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One day
Jesus of Nazareth asked His disciples who they said He was, and Peter answered
that He was the Christ of God, and Jesus commended Peter for his answer. Here
is what Matthew wrote: “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And
they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others,
Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I
am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the
living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon
Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:13-19). |
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We also
believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ of God. What does
the word Christ mean? Christ
derives from the Greek word Christos,
which means ‘the Anointed One’. But there is another word which has the same
meaning, that is, Messiah, which derives from the Hebrew word Mashiach. So we can say that Jesus of
Nazareth is the Christ and also that He is the Messiah. |
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Why do we
believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ or the Messiah?
Because in Him were fulfilled the things God had foretold about the Anointed
One through the prophets of old, who lived centuries before the birth of
Jesus. |
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God,
through the prophets of old, had predicted many things about the Anointed
One: His virgin birth, the place where He would be born, the place where He
would be brought up, His ministry, His way of life, His sufferings, His
death, His resurrection and His ascension to heaven, and other things. And
when the fullness of the time came, He brought them to pass: they were
fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, the son (as was supposed) of Joseph the son
of Jacob. That’s why we believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth is the
Christ or the Messiah. Now let’s see the predictions the prophets had made
about the Messiah and how they were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. |
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He would be born in Bethlehem
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The
Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah, the city of David, for the
prophet Micah had said: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among
the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is
to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting” (Micah 5:2). |
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Jesus was
born in Bethlehem of Judah, as it is written: “Now when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise
men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the
Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and
scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be
born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written
by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least
among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall
rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men,
enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to
Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when
ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they
saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the
young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great
joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with
Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened
their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and
myrrh” (Matthew 2:1-11) and again: “And it came to pass in those days, that
there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be
taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went
up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of
David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of
David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And
so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she
should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him
in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for
them in the inn” (Luke 2:1-7). |
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He would be born of a virgin
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The Messiah
would be born of a virgin, for the prophet Isaiah had said: “Behold, a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah
7:14). |
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Mary the
mother of Jesus conceived Jesus in her womb through the Holy Spirit, before she
and Joseph (to whom she had been pledged to be married) came together. Here
is the story of the birth of Jesus according to the Gospel written by Matthew
and that written by Luke. Matthew says: "Now the birth of Jesus Christ
was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they
came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her
husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was
minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son
of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and
you shall call His name JESUS, for he will save His people from their sins'.
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord
through the prophet, saying: 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and
bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel', which is translated, 'God
with us'. Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord
commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had
brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS" (Matthew
1:18-25 - NKJV), and Luke says: “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was
sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to
a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was
Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly
favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she
saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of
salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for
thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy
womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give
unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto
the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered
and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be
born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin
Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the
sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be
impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. …. And so it was,
that, while they were there [that is, in Bethlehem of Judah], the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her
firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a
manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 1:26-38; 2:6-7). |
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He would be called out of Egypt
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God
foretold through the prophet Hosea that the Messiah would be called out of
Egypt: “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of
Egypt” (Hosea 11:1). |
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Jesus,
when He was a child, was taken to Egypt by Joseph, His putative father, and
then after some time He was brought back to Israel. Here is what Matthew
wrote: “The [an] angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying,
Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be
thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to
destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night,
and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out
of Egypt have I called my son. …. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel
of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take
the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are
dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young
child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard
that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was
afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he
turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city
called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,
He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23) |
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He would descend from David
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The
Messiah would descend from David, for the prophet Isaiah had said: “And there
shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse [the father of David], and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest
upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and
might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:1-2),
and the prophet Jeremiah confirmed this with the following words: “Behold,
the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous
Branch…..” (Jeremiah 23:5). |
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Jesus was
a descendant of David, for Joseph, the putative father of Jesus, was of the
house of David. According to the Gospel written by Matthew, the angel of the
Lord who appeared to Joseph in a dream (to tell him not to be afraid to take
to him Mary his wife, for that which was conceived in her was of the Holy
Spirit) called him “son of David” (Matthew 1:20), and according to the Gospel
written by Luke, “Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because
he was of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4 - NKJV). That’s why Jesus
is called “the Son of David” (Matthew 1:1) because - as Paul says to the
Romans – He “was born of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans
1:3 - NKJV). |
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He would be called the Son of God and would reign
over the house of Jacob
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According
to the prophet Isaiah, who spoke by the Spirit of God, the Messiah would be
called the Son of God and would reign over the House of Jacob. Here is what
he said: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of
Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish
it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of
the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Note that the prophet
said, ‘Unto us a son is given’, for with these words God predicted that the
Messiah would be called His Son. God foretold through David the same thing,
that is to say, that the Messiah would be His Son and would reign over the
house of Jacob, for He said to David concerning the Messiah: “I will be his
father, and he shall be my son” (2 Samuel 7:14), and again: “One of your own
descendants I will place on your throne” (Psalm 132:11 - NIV). |
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As we saw
before, the angel Gabriel, when he appeared to Mary the mother of Jesus, said
to her, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son
of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father
David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33). Jesus Himself stated that He
was both the Son of God and the King of the Jews. When the members of the
Jewish council asked Him, “Are You then the Son of God?” He said to them,
“You rightly say that I am” (Luke 22:70 – NKJV), and when Pilate the governor
asked Him if He was the King of the Jews, He answered him, “It is as you say”
(Matthew 27:11 – NKJV). |
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He existed before His conception
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As we saw
before, the prophet Isaiah said about the Messiah: “Unto us a son is given”
(Isaiah 9:6) and the prophet Micah said: ”But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he
come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have
been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Therefore the Messiah
existed before His conception. |
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On several
occasions Jesus asserted His preexistence before His conception. Here are
some of His words which assert His preexistence: “For I came down from
heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John
6:38); “What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was
before?” (John 6:62); “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the
world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father” (John 16:28); “And
now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had
with thee before the world was” (John 17:5). John the Baptist (who was six
months older than Jesus) said to the Jews about Jesus: “This was he of whom I
spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me”
(John 1:15). And Paul stated: “He [Christ]
is before all things” (Colossians 1:17). You may ask, ‘Did His preexistence
in heaven have a beginning? No, it didn’t, because Jesus is God. He Himself
said: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Therefore, before His
conception, Jesus existed from eternity with God the Father in heaven. He is
coeternal with the Father. |
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He would be anointed with the Holy Spirit
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As I said
before, the word Messiah means ‘the Anointed One’; so the Messiah would be
anointed by God with the Holy Spirit. His anointing was foretold by the prophet
Isaiah in various ways. Here are his words: “Behold my servant, whom I
uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him
….” (Isaiah 42:1); “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the
spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:2); “The Spirit
of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that
are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD ….” (Isaiah 61:1-2).
Also in the Psalms there is a prediction about the anointing of the Messiah,
as it is written: “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness:
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows” (Psalm 45:7). |
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Jesus was
anointed with the Holy Spirit. Here is what Matthew wrote: “Then cometh Jesus
from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him,
saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus
answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to
fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was
baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:13-17). |
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His way would be prepared by a messenger
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God had
foretold that He would send a messenger, who would prepare the way of the Messiah,
as He had said through the prophet Malachi: “Behold, I will send my
messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me” (Malachi 3:1), and the
prophet Isaiah: “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye
the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every
valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and
the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory
of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the
mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah 40:3-5). |
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These
words were fulfilled in John the Baptist the son of Zechariah, who was a
contemporary of Jesus. Let’s see the Scriptures of the New Testament which
refer to his birth and his ministry: “There was in the days of Herod, the
king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and
his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they
were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that
Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. And it
came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the
order of his course, According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot
was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole
multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. And
there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of
the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear
fell upon him. But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy
prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt
call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall
rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and
shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the
Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel
shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit
and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and
the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared
for the Lord. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this?
for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel
answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and
am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. And, behold,
thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things
shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be
fulfilled in their season. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled
that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not
speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple:
for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that,
as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his
own house. And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself
five months, saying, Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he
looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.…….. Now Elisabeth's full
time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her
neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon
her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day
they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the
name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be
called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called
by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him
called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is
John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his
tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt
round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the
hill country of Judaea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their
hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord
was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited
and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in
the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy
prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from
our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy
promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he
sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being
delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In
holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child,
shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face
of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his
people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God;
whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them
that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the
way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel” (Luke 1:5-25; 57-80); “There
was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to
bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not
that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light,
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and
the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own,
and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we
beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of
grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of
whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was
before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man
hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of
the Father, he hath declared him. And this is the record of John, when the
Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he
confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked
him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that
prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we
may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He
said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way
of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the
Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if
thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them,
saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know
not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's
latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara
beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming
unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred
before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be
made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John
bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and
it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with
water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending,
and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And
I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:6-34); “John did
baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they
of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing
their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a
skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached,
saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes
I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with
water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (Mark 1:4-8); “Now in
the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being
governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother
Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the
tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of
God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into
all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the
prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the
way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and
every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made
straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see
the salvation of God. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be
baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin
not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto
you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And
now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore
which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And
the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith
unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and
he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized,
and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no
more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of
him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no
man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. And as the
people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John,
whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I
indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of
whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge
his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will
burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation
preached he unto the people” (Luke 3:1-18); “And John calling unto him two of
his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or
look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist
hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for
another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and
plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things
ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are
cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is
preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And when
the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people
concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed
shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft
raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately,
are in kings' courts. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say
unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written,
Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way
before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is
not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the
kingdom of God is greater than he. And all the people that heard him, and the
publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the
Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being
not baptized of him. And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men
of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children
sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have
piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have
not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine;
and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and
ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and
sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children” (Luke 7:19-35). |
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He would live in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali
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God had
foretold that the Messiah would dwell in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.
Here is what the prophet Isaiah said: “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be
such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land
of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously
afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell
in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined” (Isaiah
9:1-2). |
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Jesus,
after His baptism, left Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and went to
live in Capernaum, which was by the sea in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali,
as it is written: “And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum,
which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Matthew 4:13 -
NKJV). The Scripture calls Capernaum “His own city” (Matthew 9:1 – NKJV). |
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He would preach the Gospel and perform healings and
miracles
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God had
foretold through the prophet Isaiah that the Messiah would preach the Gospel
and would deliver the demon-possessed persons and heal the sick and perform miracles.
Here is what the prophet Isaiah said: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me;
because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he
hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim
the acceptable year of the LORD” (Isaiah 61:1-2), and again: “Say to them
that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come
with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then
the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be
unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the
dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the
desert” (Isaiah 35:4-6), and again he said: “Surely he took up our
infirmities and carried our sorrows“ (Isaiah 53:4 - NIV). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God and delivered many
demon-possessed persons and healed many sick people. Here are some Scriptures
of the New Testament asserting this: “And Jesus went about all Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and
healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick
people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which
were possessed with devils [demons], and those which were lunatick, and those
that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great
multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem,
and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan” (Matthew 4:23-25); “When the even was
come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils [demons]:
and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick”
(Matthew 8:16); “And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those
that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at
Jesus' feet; and he healed them: Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when
they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the
blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel” (Matthew 15:30-31); “And
Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues,
and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every
disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35). |
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He would warn people not to make Him known
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God, through
the prophet Isaiah, had said about the Messiah: “Behold my servant, whom I
uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon
him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor
lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall
he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth
judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set
judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law” (Isaiah 42:1-4). |
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These
words were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, for He commanded those who were
healed by Him not to make Him known. Here are some words taken from the New Testament
asserting this: “But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and
great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that
they should not make him known” (Matthew 12:15-16). Jesus warned His
disciples, too, not to make Him known, for it is written: “Then He commanded
His disciples that they should tell no one that He was Jesus the Christ”
(Matthew 16:20 – NKJV). |
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He would speak to men in parables
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God had foretold
that the Messiah would speak to men in parables, as it is written in the book
of Psalms: “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of
old” (Psalm 78:2). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth spoke to the multitudes in parables, as it is written: “And with
many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he
expounded all things to his disciples” (Mark 4:33-34). Why did He speak to
them in parables? Because to those who were outside it was not given to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Listen to what Jesus said to His
disciples when they asked Him why He spoke to the multitudes in parables:
“Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and
he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in
them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall
hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not
perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of
hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see
with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their
heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your
eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you,
That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which
ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and
have not heard them” (Matthew 13:11-17). The same answer given by Jesus is
recorded in Mark in this way: “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of
the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done
in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may
hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and
their sins should be forgiven them” (Mark 4:11-12). From the answer given by
Jesus to His disciples we learn that the reason why Jesus spoke to the
multitudes in parables was that God did not want most of the Jews to turn to
the Lord Jesus to obtain the remission of their sins. Why? Because they were
predestined not to hear and not to see, and therefore God hardened their
hearts, made their ears dull and closed their eyes. In other words, because
they were predestined to stumble at the Word, as the prophet Isaiah had said:
“And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock
of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be
broken, and be snared, and be taken” (Isaiah 8:14-15). That’s why most of the
Jews did not accept Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. Listen to what
John, one of the apostles of Jesus, wrote about this: “But though he had done
so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying
of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath
believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath
blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with
their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should
heal them” (John 12:37-40). The apostle Paul confirmed this concept saying:
“What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the
election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is
written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not
see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let
their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a
recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and
bow down their back alway” (Romans 11:7-10). |
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He would be a prophet
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Here is
what God said to Moses about the Messiah: “I will raise them up a Prophet from
among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and
he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to
pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in
my name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). |
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Jesus was
a prophet, for He spoke to the people the words God commanded Him to speak
(John 12:48-50), comforting, exhorting and rebuking the people. However, not only
did He comfort and exhort and rebuke the people, but He also predicted many
things, as the prophets of old did. For example, He foretold the events that
must happen before His second coming, as He said to His disciples: “Take heed
lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of
wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall
not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be
famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. But take heed to
yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues
ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my
sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published
among all nations. But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no
thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but
whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye
that speak, but the Holy Ghost. Now the brother shall betray the brother to
death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their
parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of
all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same
shall be saved. But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken
of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth
understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let
him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter
therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field
not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with
child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight
be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not
from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither
shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should
be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened
the days. And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo,
he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall
rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even
the elect. But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. But in
those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers
that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his
angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the
uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Now learn a
parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth
leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see
these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors” (Mark
13:5-29). We know that these things Jesus foretold will come to pass at God’s
appointed time, for God “fulfills the predictions of his messengers” (Isaiah
44:26 – NIV). Just as the predictions made by the prophets of old were
fulfilled at the appointed time, so also the predictions made by Jesus will
be fulfilled at the appointed time. Actually some of the predictions He made
(such as the predictions concerning wars, famines, earthquakes, and the
persecution against His disciples) have been already fulfilled and are being
fulfilled in many regions of the world today. |
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That Jesus
was a true prophet, who spoke from God, is evident from the following facts.
First, whoever keeps His words is blessed, just as He said (Luke 11:28;
Matthew 7:24-25); for example, He said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 – NKJV), and all
those who come to Him find rest for their souls; He said: “Ask, and it will
be given to you” (Matthew 7:7 – NKJV) and again: “Whatever you ask the Father
in My name He will give you” (John 16:23 – NKJV), and we receive from God
what we ask the Father in Jesus’ name. Second, in the days of His flesh He
made some predictions which were fulfilled during His life: He predicted that
He would lose none of those the Father had given Him (John 17:12), and His
prediction was fulfilled (John 18:9); He predicted that Peter would deny Him
three times (Matthew 26:34), and His prediction was fulfilled (Matthew
26:69-75); He predicted that He would be crucified (John 12:32-33), and His
prediction was fulfilled (John 18:31-32; 19:18). So we are full of
confidence, and firmly believe that all the predictions made by Jesus who are
yet to be fulfilled will be fulfilled at God’s appointed time. |
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He would be a witness
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God had said
through the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, I have given him for a witness to the
people…. ” (Isaiah 55:4). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth was a witness for He bore witness of what He had heard and seen. He said
to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak
that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our
witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye
believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to
heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in
heaven” (John 3:11-13), and He spoke these words to the Jews: “I can of mine
own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I
seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me … I
speak that which I have seen with my Father … For I have not spoken of
myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should
say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life
everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me,
so I speak” (John 5:30; 8:38; 12:49-50). John the Baptist, the man sent by
God to prepare the way of the Messiah, said about Jesus: “He that cometh from
above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the
earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and
heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath
received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God
hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure
unto him” (John 3:31-34). |
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He would gather the remnant
of the sheep of Israel and shepherd them
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According
to the prophets, who spoke from God through the Holy Spirit, the Messiah
would gather the remnant of the sheep of Israel and would shepherd them and
rule over them. Micah had said: “In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble
her that halteth, and I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I
have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was
cast far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount
Zion from henceforth, even for ever …. I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all
of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together
as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall
make great noise by reason of the multitude of men. The breaker is come up
before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are
gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the
head of them ….But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be
ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath
brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the
children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD,
in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now
shall he be great unto the ends of the earth” (Micah 4:6-7; 2:12-13; 5:2-4).
Ezekiel had said: “I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down,
saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that
which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will
strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I
will feed them with judgment ….. Therefore will I save my flock, and they
shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I
will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant
David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd” (Ezekiel
34:15-16,22-23). And Isaiah had said: “He shall feed his flock like a
shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his
bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth is the Shepherd, who was born in Bethlehem, and the servant of God,
who is called David. He Himself said that He was the Shepherd and that He had
come to save the lost sheep of Israel. Listen to what He said: “I am the good
shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me,
even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other
sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they
shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd….. My
sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto
them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand …. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of
Israel” (John 10:14-16,27-28; Matthew 15:24). |
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He would gather other sheep,
which were not part of the house of Israel
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The prophet
Isaiah had said that the Messiah would gather not only the lost sheep of the
house of Israel but also other sheep from among the Gentiles. Here are his
words: “And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his
servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet
shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise
up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also
give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto
the end of the earth …. The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel
saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto
him” (Isaiah 49:5-6; 56:8). |
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Besides
the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth gathered other lost
sheep, which were not Jews by birth, for He said: “And other sheep I have,
which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd” (John 10:16). |
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He would lighten the
Gentiles
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God had
said through the prophet Isaiah these words concerning the Messiah: “I the LORD
have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep
thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the
Gentiles…. It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up
the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give
thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the
end of the earth” (Isaiah (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth is the Light of the world. That old man named Simeon, to whom the
Holy Spirit had revealed that he would not see death before he had seen the
Lord’s Christ, when he had taken the child Jesus up in his arms, said: “Lord,
now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine
eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all
people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel”
(Luke 2:29-32), and Jesus said: “I am the light of the world: he that
followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”
(John 8:12). |
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He would satisfy the
spiritual hunger and thirst of people
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The
prophet Isaiah had said: “They shall not hunger nor thirst; …… for he that hath
mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide
them … When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their
tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel
will not forsake them ….The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons
and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the
desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen” (Isaiah 49:10; 41:17; 43:20). |
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Jesus of Nazareth
satisfied the spiritual hunger of people and quenched their spiritual thirst.
He said: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35) and again:
“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh
of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting
life” (John 4:13-14). |
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He would save the souls of
people from the bondage of sin
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The
prophet Isaiah had said about the Messiah: “Behold, your God will come …. he
will come and save you” (Isaiah 35:4), and the Psalmist had said: “He shall spare
the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem
their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his
sight” (Psalm 72:13-14). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth is the One whom God sent to save the souls of men from the bondage
of sin. The angel of God who appeared to Joseph said to him about the son
Mary would bring forth: “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save
his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21), and Jesus Himself declared that
He came into this world to save people, as He said: “For the Son of man is
come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10) and again: “I came
not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47). |
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He would comfort those who
mourned
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The Spirit
of the Messiah had said through the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord
GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me …. to comfort all that
mourn” (Isaiah 61:1,2). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth comforted those who mourned. For example, He said: “Blessed are ye
that weep now: for ye shall laugh” (Luke 6:21). |
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He would bring peace
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The
prophet Micah had said about the Messiah: “And this man shall be the peace…”
(Micah 5:5 – The IBRV reads: “Sarà lui che recherà la pace”, that is, “He is
the one who will bring peace”). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth “is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14), because by Him we have been
reconciled to God. He has given us His peace (John 14:27), which is a peace
that surpasses all understanding. |
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He would give a great joy to
people
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The
prophet Isaiah had said: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the
LORD hath anointed me ….to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto
them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning … The meek also shall
increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the
Holy One of Israel …. Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the
joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice
when they divide the spoil. For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and
the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled
in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. For unto us a
child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his
government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and
upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with
justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will
perform this” (Isaiah 61:1,3; 29:19; 9:3-7). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth gave people the oil of joy. The wise men, who came from the East to
worship Him, “rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:10); and “all the
people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him” (Luke
13:17). And John the Baptist also rejoiced, as he said: “He that hath the
bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and
heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy
therefore is fulfilled” (John 3:29). All those who believed in Jesus rejoiced
with joy inexpressible and full of glory, for their sins were forgiven them
for His name’s sake (1 John 2:12; Romans 4:7). |
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He would build the house of God
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God had
said to David about his seed (that is, the Messiah): “And when thy days be
fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after
thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his
kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne
of his kingdom for ever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13). And He had said through the
prophet Zechariah: “Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man
whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall
build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and
he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall
be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them
both” (Zechariah 6:12-13). The man called ‘THE BRANCH,” according to the
prophet Jeremiah, was the Messiah: “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD,
that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and
prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days
Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name
whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth, the Seed and Branch of David, built the house of God, that is, the
Church, as He said to one of His disciples, called Peter: “Thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). The Church is a spiritual house, which
is formed by all those who have believed in His name (who are living stones)
and it is a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).
That’s why it is called “God’s house” (Hebrews 3:6 – NIV). The Church is
called both the Church of Jesus Christ and the Church of God, for Jesus said
to God: “All I have is yours, and all you have is mine” (John 17:10 – NIV). |
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He would be hated
without reason
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The Spirit
of Christ had said through the Psalmist: “They that hate me without a cause
are more than the hairs of mine head….” (Psalm 69:4), and again: “They
compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a
cause. For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.
And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love” (Psalm
109:3-5). So the Messiah would be hated without reason. |
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Jesus of
Nazareth was hated without reason. He did only good to the people and He
pursued only what was good for the people, but the world hated Him. Jesus, on
the night He was betrayed, said to His disciples: “If the world hates you,
you know that it hated Me before it hated you …… He who hates Me hates My
Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did,
they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My
Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written
in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’ (John 15:18, 23-25 – NKJV).
However, it must be said, that several months before Jesus had said to His
brothers these words: “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I
testify of it, that the works thereof are evil” (John 7:7). |
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He would be
despised and reviled
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The
prophet Isaiah had said about the Messiah: “He was despised … by men” (Isaiah
53:3 - NIV), and David had said: “But I am a worm, and not a man; scorned by
men and despised by the people” (Psalm 22:6 - NIV). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth was despised and reviled by the people. His own people said about
Him: “He is beside himself” (Mark 3:21); the scribes and the Pharisees said:
“He has Beelzebub, and by the ruler of the demons He casts out demons” (Mark
3:22 - NKJV); the Pharisees “derided Him” (Luke 16:14 - NKJV); and many Jews
said: “He deceives the people” (John 7:12 - NKJV) and also: “Behold a man
gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners” (Matthew
11:19). Later we will see how Jesus was despised and reviled by the members
of the Sanhedrin and by king Herod and his soldiers and by the soldiers of
the governor and by those who passed by the cross while He was hanging on the
cross. |
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He would be
rejected by the Jews
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The
Messiah had been foreordained to be rejected by the Jews, for the Psalmist
had said: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief
cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22 - NKJV), and Isaiah had said: “He was …. rejected
by men” (Isaiah 53:3 – NIV). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth was rejected by the elders of the Jews, by the chief priests and by
the scribes and the Pharisees and Sadducees. They did not acknowledge Him as
the promised Messiah, but they regarded Him as a blasphemer and so they
condemned Him to be deserving of death. One day Jesus spoke this parable to
the chief priests and the elders of the people, according to which He would
be rejected by them: “There was a certain householder, which planted a
vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built
a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when
the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that
they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and
beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other
servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of
all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when
the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught
him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him” (Matthew 21:33-39).
However, the stone which was rejected by the builders, became the cornerstone
of the Church of God, a very precious stone to us, as it is written:
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a
stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that
believeth shall not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16; 1 Peter 2:7) |
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He would enter Jerusalem
riding on a donkey
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The
prophet Zechariah had said that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on a
donkey: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you: He is just and having salvation, lowly,
and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9 - NKJV). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, for Matthew wrote: “And when
they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of
Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto them, Go into the village
over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with
her: loose them, and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you,
ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
….. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, And brought the
ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down
branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that
went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David:
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is
this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of
Galilee” (Matthew 21:1-3, 6-11). |
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He would be
betrayed by one of his friends
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The
Psalmist had said: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which
did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). So the
Messiah would be betrayed by one of his friends. |
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Jesus of
Nazareth was betrayed by one of His disciples, named Judas Iscariot. Here is
what Matthew wrote: “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto
the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will
deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of
silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him” (Matthew
26:14-16) and again: “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve,
came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief
priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign,
saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And
forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus
said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid
hands on Jesus, and took him” (Matthew 26:47-50). Then Judas, who had
betrayed Jesus, when he saw that Jesus had been condemned, committed suicide,
as it is written: “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he
was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of
silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have
betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.
And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went
and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3-5). And with that money the Sanhedrin
bought the potter's field, to bury strangers in, that the Scripture might be
fulfilled which says: “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my
price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of
silver. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price
that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and
cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD” (Zechariah 11:12-13). That
field was called ‘The field of blood.’ |
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His followers
would be scattered
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The
Shepherd-Messiah would be forsaken by his own sheep, for the prophet Zechariah
had said: “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is
my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall
be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones” (Zechariah
13:7). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth, when He was arrested, was forsaken by all His disciples, as it is
written: “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and
with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and
elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he
came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto
him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on
Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched
out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's,
and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into
his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently
give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures
be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said Jesus to the
multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to
take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on
me. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.
Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled” (Matthew 26:47-56). |
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He would be
beaten, mocked and spat and he would not open his mouth
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The
prophet Isaiah had said that the Messiah would be beaten, spat and mocked;
but he would not open his mouth. Here are the words of the prophet: “I gave
my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I
hid not my face from shame and spitting … He was oppressed, and he was
afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the
slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his
mouth” (Isaiah 50:6; 53:7). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth, after He was arrested, was led before the Jewish council, that is, the
Sanhedrin, which condemned Him to be deserving of death, and after the
members of the council said: “He is deserving of death”, “they spat in His
face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands,
saying, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” (Matthew
26:67-68 - NKJV). Then they delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor, who
sent Jesus to king Herod. Hear what happened to Jesus when He was before king
Herod: “And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous
to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he
hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in
many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes
stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at
nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him
again to Pilate” (Luke 23:8-11). And after Pilate had given sentence that
Jesus had to be crucified the following things occurred: “Then the soldiers
of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the
whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a
reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him,
saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed,
and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the
robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to
crucify him” (Matthew 27:27-31). And they crucified Him, “and those who
passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘Aha! You who
destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down
from the cross!’ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves
with the scribes, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the
Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and
believe” (Mark 15:29-32 – NKJV). |
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He would be
crucified with some transgressors
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According
to the Scriptures of the Old Testament, the Messiah would be crucified, as it
is written: “They pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16) and again: “And
they shall look upon me whom they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10); and He
would be crucified with some transgressors, as it is written: “He was
numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth was crucified between two robbers, as it is written: “Then they
crucified Him …. Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and
another on the left” (Matthew 27:35,38 – NKJV). |
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They would part
his garments among them and cast lots upon his vesture
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In the book
of Psalms is written this prediction concerning the Messiah: “They part my
garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Psalm 22:18). |
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While
Jesus of Nazareth was hanging on the cross that Scripture was fulfilled, as
it is written in the Gospel according to John: “Then the soldiers, when they
had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier
a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top
throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but
cast lots for it, whose it shall be” (John 19:23-24). |
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In his thirst
they would give him vinegar to drink
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The
Psalmist had said: “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they
gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21). |
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That is
what happened to Jesus of Nazareth while He was hanging on the cross, as it
is written: “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a
vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it
upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the
vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the
ghost” (John 19:28-30). |
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None of his bones
would be broken
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The
Psalmist had said about the Messiah: “He keepeth all his bones: not one of
them is broken” (Psalm 34:20). |
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That
prediction was fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, for even though He was crucified,
not one of His bones was broken. As it is written in the Gospel according to
John: “The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies
should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day
was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that
they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the
first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to
Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of
the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out
blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and
he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe” (John 19:31-35). |
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They would make
his grave with the rich at his death
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As we saw
before, the Messiah would be numbered with the transgressors, yet at his
death they would make his grave with the rich. Here is what Isaiah had said: “And
he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he
had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:9). |
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The body
of Jesus of Nazareth was laid in the tomb of a rich man, as it is written:
“When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph,
who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body
of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had
taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own
new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to
the door of the sepulchre, and departed” (Matthew 27:57-60). |
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He would rise
again
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The Messiah,
after his death, would rise again, for David spoke of his resurrection,
saying: “I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand
I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my
flesh also will rest in hope. For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor
will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of
life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore” (Psalm 16:8-11 - NKJV). David, being a prophet, and knowing that
God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his body, according
to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne; He,
foreseeing this, spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul would
not be left in Sheol (or Hades), nor would His flesh see corruption. God
foretold the resurrection of the Messiah through these words also: “I will
declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day
have I begotten thee” (Psalm 2:7). |
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Jesus of
Nazareth rose again the third day and He appeared to His disciples. Here is
what Luke wrote: “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the
morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had
prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away
from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord
Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold,
two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed
down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living
among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you
when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the
hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they
remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these
things unto the eleven, and to all the rest” (Luke 24:1-9). John confirmed
the resurrection of Jesus by saying: “Then the same day at evening, being the
first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were
assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith
unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them
his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me,
even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith
unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are
remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. But
Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he
said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and
put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side,
I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and
Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the
midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy
finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my
side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto
him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen
me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed” (John 20:19-29). |
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As you can
see, the resurrection of Christ was a bodily resurrection, not one of
‘spirit,’ as some say. For Jesus invited doubting Thomas to put his finger in
the nail-prints and put his hand in the pierced side. Therefore the risen
body of Jesus had flesh and bones. Did He not say to His disciples, who on
first seeing Him after He rose thought they were seeing a spirit and were
frightened, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a
spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:38-39 –
NKJV). His risen body, however, differed from our bodies and from His own
previous body, because – as we saw before – the Lord Jesus passed through
closed doors when He met with the disciples for the first time, and besides
this, because His body was immortal (as well as imperishable), as it is
written: “Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no
longer has dominion over Him” (Romans 6:9 – NKJV), and glorious (Philippians
3:21). |
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He would sit at
the right hand of God
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David had
said by the Spirit: “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Psalm 110:1) |
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Jesus of Nazareth,
after He rose again, was received up into heaven and sat at the right hand of
the Majesty, as it is written: “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them,
he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God” (Mark
16:19) and again: “And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up
his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he
was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:50-51). |
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What is
Jesus doing in heaven? He is reigning (1 Corinthians 15:25); He is making
intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25), having become High Priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek; He is acting as our advocate due to
the sins we commit (1 John 2:1); and He is preparing a place for us, as He
said to His disciples: “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3 - NKJV). |