1.1 prophecy regarding the messiah Flashcards
Where is the figure of the suffering servant found?
Isaiah
What is the traditional view on the suffering servant?
Jesus knew himself to be the servant and set out to fulfil the prophecies
- each gospel presents the suffering of Jesus = the crucifixion as fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah
- Mt 8:16-17 = Jesus casts out demons ‘this was to fulfil what was was spoke… he took up our infirmities and bore our diseases’
What is Morna Hooker’s view on the suffering servant?
the servant songs were the OT’s attempt to deal with the suffering from Babylonian Captivity and the SS is representative of all of Israel
What is Raymond Brown’s view on the suffering servant?
Brown highlights the lamb of God imagery within John as underlining Jesus’ role as Messiah in direct relation to the prophecy in Isaiah
Isaiah 53:7 = ‘he was led like a lamb to slaughter’
Who was King David and why is he so important?
- David’s rule is seen as the golden age in Jewish history
- He was promised that his offspring would rule forever
- It is believed that the Messiah would be a descendant of David
What were the expectations for the Son of David?
-Ezra 12:32 = the son of David would liberate his people
- 2 Samuel 5:2 and Ezekiel 34:23 = the Messiah will be a shepherd
- Psalm 17 = introduces the Davidic Messiah who will restore Israel, destroy their enemies and shatter unrighteous leaders
Why were there increasing expectations that the Messiah would be a ‘son of David’?
the challenges facing Israel were getting worse:
- Babylonian captivity
- Enslavement in Egypt
- Roman occupation
Did people think Jesus was the Son of David?
Yes
- In Matthew = on 6 different occasions people referred to Jesus as the Son of David
- Morna Hooker = Jesus is a legitimate descendant of David
What is the messianic secret?
Found in the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus hides his miraculous powers and the fact that he is the Messiah
Examples of the messianic secret in the Bible
- Mark 5:35-43 = Jesus raised a dead girl but gave strict orders not to tell anyone
- Mark 4:41 = Jesus’ own disciples don’t understand his message and powers
- Mark 1:34 = Jesus drove out demons, but wouldn’t let the demon speak
- Mark 4:11-12 = Jesus speaks in parables so people find it hard to understand his message
What is William Wrede’s explanation for the Messianic Secret?
Wrede argues that the messianic secret is a literary motif that the author of Mark added to make it seem that Jesus was always the Messiah
OR perhaps it was kept secret to allow Jesus to perform miracles with minimal difficulty BUT command to secrecy doesn’t work
What was MacDonald’s explanation for the messianic secret?
it was a demonstration of the Hellenistic culture the gospels were written in
- he draws parallels with the messianic secret and Homer’s Odyssey e.g. both Jesus and Odysseus can’t say who they are for fear of death
What is Hooker’s explanation for the messianic secret?
Mark used it to explain the failure of the disciples and religious authorities to fully understand that Jesus was the Messiah
- suggests that the motif came from Jesus himself as he didn’t want to claim the title of Messiah for himself
What are the 5 proof texts in Matthew?
- The Virgin Birth = Isaiah 7:14
- Coming of a ruler from Bethlehem = Micah 5:2
- Calling the son out of Egypt = Hosea 11:1
- Massacre of the Innocents = Jeremiah 31:15
- Would be called a Nazarene = Isaiah 1:11?
What does Matthew begin with?
Jesus’ genealogy to prove that Jesus is the jewish messiah
- Mt starts with Abraham, then David and eventually comes to Jesus
