Israel had a large amount of prophecy concerning the coming messiah. As we talked about last week they were not just hoping for the coming of the messiah but they were anxiously expecting it. As we talked about last week there were quite a few failed “messiahs” that Israel really hoped would turn out to be the one. Most notably was Judas Maccabeus who we talked about last week. When Jesus finally came though almost all of Israel rejected him save a few. When the Jews did start coming to Jesus it was after his death and at the hands of the apostles preaching through the Holy Spirit. Much of the reason Israel mistook Jesus and missed what he said was because he did not fit the mold of what they thought a messiah should look like. Much of his mistaken identity can be traced back to their image of what it meant for Jesus to be messiah.
In Hebrew the word from which we get messiah is x;yvim', which means the anointed one. What kind of people are anointed? Well in Hebrew culture not just anyone was anointed, but there was one very special position for those who were anointed. The anointed one, as we see in the Old Testament, is the king of Israel. The first king, Saul, was anointed. David was anointed and every king after required an anointing from a priest. So when the coming savior is described as the anointed one that means that the coming savior will be appointed as king over Israel. As we see in Jesus’ death, his crime was claiming to be the king, in other words claiming to be the anointed one or messiah.
Israel was not wrong in assuming that the coming messiah would be the next king and would reign. Where they were misled was in their definition of what it meant for the coming king to reign. In the prophecies describing the coming anointed one it was proclaimed that he would reign not just for a short time or even for a long time, but that he would reign forever. The reign of the coming king would be an eternal one that would never end. If a king is to reign eternally then he must reign over something that is eternal. This earth and its kingdoms are not eternal, but rather are passing away. Therefore a kingdom on this world would not be worthy of an eternal king. When scripture proclaims the coming of the eternal king, it is also proclaiming the establishment of an eternal kingdom. That eternal kingdom is an otherworldly kingdom which effects and has priority over this world. The gospel of John talks about this a lot as it contrasts literal physical bread with the bread of life. Life in this world with eternal life. The physical and the spiritual.
Jesus did not come to set up an eternal kingdom here in a passing world. In fact the king did not come to set up a kingdom at all. Jesus didn’t just to become king, rather he has always been king. Jesus came for the purpose of making the members of his kingdom eternal. Jesus came to rescue us from the passing life of this world. He came to redeem us from death so that we might live in his eternal kingdom. Jesus came not to bring his kingdom to us, but to bring us into his kingdom.
The method in which Jesus would bring about his kingdom made no sense to a Jewish nation built on a history of violent oppression and revolt. To the wisdom of the world, the only way to establish a kingdom is through violence. The plan of God was not according to the wisdom of the world and therefore took a different path altogether, an unexpected one that in fact showed itself to be too much to accept for much of the very people it was intended to save. Turn with me to Hebrews 2:9-18;
But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 ¶ For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." 13 And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Behold, I and the children God has given me." 14 ¶ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
In order for Jesus to conquer the powers at be and release us from the chains that kept us from joining him in his kingdom he must die. Again here is the perfect example of the wisdom of the world versus the wisdom of God. This makes no sense to the world, but in the grand scheme of things, with God’s wisdom it not only makes sense but it is the only way to do it. Our God is not a God who forces people to do things against their will, but rather he is a God who extends an invitation and makes it available to all people. Through Christ’s suffering we are made perfect with him, and made able to enter in to his kingdom. This is what it meant for the messiah, the anointed one, the king to come and redeem his people. It did not mean war, but it meant suffering and laying down of his own life for his people.
When we have a messiah like this suddenly everything changes. In the wisdom of heaven the kingdom is not established through violence and bloodshed. It cannot come about through harsh words and forceful persuasion. In fact these very things that the world around us holds to be the only way to establish a kingdom are in fact the very enemies of the kingdom of heaven. We have been given an example in Christ of what it means to live in a violent, oppressive, and generally sinful world for the purpose of the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven. Even when the world hates us and despises us as it did to Jesus we have an example. As it says in Hebrews because he suffered he is able to help those who are tempted. So here we have Jesus, he is in Jerusalem brought before the Jewish council and beaten. Then brought before Pilate. Then before Herod, just to come back to Pilate for some more beating. It says he was beaten so much that he was beyond recognition. He is whipped, he is mocked, he carries his own cross, his clothes are gambled for while he is mocked some more. He is then finally crucified. While on the cross with the hate of the whole world being poured down physically and verbally what kind of example does our king leave us to follow? Luke 23:32-38;
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
As Jesus is on the cross, being tortured, abused, and mocked, he does not refute, does not defend and in fact does not respond in any way to the offense except to say, “Father forgive them.” Jesus does not ignore the wrong, but in fact he brings attention to it by forgiving it. But in bringing attention to it, it is not for the purpose of seeking justice, or to let them know that they are wrong. Jesus is calling attention to the wrong solely for the purpose of forgiving them. What it means for the messiah to come, for our king to reign, is for Him to have no concern for himself, but rather to be overcome with concern for those he came to save. A king is expected to set up his throne, large and mighty. He is expected to be grand and glorious. A king which the nations look up to, fear, and revere. But this is not who Jesus is. In fact he does not seek to bring any glory whatsoever to himself. The true messiah is not here for self gratification and advancement but to bring glory to someone else. Jesus came to bring glory to the Father. In order for Christ to bring glory to the Father he must rescue the children of the Father and overcome the eternal forces of this world, not the temporary plights of government. He came for a purpose greater. And so Jesus greatest concern on the cross was not his own pain or even the fact that the sinner was experiencing triumph over him. Jesus greatest and sole concern was for the soul of the sinner. The true messiah cares most not for himself but for the children of God. Therefore this is what Jesus lays before us, to care first and foremost for the well being physically and spiritually of our brothers and sisters, the children of God. This was not lost on the first Christians. In fact there is a story that sounds almost exactly of the story of Christ’s sacrifice. Turn to Acts 7:54-60.
Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. 55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. 58 Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Realizing what it meant for the messiah to come and seeing the example of Jesus, Stephen realized there was only one option. That option was the example left behind for Christ and in the midst of his greatest suffering Stephen is overwhelmed with concern for the very ones who are bringing about his suffering.
As the church we can fall under the temptation to make ourselves the primary concern. What about my life, my money, my home, my family, my friends, my well-being. But this focus on self is exactly what kind of messiah Israel wanted. They wanted a self centered messiah that promoted himself into a great King in the eyes of the world and promoted them over the other people of this world. They wanted a messiah that played favorites, a God who chose his child Israel to be more valuable than his child everybody else. When we make Jesus into this kind of messiah then we are able to respond like Mattathias, the father of Judas Maccabeus, to those whom do us wrong saying, “You shall rally around you all who observe the Law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. Pay back the gentiles in full and obey the commands of the Law.” But to react in this manner, to be overwhelmed with the concern of our own versus the love of our enemy, is to reflect who our true father is. As Jesus told the Pharisees in John, the father is not Abraham or God, but their father is the devil. The way we choose to live is a reflection of who our true father and messiah is. Instead we are called to be overcome not with self, but overcome with concern, love, mercy, and grace. We are called to follow the pattern of Jesus, the pattern of Stephen. Father forgive them. We don’t forgive them because we want them to know, but we forgive because their souls need forgiving.
This is what it means for Jesus to be the true messiah. He came for love, mercy, grace, forgiveness. He did not come to conquer. He did not come to condemn. He did not come to judge. Jesus came to set free. To rescue the captives. To be overwhelmed by the love for the children of God. And so the church as the body of Christ is called to the same. We are called to be like the true messiah, not the messiah the flesh wishes for. To reflect the true eternal king, not a imperialistic king of this world. The church most reflect the true messiah. We practice grace and forgiveness. We love and draw near to any whom are God’s creation. Jesus is not the only suffering servant, but so is his church. So we cry out along side of Christ, “Father forgive them.”
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