searched for some tiny aspect of the Law they may have missed in order to say that they were good obedient Jews.

Jesus rebukes them because while they looked for insignificant rules to obey, they overlooked the many prophetic utterances that would have led them to Christ.

The Scriptures all point to Jesus, highlighting His words that eternal life is found through believing in Him. This chain of Old and New Testament verses we are calling the Messianic Thread.

2. Study with Berean Zeal

Acts 17:11 “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

Who were these Bereans? They were Jewish unbelievers. They were blessed to be visited by the Apostle Paul, who brought them the ‘good news’. Acts 17:11 calls them more fair-minded than the Thessalonians. The word ‘fair-minded’ in Greek is εὐγενής eugenes it means well born, or noble. Here it speaks of their attitude towards hearing the Word. They eagerly received the Word preached by Paul.

The Bereans diligently studied Scripture to verify the truthfulness of Paul's message about Jesus. They were studying the Messianic Thread. Paul said something about Christ and they went to their Old Testament Scriptures to see if it were true. That’s noble.

3. Sight on the Emmaus Road (Lk 24:13-32)

Luke 24:27 “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”

Luke 24:32 “And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?””

Jesus walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus revealing the messianic prophecies about Himself throughout Scripture.

The Greek word for expounded is διερμηνεύω from the root ἑρμηνεύω or hermeneuo where we get the term hermeneutics the science of Bible interpretation.

διερμηνεύω - to explain thoroughly, expand, by implication - to translate

(dia = through hermeneuo = interpret {hermeneutics})

How did Jesus do this? He took the Old Testament and He showed through specific verses where it looked forward to Him. He opened and expounded on prophesies, types, inferences and personages. He used the Bible to explain Himself and His mission. He left the disciples with burning hearts, a deeper understanding, and desire to seek more.

4. Scripture Inspires Understanding

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

All Scripture has a purpose to deliver us through patience, comfort and hope. The O.T. was written to lead us to understanding Who was the Messiah and what He expects of us. That we might have hope.

Nehemiah 8:8 “So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.”

Discernment is needed to connect the dots of the Messianic Thread. This is the work of the evangelist, teacher, and anyone who wants to know Jesus deeper.

Anointing is the work of the Holy Spirit that prepares the heart (Ezra 7:10) and opens eyes (Ps 119:18).

5. How to Share Christ from Scripture

Acts 2:14-39 - Peter’s First Sermon quotes three O.T. verses Psalms 16:8-11 and Ps 68:18 and Ps 110:1 all Messianic references to Jesus. He qualifies them by saying the David was a prophet (Acts 2:30) and had been given the Davidic Covenant connecting Jesus to the Seed of David another Messianic Thread.

Acts 8:35 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.”

This passage serves as a reminder to echo Philip’s simplicity and clarity in proclaiming the prophetic Jesus from the Scriptures.

Acts 18:24–28 “24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. 27 And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”

Here is the example of Apollos a seasoned preacher that still had something to learn. The husband and wife team or Aquila and Priscilla took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Privately and thoroughly without distractions.