A theology of Jesus as the Messiah for Israel
Jesus Christ is seen to be the Messiah of Israel through the various messianic prophecies that he fulfilled during his lifetime. Jews in Israel were not as pleased to realize that the Messiah was from a humble past (Hays, 2019). They had been expecting a messiah to come and liberate them from the oppression that they were experiencing under the Roman rulers. A warrior king per says who would establish a kingdom that would last forever (Talmage, 2019). Little did they know that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. However his empire was an everlasting one that he had in heaven; he was not after any earthly kingdoms but wanted to save them from damnation.
In the Gospels, one can see a fulfilment of Jesus as the expected Messiah for Israel. Jesus had amassed a significant following during his time on earth. In Daniel 7; 13-14, the Messiah was expected to be a son of man and Jesus was the son of Joseph and Mary seen all through gospels (King James Version, 2019). In Mark 1:11, Jesus is called the son of God, which is a fulfilment of the Psalmist prophecy in Ps; 21-12 (King James Version, 2019). Zechariah also prophecies in that the Messiah would be riding on a donkey, a prediction that is fulfilled in the triumphant entry in Mathew 21:1-7 (King James Version, 2019). He was also expected to bear the sins and suffer in the place of the others as per Isaiah’s prophecy. When the Messiah is persecuted and dies, he has no sin, and even the no authorities found fault with him. He was also supposed to do life-affirming redemptive deeds. He saved the blind, the lame and people with all sorts’ disabilities. Although Jesus could not fulfil the exact expectations, the Jews, he fulfilled the messianic prophecies that were made in the Old Testament by Israelites prophets.
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Jesus as Savior of the World
Jesus was also a saviour of the world. He did not come to save the Jews only but also came to save the whole world (King James Version, 2019). Throughout Jesus’ ministry, his actions show that he was set to deliver the whole world. Daniel 7; 13-14 shows that Jesus would be born of humble beginnings as opposed to Jewish expectations of the Messiah. In Mathew 1:21, the scripture says that Mary was to bring forth a son, called Jesus, who would save his people from their sins (King James Version, 2019). This shows that Jesus was to be the savior of the world as God cannot make a mistake to call Jesus, the savior yet he was not meant to save the world (Hood, 2019). God thus commissioned Jesus from the start to save the sinner and draw them back to God. Jesus went as far as to break some of the Israelites rules in his quest to save mankind. He tells a parable of a shepherd who has 100 sheep and loses one (King James Version, 2019). The Shepard goes back to look for the missing sheep and says that there is joy over one converted sinner than 99 save souls.
Jesus, a spiritual savior who came to bring salvation to the world, was also prophesied in the Old Testament. Isaiah 45:17 predicts that Israel would be saved by the Lord with an everlasting salvation (King James Version, 2019). Israel was God’s chosen nation, thus sending a messiah to save them was a sign of his love. Jesus came to the word and saved everyone, including the gentiles and those deemed not worthy (Hays, 2019). In the third chapter of Johns’ gospel on the sixteenth to the seventeenth verses, explain that Jesus was a gift of love from the Father for the salvation of mankind (King James Version, 2019). He associated with sinners like tax collectors and called them to be saved. When he died on the cross, he was the sacrificial lamb and fulfilled the prophecy of the suffering servant who gives his life as an offering for sin Isaiah 53 (King James Version, 2019). His death brought salvation to the world, and upon his ascension, he tells the disciples that he is going to make a place for them where he will come to take them as well John, 15;12-13 (King James Version, 2019). Here he clearly shows that he was sent to save the world
Theological implications of the theology of Jesus as Messiah and Savior
Jesus, as the Jewish Messiah has theological implications. The Israelites have to accept that he was the promised Messiah as he fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies (Talmage, 2019). His name, in essence, means the Lord saves thus clearly identifying him as the promised Messiah. Jews have therefore, an imperative to accept his teachings and acknowledge that their Messiah already came and established an everlasting kingdom. As for Jesus as the saviour of everyone, the theological implications is that everyone is entitled to salvation. Sinners know that if they follow Jesus teachings, they will be saved from damnation and earn their way to heaven (Hays, 2019). Through Christ’s sacrifice, their sins are washed away, and they are born again. The paschal mystery is solved as Jesus assumes the role of the new Adam through a soldier piercing his rib (Hood, 2019). He, therefore, establishes a new kingdom, covenant, and consequently the new community of mankind.
References
Hays, M. L. (2019). One Jesus for Jews, Another for Christians.
Hood, L. (2019). Jesus: Ancient Architype, Sacrificial Son, Divine Messenger. Consensus , 40 (1), 6.
King James Version. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/
Talmage, J. E. (2019). Jesus the Christ: A Study of the Messiah and his Mission . GENERAL PRESS.
