Prophecies Concerning The Messiah

Question 1

What is a prophecy?

Answer 1

A message inspired by god

Question 2

How do Jews and Christian’s differ in their beliefs about the messiah

Answer 2

Jews reject the claim that JC is the messiah. Christians argue that JC was a different type of messiah to the one that was expected

Question 3

What is the debate around prophecies when debating the nt?

Answer 3

Whether they should be understood in the futurist or preterist sense

Question 4

What does a futurist interpretation mean

Answer 4

The prophecies refer to try future

Question 5

What does a preterist interpretation mean

Answer 5

That prophecies refer to the present

Question 6

Why is it wrong to refer to prophecies as predictions abt the future

Answer 6

Because some are msgs about the present

Question 7

Why are OT prophecies so difficult to interpret?

Answer 7

Because the prophet could either be referring to his own times but readers can later find future events that the prophecy seems to refer to

Question 8

Give an example from Luke which explains why we cannot understand prophecy as predictions abt the future?

Answer 8

At jc trial his enemies blindfold him, hit him and then ask him to use his prophetic skills to identify who hit him. This would have had nothing to do w a prediction abt the future

Question 9

Explain the term messiah

Answer 9

Referred to throughout the bible as gods chosen one who will come in the future to set the world right an save gods ppl.

Question 10

Why had 1st century jews held different ideas abt the messiah

Answer 10

Because of the shear volume of prophecies

Question 11

Explain the idea of a kingly messiah?

Answer 11

The OT often described the messiah as a king so this is what the jews expected. They thought this king would be from the line of David who would rule fairly and wisely. Some hoped for even more than this, hoping that the messiah would be a kind of warlord who would punish Israel’s enemies - the zealots mostly hoped for this. Some went even further and hoped for a supernatural king who would not only defeat the evil empires of the world but the demons that controlled these empires, thus ending the problem of evil forever

Question 12

Explain the idea of the priestly messiah

Answer 12

Many saw the 1st century priesthood as corrupt collaborators with the Romans. Many Jews looked forward to a priestly messiah who would restore a more pure state of worship. The essenes seemed to have hoped for this `

Question 13

Explain the idea of the prophetic messiah

Answer 13

Even though the age of the prophets was thought to be over in the 1st century, many Jews hoped for a great prophet who would guide Israel back to God. Moses had promised another prophet who would help them in troubled times, this seemed relevant now the Jews lived under the pagan rule of the romans. This idea is most relevant to the ordinary people and the pharisees

Question 14

Explain the idea of the suffering messiah

Answer 14

Refers to Isaiah 53 and the idea that the messiah would die an atoning death

Question 15

What do Christians often believe about JC in relation to these ideas about the messiah?

Answer 15

That he was all 4

Question 16

Explain the idea of the messianic age

Answer 16

This is the idea that the messiah would usher in a new age of peace on earth - the scattered Jews would be returned to the promised land and there would be an end to evil and suffering

Question 17

Why is David so revered in the OT?

Answer 17

Because he ruled over all the tribes of Israel and moved the capital and Ark of the Covenant to Israel so that worship could focus on God. Despite his flaws, he is seen as the best King of Israel

Question 18

Why was there still a demand for the Son of David even though the House of David was actually one of the longest serving dynasties in history?

Answer 18

• Because it was mostly ruled by bad and weak kings and so they still hoped for someone who truly embodied David’s characteristics to come to the throne
• They were now under the rule of pagan dynasties they felt to be illegitimate. The real King of the Jews was to be from the line of David

Question 19

How can the line of David link to the problem of evil?

Answer 19

Because if God was omnibenevolent he would have wanted to keep his promise and if he was omnipotent he would have been able to keep his promise

Question 20

How did the Jews reconcile the fact that they now lived under pagan rule even though God had promised that the house of David would endure forever?

Answer 20

• They thought that because of their sin God had withdrawn this promise to teach them a lesson
• They thought that the promise could still be true as a Son of David could still appear to claim the throne as the kingly messiah. He will be different from the previous davidic king because his rule will be a success and his kingdom will endure forever

Question 21

What two things did the Jews think they needed to do for the Son of David to appear

Answer 21

• They thought they needed to return to spiritual purity so that God no longer had a reason to punish them. However, the essenes, pharisees and sadducees had different ideas about what actually constituted spiritual purity
• They thought that they needed to engage in military opposition against Roman rule and that once they did this the Son of David would appear to lead it. This idea was popular with the zealots

Question 22

How do Christians view the idea of the Son of David

Answer 22

After the attempts to set up a Kingdom of God in the physical sense failed, JC, as the Son of David, brings about a spiritual kingdom in people’s hearts and minds instead. JC dies an atoning death rather than conquers his enemies

Question 23

Make the case that the messiah has to be from the line of David

Answer 23

• God’s promise that the house of David will endure forever must be fulfilled
• The House of David failed because the Jews turned to sin, and the messiah will return the Jews to true faith

Question 24

Make the case that the messiah does not have to be from the Line of David

Answer 24

• It is not proven that David actually existed and he may have been just a legend. Even if he did exist, he line was likely destroyed by the Babylonians
• JC is a spiritual King who will defeat evil altogether, rather than being a physical king from a failed dynasty

Question 25

Outline the predictions made by Isaiah

Answer 25

He said that God was using the rival empires to punish the Jews for their sinful ways, predicting military defeat and humiliation. However, he also offered hope by looking forward to a messianic era free of evil and suffering

Question 26

Explain Isaiah’s suffering servant

Answer 26

He serves God with total selflessness and loyalty. He is given a mission by God to lead the nations of the world. However, the servant is mocked and attacked by the people he was sent to help. He endures this suffering on behalf of everyone else before being murdered. God resurrects this person and the people who mistreated him are stunned and ashamed.

Question 27

What do Christians think about Isaiah’s suffering servant

Answer 27

That it predicts JC’s atoning death and resurrection

Question 28

What is the problem with believing Isaiah 53 was a prophecy about the messiah?

Answer 28

The disciples are incredibly shocked and upset when they find out JC is going to die. This suggests that there was no belief about the messiah being a suffering servant who would die an atoning death

Question 29

How do the Jews interpret Isaiah 53?

Answer 29

They see it as being symbolic of Israel as a whole. It is the Jews who are sent to be a light to the gentiles through their religion. It is the Jews who are suffered and persecuted. They hope that their sufferings will be vindicated and provide a lesson to the rest of the world

Question 30

Make the case that the suffering servant is supposed to be JC

Answer 30

• The final servant song ends with God promising the suffering servant that his death will lead to the messianic age
• The sufferings of the servant seem to directly mirror the sufferings of JC. Supports the idea of JC dying an atoning death

Question 31

Make the case that the suffering servant is not JC?

Answer 31

• It represents Israel
• There is no evidence that 1st century Jews held a concept of the suffering messiah. The link was only made after JC’s crucifixion

Question 32

Explain the idea of the messianic secret

Answer 32

JC frequently makes people promise to keep it a secret when they see JC perform a miracle or realise he is the messiah in Mark

Question 33

Give two examples of the messianic secret in Mark

Answer 33

• The fact that JC only reveals who he is through parables that cannot be understood at face value
• In Mark 8: 27-30 where JC tells Peter to keep it a secret after he discovers JC is the messiah

Question 34

State Mark 4:11

Answer 34

‘The secret of the Kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those on the outside everything is said in parables’