Who Is the Messiah? Part 3: Who Did the Judeans Believe Jesus Was?

We have seen who Jesus said he was as the Messiah and also some prophecies from the Old Testament about the Messiah. Now let’s see what expectations the people of Jesus’ time had about who the Messiah was and what he should do.

Who Were the People Waiting for the Messiah to Be?

Old Testament prophecies showed that the Messiah would sit on David’s throne forever. He would also be raised from the dead to sit at God’s right hand. He was to bring the Lord’s salvation. He was to be the king of kings. All nations would bow before him.

But when Jesus Christ arrived, he did not show forth great worldly power. His kingdom was a spiritual one. While on earth, he did not rule over the nations. That day is coming in the future. The Devil tried to trick Jesus into being a worldly king with pomp and power and prestige. But Jesus didn’t fall for the bait.

Matthew 4:8-10:
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The Devil promised Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. There was only one catch—Jesus had to worship and serve Satan. But Jesus worshiped and served his Father. Each day he walked by the spirit and obeyed the Father’s will. That did not include a giant worldly kingship and the earthly praise and glory that goes with it.

Elijah, Moses, a Prophet

People in Jesus’ time had read the Old Testament. They saw that the Messiah would be a prophet, a priest, and a king. Some looked for him to fulfill Moses’ prophecy about the Messiah as a prophet.

Deuteronomy 18:15:
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.

Both Peter and Stephen said that Jesus did fulfill this, according to Acts 3:33 and 7:37. Some also thought that the Messiah would fulfill Malachi’s prophecy from the final book of the Old Testament about the Prophet Elijah.

Malachi 4:5:
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

The people of Jesus’ time were looking for a Messiah who would be like Moses and who would have a ministry like the Prophet Elijah or even the Prophet Jeremiah. This is who they thought Jesus might be.

Matthew 16:13-16:
When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias [Elijah]; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Peter knew that Jesus was the Messiah. He was not Elijah or Jeremiah or even John the Baptist back from the dead. As the Messiah, Jesus was the Son of God.

Believing on Jesus as the Messiah

Peter’s brother, Andrew, first told Peter about this Messiah he had seen.

John 1:40,41:
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

Those who spoke with and saw Jesus believed he was the promised Messiah, not God. One day when Jesus was tired from a journey, he spoke to a woman at a well. His words cut to her heart, and she believed. She told her friends and they also spent time with Jesus—and believed him to be the Messiah.

John 4:28-30,41,42:
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
And many more believed because of his own word;
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

Jesus was the Messiah, the savior who was to come into the world. This is what the people hoped for. Martha in Bethany also believed this to be true. Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God.

John 11:27:
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

The gospel of John was not written so people would believe that Jesus is God. It was written to prove that he is the Messiah, God’s Son. That is how we receive eternal life (Romans 10:9,10).

John 20:30,31:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

I John 5:1:
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

Seeking an Earthly Champion and King

Even though some recognized Jesus as God’s promised Messiah and savior, the idea that he would be a political and military king was also a popular idea of the time. When some recognized that Jesus was “that prophet” that Moses had promised, they saw he was the Messiah. But they wanted more than a spiritual leader. They actually tried to take Jesus by force and make him a king. He wisely departed from them.

John 6:14,15:
Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

Even Jesus’ trusted disciples expected him to command great military power rather than die the death of a criminal. His sacrifice on the cross did not fit with the military concept that some had of the Messiah. They wanted to fight with earthly weapons.

Luke 22:49,50:
When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

Matthew 26:51-54:
And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

Jesus told them to put away their swords. He even healed the man that Peter had struck with his weapon. Jesus said he could have heavenly back-up if he needed it. He could have 72,000 angels from his Father immediately if that was what he was to do. But Jesus wanted to fulfill the scriptures and do his Father’s will. He was a spiritual—not an earthly—leader and king.

Even after he was raised from the dead, just before his ascension, people still wanted him to restore the kingdom with worldly power. But Jesus spoke of a greater plan to bring God’s victory. They were to receive the gift of holy spirit and overcome with God’s power, not earthly might.

Acts 1:6-8:
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost [holy spirit] is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

The Great King, the Messiah

Jesus knew the prophecies about him, he was to be the “great King.”

Matthew 5:35:
Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

King Herod tried to kill Jesus when he was a young child, fearing that Jesus might become a powerful worldly king that could overthrow him (Matthew 2:1-18). Later, Pontius Pilate was concerned that Jesus might be a worldly king who could stand against the power of Rome and its Emperor.

Matthew 27:11:
And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest [Yes, I am].

Why did Pilate have this concern? Because the religious leaders of Judea accused Jesus of seeking to be an earthly king, a Messiah who would crush Roman rule and deliver them.

Luke 23:2,3:
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

Pilate spoke to Jesus. He found out for himself that Jesus was a much greater ruler than any earthly usurper could be.

John 18:33-37:
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

Jesus had a kingdom not of this world. Jesus spoke the truth. He was the promised Messiah who would redeem mankind—not by taking the land by force, but by dying upon a cross.

If You Are the Messiah, the Son of God?

No one believed that Jesus was God. Jesus did not claim to be God. But he did say that he was God’s Son. This caused the high priest and his religious sycophants grave concern. If Jesus was God’s Son, then he was the promised Messiah. And that could upset their whole religious system!

As soon as Jesus received the spirit, the Devil tried to talk him out of who he was as God’s Son.

Matthew 4:3-7:
And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

The Devil controlled the minds of those evil religious leaders who had Jesus crucified. As Jesus died for the sins of all men, they tried to sow doubt in his mind. Are you really the Messiah? Are you really God’s Son?

Mark 15:32:
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

Luke 23:35-37:
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

Matthew 27:39-43:
And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Jesus had boldly declared that he was the Messiah, the Son of God. They took his words of truth and cast them back into his teeth as he was dying. They killed him and put him in a tomb, thinking that this “false Messiah” and “fool’s king” was dead and gone forever.

But they had a rude awakening. God raised Jesus from the dead. He now sits at his Father’s right hand as king of kings and lord of lords. He will return someday in power.

Who Jesus Really Is

We have seen what Jesus said about himself, what God promised the Messiah would be in the Old Testament, and what the people in Jesus’ time expected of the Christ. He was God’s Son, the savior of mankind, and the one raised from death to be Lord of all. But Jesus is not God. And someday he will subject himself to his Father, that God may be all in all.

I Corinthians 15:28:
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Today we have only one God, our Father. And we have only one Lord, Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 8:6:
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

When we confess Jesus to be our Lord, not our God, we give glory to the Father.

Philippians 2:11:
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.