INTRODUCTION: Christ as Messiah: Happy Easter! But why do Christians claim that only Jesus Christ offers eternal salvation --when the world overflows with ‘saviors’? The Bible states every other savior is a copy, a hoax, a faux hero, an outright fraud. This is a jarring statement! But the biblical claim is that Jesus appeared as a unique, sacrificial, brilliant, loving and theologically exhaustive savior such that only God on earth as man could achieve.
We note a number of other religions propound pseudo saviors, found in the other biblically oriented religions--Islam & Judaism, etc. So why do these fail? For those alarmed at such exclusive claims, we honor the devotees of these religions while confronting them by pointing out the heresies involved. From the Christian perspective, on this Easter, we assert there is only one means to Salvation--Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
Matthew on the Messiah: Here, at the beginning ofMatthew 1, Jesus is directly claimed the Messiah: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:”
AndMatthew 18-19: “18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”
ThenMatthew finishes the thought in 20-23: 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (or, “God with us”).
The term "messiah" is the translation of the Hebrew term masiah, which is derived from the verb masah, meaning to smear or anoint. The term is used in the Old Testament of kings and priests, who were consecrated to office by the ceremony of anointing. It is applied to the priest only as an adjective--"the anointed priest”.The New Testament writers, evangelists, and apostles give no reason to doubt that Jesus is the Messiah, or in New Testament language, the Christ. He came, born of Abrahamic and Davidic lineage ( Matt 1:2-16 ;Luke 2:4-15 ).John the Baptist identified Jesus as the Messiah by referring to the wider dimension: "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 ). Jesus was the One who would bring judgment as well as life by the Spirit of God ( Matt 3:1-12 ). The evangelists record that Jesus was anointed by the Spirit when he was baptized. Jesus proclaimed himself as the Messiah in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-22 ) and at Jacob's well to the Samaritan woman (John 4:24-25 ).
Jewish tradition affirms at least 5 things about the Messiah. He will: be a descendant of King David, gain sovereignty over the land of Israel, gather the Jews there from the four corners of the earth, restore them to full observance of Torah law, and, as a grand finale, bring peace to the whole world. Concerning the more difficult tasks some prophets assign him, such as Isaiah’s vision of a messianic age in which the wolf shall dwell with the lamb and the calf with the young lion (Isaiah 11:6).
Isaiah’s Trinitarian Messiah: He mentions the coming Messiah, in the most trinitarian statement, fromIsaiah 9:6 --
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
Jewish False Messiahs:Simon Bar Kohkba Jesus was rejected by Jews since he was offered as the Lamb of God, not the violent Davidic savior coming as a warrior to destroy Rome and reassert Israel. SeeJudaism 101: The term "mashiach" literally means "the anointed one," and refers to the ancient practice of anointing kings with oil when they took the throne. The mashiach is the one who will be anointed as king in the End of Days.”
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But after murdering Jesus, Israel was later presented with a tantalizing messianic candidate -- tall, charismatic, handsome, brilliant, persuasive and a true military leader – Simon bar Kokhbar. But Kokhbar attacked Rome, precipitating the largest disaster in Jewish history up to the Holocaust, triggering its complete annihilation and Diaspora.
Simon bar Kokhba (Hebrew: שמעון בר כוכבא, also transliterated as Bar Kokhva or Bar Kochba) was amessianic Jewish leader who led a major revolt against theRoman Empire in 132 C.E., establishing an independent Jewish state of Israel which he ruled for three years as Nasi ("prince," or "president"). His state was conquered by the Romans in 135 C.E. following a bloody two-year war.Originally named ben Kosiba (בן כוזיבא), he was given the surname Bar Kokhba, meaning "Son of the Star," by the leading Jewish sageRabbi Akiva, who believed him to be the promisedMessiah. The eventual failure of Bar Kokhba’s revolt resulted in the deaths of possibly hundreds of thousands of Jews and the expulsion of the Jews fromJerusalem.
Islam: Mahdi as Messiah
TheIslamic savior is named the Mahdi. All Muslim thought of the end times involves the Mahdi, an eschatological messianic savior in Islam. And yet the Madhi is not in the Quran, so is the Mahdi arguably a Christ figure grafted into Islam to solve the problem of the apparent lack of pity in Islamic theology? Well, since Muhammad’s revelation was in 610, any biblical messiah came from previous Jewish & Christian ideas.
But as developed by Shia Islam, called “Twelvers,” the Mahdi is the only alleged descendent of Muhammad was born -- but then, within 6 years he enters a swift occultation, or hibernation, until the end times start. Later, Sunni Islam adopts this figure. See Armstrong, Karen. Islam: A Short History, describing this time-traveling leader:
Abu al-Qasim Muhammad: also known as the Hidden Imam. He was the Twelfth Imam of the Shiah, who was said to have gone into hiding in 874 to save his life; in 934 his “Occultation” was declared: God, it was said, had miraculously concealed the imam and he could make no further direct contact with Shiis. Shortly before the Last Judgment, he would return as the Mahdi to inaugurate a golden age of justice and peace, having destroyed the enemies of God.
Twelver Shia offers the story of the hidden imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, or simply the “mahdi,” meaning “divinely guided one.” In 874 A.D., the six-year-old son of the eleventh imam went into hiding to protect himself from the persecution of the reigning Abbasid empire. The Shia believe that he hid himself in a cave below a mosque in Samarra; this cave is blocked by a gate that the Shia call “Bab-al Ghayba,” or the “Gate of Occultation.” This is one of the most sacred sites in Shi’a Islam, and the faithful gather here to pray for the return of the twelfth imam. The occultation of the mahdi, known as “ghaybah” in Arabic, will end with his return to the world for the Last Judgment. This period will be marked by violent upheavals and attacks upon the faithful, but in the end, the mahdi will deliver the world to peace.
And so, the Muslim Mahdi presents a number of historical, theological and logical conundrums for Islam. Since the Mahdi is contained in no Islamic origin documents, is he just a watered down and revenge-minded Jesus-figure? Second, does the Mahdi supersede Muhammad as he appears to do in his overall powers? Third, is the Mahdi a savior, or an Anti-Christ figure, since Christ bows down to him, condemns all his Christian followers and then joins the Mahdi to slaughter all non-Muslims?
In Islamic eschatology the Mahdi (مهدي transliteration: Mahdī, also Mehdi; "Guided One") is the prophesied redeemer ofIslam. The advent of Mahdi is not a universally accepted concept in Islam and among those that accept the Mahdi there are basic differences among different schools of about the timing and nature of his advent and guidance. Most Muslims believe the Mahdi will change the world into a perfect and just Islamic society alongsideJesus before Yaum al-Qiyamah (literally "Day of the Resurrection" or "Day of the Standing"). The "hdi" of "Mahdi" refers to the Arabic root "هدی" which means "to guide." "Mahdi" is also an Arabic name. The Mahdi will assistJesus in defeating theDajjal, who represents evil. The concept of Mahdi is not explicitly mentioned in theQu'ran, but the sayings of Muhammad on Imam Mahdi abounds. For some Muslims, the events of the end time and figures such as the Mahdi and the Dajjal are real. The first historical recorded reference to a movement using the name of Mahdi is al-Mukhtar's rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate in 686, almost 50 years after Muhammad's death.
Biblical Messianic Prophesies: Now, there are over 350 messianic prophesies in the Old Testament. Here are some top predictions:
Here is a list of important Messianic prophecies that Yeshuafulfilled. Additionally, see their corresponding New Testament references:
Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem. See Micah 5:2; fulfilled in Matt. 2:1-7; John 7:42; Luke 2:4-7
Messiah is to be preceded by a Messenger. See Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; fulfilled in Matthew 3:1-3; 11:10; John 1:23; Luke 1:17
Messiah is to enter Jerusalem on a donkey. See Zechariah 9:9; fulfilled in Luke 35-37; Matthew 21:6-11
Messiah is to be betrayed by a friend. See Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14; fulfilled in Matthew 10:4; 26:49-50; John 13:21
Messiah is to be sold for 30 pieces of silver. See Zechariah 11:12; fulfilled in Matthew 26:15; 27:3
The money for which Messiah is sold is to be thrown “to the potter” in God’s house. See Zechariah 11:13; fulfilled in Matthew 27:5-7
Messiah is to be born of a virgin. See Isaiah 7:14; fulfilled in Matthew 1:18-2:1; Luke 1:26-35
Messiah is to be hated without cause. See Isaiah 49:7; Psalm 69:5; fulfilled in John 15:24-25
Messiah is to be silent before His accusers. See Isaiah 53:7; fulfilled in Matthew 27:12
Messiah is to be executed by crucifixion, by having His hands and feet pierced. See Psalm 22:16; fulfilled in John 19:28
Messiah is to be given vinegar to quench His thirst. See Psalm 69:21; fulfilled in Matthew 27:34
Messiah is to be executed without having a bone broken. See Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:21; fulfilled in John 19:33-36
Messiah is to be buried with the rich when dead. See Isaiah 53:9; fulfilled in Matthew 27:57-60
Messiah is to be raised from the dead. See Isaiah 53:9-10; Psalm 2:7; 16:10; fulfilled in Matthew 28:1-20; Acts 2:23-36;13;33-37; 1 Corinthians 11:4-6
Messiah is to be executed by crucifixion as a thief. See Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 53:5, 12; fulfilled in Luke 23:33; John 20:25; Matthew 27:38; Mark 5:27, 28
WhatOdds Jesus Fulfilled the Prophecies: From his book,Is the Bible Really a Message from God?, authorRalph Muncaster “connected the dots” of the major Old Testament scriptures regarding Israel’s Messiah, its long-anticipated deliverer, savior and king. Muncaster calculates the chances that one man could fulfill 48 biblical prophecies of the Messiah. What are the odds? Muncaster concluded: The estimated odds of just the above 48 prophecies being fulfilled in the life of one man have been calculated as one in 10157. This would be equivalent to winning 22 lotteries in a row!”
Matthew 16: 13-20 -- 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock 2 I will build my church, and the gates of hell 3 shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed 4 in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.
Kelly O’Connell is an author and attorney. He was born on the West Coast, raised in Las Vegas, and matriculated from the University of Oregon. After laboring for the Reformed Church in Galway, Ireland, he returned to America and attended law school in Virginia, where he earned a JD and a Master’s degree in Government. He spent a stint working as a researcher and writer of academic articles at a Miami law school, focusing on ancient law and society. He has also been employed as a university Speech & Debate professor. He then returned West and worked as an assistant district attorney. Kelly is now is a private practitioner with a small law practice in New Mexico.
