Predictions of Messiah

EXAMINING OLD TESTAMENT PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE MESSIAH¹

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Dr. Paul Manuel—1995

Contents

Introduction	2
The Opposition of His Coming (Ps 2)	4
The Offices of His Coming (Ps 110)	6
The Joy of His Coming (Isa 9:1-7)	8
The Justice of His Coming (Isa 11:1-10)	10
The Ministry of His Corning (Isa 52:13-53:12)	12
The Mourning of His Coming (Zech 12:10-13:1)	15
The Place of His Coming (Mic 5:1-6)	16
The Prominence of His Coming (Dan 7:9-14)	18
Conclusion	20
A Summary of How God's People Understood Messianic Prophecy	21
Bibliography	22
Endnotes	23

Introduction

...[W]e have looked at all the Old Testament quotes in Matthew to determine how many are actually predictions of the messiah and discovered that there are relatively few. More common are simple quotes or analogous quotes. When we expand the scope of our search to include the entire Bible, we discover a similar phenomenon—relatively few Messianic passages.

The texts that do fall in this category are not all equally informative. Some passages are short and vague in that they may or may not actually refer to the messiah (e.g., Gen 3:15; 9:26-27; 49:10; Num 24:17; Deut 18:15-18). Other passages are long but general in that they refer more to the Messianic Age than to the messiah himself (e.g., Jer 31:31-40; 33:14-26; Ezek 34:22-31; 37:22-28). A few passages, however, are both clear and specific, concentrating fully on the individual whom Jewish tradition identifies as the messiah and whom the New Testament identifies as Jesus (e.g. Ps 2; 110; Isa 9:1-7; 11:1-9; 52:13-53:12; Dan 7:9-14; Mic 5:1-6). It is those passages we will study together. In each case, I want us to consider how people understood these passages at various stages in history and consider how you can use the prophecies (as well as their interpretation) in communicating your faith.

1. Old Testament Understanding: How would those who lived in Old Testament times have understood the passage? To answer that question, we will consult background information for the Old Testament text.

2. Second Temple Judaism Understanding: How would that Old Testament understanding have affected people's expectations in the late Second Temple Period, when Jesus lived? To answer that question, we will consult extra-biblical literature.

• 1 Enoch (2^nd c. B.C.E.- 1^st c. C.E.)
• Ps Sol (mid-l^st c. B.C.E.)
• 1QSb (mid 1^st c. B.C.E.)
• 4Q161 (1^st c. B.C.E.)
• Targum on Ps (probably pre-Christian)
• Targum on Isa (Jonathan; probably pre-Christian)
• Targum on Mic (Jonathan; probably pre-Christian)

3. New Testament Understanding: Does Jesus' life match the description of the messiah in the passage? To answer that question, we will consult New Testament use; if so, how, and if not, why not.

4. Post-Second Temple Judaism Understanding: How does Jewish tradition after the New Testament understand the passage? To answer that question, we will consult Jewish commentaries and anti-missionary literature.

• 2 Baruch (early 2^nd c. C.E.)
• R. Jose (early 2^nd c. C.E.)
• R. Jonathan (mid-2^nd c. C.E.)
• Dialogue with Trypho (mid-2^nd c. C.E.)
• R. Dosa (late 2^nd c. C.E.)
• R Joshua b. Levi (1^st half 3^rd c. C.E.)
• R. H unia (mid-3^rd c. C.E.)
• R. H ama b. H anina (c. 260 C.E.)
• b Talmud (c. 500 C.E.)
• Midrash on Psalms (1^st-9^th c. C.E.)
• Midrash Rabbah (1^st-10^th c. C.E.)
• Pesikta Rabbati (10^th c. C.E.)
• Rashi (1040-1105 C.E.)
• Ibn Ezra (1^st half of the 12^th c. C.E.)
• David Kimh i (1160-1235 C.E.)
• R. Eliezer ha-Kallir (7^th c. C.E.)

5. Use in Evangelism: How can you use the passage in explaining the gospel to others? To answer that question, we will consult witnessing literature.

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The Opposition of His Coming (Ps 2)

1 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 3 "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters." 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." 7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father.² 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.³ 10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son,⁴ lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

1. Old Testament Understanding

• This is considered an Enthronement Psalm which a new king would recite at his coronation.

• Peter and John attribute it to David.

Acts 4:25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?

Rashi says that the original setting was the Philistine response when David assumed the throne.

2 Sam 5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.

• The psalm depicts universal dominion, though, which points to a future time when God will establish His rule over the whole earth?⁵

2. Second Temple Judaism Understanding

• Ps Sol 17:21 See, Lord, and raise up for them their king, the son of David.... 23b to smash the arrogance of sinners like a potter's jar; 24 to shatter all their substance with an iron rod; to destroy the unlawful nations with the word of his mouth. IPs 2:9]

3. New Testament Understanding

• Acts 4:23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.' [Ps 2:1-2] 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed."⁶

• Acts 13:32 "We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "You are my Son; today I have become your Father." [Ps 2:7]

For the remainder of this paper see the the pdf including Bibliography and Endnotes here.