Christianity is the largest religion in the world. The Bible is the bestselling book in the world. It is estimated that around 2.1 billion people believe Jesus is the Messiah—God manifested in the flesh. Jesus claimed to be the Messiah.
Did Jesus actually claim to be the Messiah?
- When Jesus met the woman at the well in Samaria, she said to Him, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” Jesus replied to her, “I that speak unto thee am he” (John 4:25).
- In John 10:24-28, the Jews came to Jesus saying, “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and ye believed not…”
- Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus asked His disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 16:15-17).
- During the trial of Jesus, the high priest asked Jesus, “Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus answered and said, “I am” (Mark 14:61-62).
The above is just a small sampling of the times that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One.
What was “the Messiah” supposed to be?
Ruler of the Jewish people
One of the most famous prophecies about the promised Messiah is found in Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Mighty God and Everlasting Father
Isaiah prophesied concerning the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.”End Of The Age Irvin Baxter Sr
Redeemer and Savior
As Cleopas and his wife walked along the Emmaus Road toward home, they said about Jesus, “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel” (Luke 24:21).
Life teacher
The woman at the well in Samaria said to Jesus, “I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.” John 4:25
Can it be proven that Jesus is the Messiah?
Billions of people believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus Himself claimed to be the Messiah. But is there credible evidence that He really is the long-awaited “Anointed One”—“the Messiah”—“the Christ”?
There were around one hundred prophecies given in the Old Testament about the Messiah. Some of them were fulfilled in incredible detail by the first coming of Jesus. Others are yet to be fulfilled at the time of His second coming, which is to occur very soon.
Let’s consider some of the prophecies about His first coming.
The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2
This prophecy that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem was written approximately 750 B.C. Bethlehem was a very small town located six miles from Jerusalem. The outstanding thing is that Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her husband Joseph lived in Nazareth, 120 miles north of Bethlehem. In the days before automobiles or airplanes, this was a tremendous obstacle to the fulfillment of this prophecy. A most unusual thing happened, however, at exactly the right time. Caesar Augustus, the ruler of the Roman Empire, decided that every subject under his kingdom upon the earth would be required to return to the city of his lineage to be taxed. Joseph was from Bethlehem, known also as the City of David. At the exact time of the decree, Mary was due to have the child Jesus. Mary and Joseph embarked upon the several days journey to Bethlehem. As soon as they arrived, Jesus was born, amazingly fulfilling this 750-year-old prophecy to the letter.
He would come from the tribe of Judah
“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” Genesis 49:10
The word Shiloh means Messiah. This prophecy that Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah was quite extraordinary. The nation of Israel was made up of twelve tribes. Those who were to be priests in Israel were to come from the tribe of Levi. Yet Jesus fulfilled this prophecy coming from the tribe of Judah. Both Mary and Joseph’s lineage was from the tribe of Judah.
Messiah would be born of a virgin
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
Joseph and Mary were espoused to be married. Before they came together Mary experienced an angelic visitation. She was told that she would conceive a child by the Holy Ghost, which soon came to pass. Joseph decided to break the espousal believing Mary had been unfaithful to him. However, an angel appeared to Joseph saying, “Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”
Several angelic visitations and other supernatural occurrences surrounding the birth of Jesus and his forerunner John the Baptist, when closely studied, attest to the truth that Jesus was born of a virgin.
He would make His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on an ass colt
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” Zechariah 9:9
It is not normal for a king to make triumphal entries on a flop-eared donkey. Usually a king would ride the finest white stallion in the land. The scriptures prophesy, however, that Messiah would ride upon the foal of an ass.
At the time of Jesus’ triumphal entry, recorded in John 12:13-14, the people “Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him and cried, Hosanna: BLESSED IS THE KING OF ISRAEL THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written.”
Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver
“And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forebear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.” Zechariah 11:12
One of the most amazing of the messianic prophecies is the foretelling of the exact amount of the betrayal price of Jesus. The book of Zechariah was written around 520 B.C., yet the betrayal price of 30 pieces of silver is accurately prophesied.
The New Testament fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in Matthew 26:15: “And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.”
Source url : https://www.endtime.com/articles-endtime-magazine/jesus-messiah-or-imposter/