Jesus as Messiah (Leaving Cert Religious Education): Revision Notes
Jesus as Messiah
Understanding the term 'Messiah'
The word Messiah means "anointed one" - someone chosen by God to save the Jewish people from oppression. Throughout Jewish history, figures like Moses, Joshua, and King David were seen as messiah-type characters who delivered God's people from difficult circumstances.
The concept of "anointing" in ancient times involved pouring oil on someone's head as a symbolic act of God choosing them for a special purpose. This practice was used for kings, priests, and prophets.
Jesus demonstrated awareness of himself as the Messiah through his teaching, preaching, and way of life. He announced the Kingdom of God and showed that he was the one who would herald this kingdom.
Three expectations of the Messiah at Jesus' time
Jewish people in the first century held three main expectations about what the coming Messiah would be like. Understanding these expectations helps us see how Jesus both fulfilled and challenged traditional messianic hopes.
Priestly expectations
What people expected:
The traditional priestly expectation centred on religious leadership and temple worship. People believed the Messiah would come from the priestly tribe of Levi, associated with Aaron, and would serve as a mediator between God and people in the Temple. He would work alongside existing religious authorities to maintain proper worship and ritual practices.
The prophet Zechariah had written: "It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne" (Zechariah 6:13).
How Jesus challenged this expectation:
Jesus never spoke of himself in terms of priesthood and was highly critical of some priests and their attitudes, particularly their focus on ritual purity at the expense of showing compassion to ordinary people.
Jesus challenged priestly expectations in several significant ways:
- In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus suggested that religious leaders (priest and Levite) were not being good neighbours to those in need
- Jesus caused controversy in the Temple by overturning the money changers' tables, criticising how they exploited ordinary Jews who came to make sacrifices
- He allowed an unnamed woman (possibly a prostitute) to anoint him with oil and dry his feet with her hair - something no traditional priest would have permitted
Davidic expectations
What people expected:
The Davidic expectation was perhaps the strongest among first-century Jews. People longed for a Messiah who would be a descendant of King David and would function as a conquering military king who would remove the Romans from power. They expected him to establish a new era in Jewish history, like a new King David, and help re-establish God's Kingdom through military victory.
How Jesus challenged this expectation:
Jesus was indeed descended from David, but he brought an alternative interpretation of "Messiah" that surprised many of his contemporaries.
Example: Jesus and Roman Taxation
When asked about paying Roman taxes, Jesus said "give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's." This response would have shocked those holding Davidic expectations, as they would never have wanted people to give the Romans anything except death.
Rather than establishing the Kingdom through military conquest, Jesus showed it would come through a life of love, service, and eventual death. In Mark's Gospel, Jesus' entry into Jerusalem draws on some Davidic expectations, but Jesus reinterprets what it means to be Messiah.
Prophetic expectations
What people expected:
The prophetic expectation focused on the Messiah as someone who would fulfil Hebrew scripture prophecies and be like Moses - a powerful authoritative messenger and spokesperson for God. The Pharisees looked forwards to a future messiah who would deliver them from Roman rule and restore God's kingdom among Israel. This prophetic messiah would liberate God's people from physical oppression.
How Jesus fulfilled this expectation differently:
While people expected someone powerful like Moses, Jesus offered a different kind of power and liberation that focused on spiritual rather than political transformation.
Jesus did fulfil prophetic expectations, but in unexpected ways:
- In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus can be seen as a new Moses, giving new teachings on a mountain
- However, Jesus emphasised inner conversion and commitment based on love
- Rather than leading people to physical freedom from slavery, Jesus led people to spiritual freedom
- He focused on freedom and peace in the heart of the individual rather than political liberation
Jesus' teaching about his messiahship
Jesus did identify himself as Messiah in the Gospels, but he was concerned that people might misunderstand what this meant. This is why he often spoke about himself as the "Son of Man" rather than directly claiming to be the Messiah.
Example: Jesus Predicts His Suffering
In Mark 8:31, we see Jesus teaching his disciples: "then he began to teach them that he the son of man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again."
This teaching shows how radically different Jesus' understanding of messiahship was from popular expectations.
Jesus spoke this way to help his disciples understand the true meaning of Old Testament prophecies. He wanted to reveal what genuine freedom and peace meant - freedom and peace within the heart of each person, rather than just political freedom.
Key Points to Remember:
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Messiah means "anointed one" - someone chosen by God to save the Jewish people from oppression
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Three main expectations existed: Priestly (from tribe of Levi), Davidic (military king), and Prophetic (Moses-like liberator)
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Jesus challenged all three expectations by offering spiritual rather than political solutions
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Jesus reinterpreted messiahship as bringing God's Kingdom through love, service, and sacrifice rather than military conquest
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Jesus emphasised inner transformation and spiritual freedom over external political change