Luke 7:19 ¶ And John
calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying,
Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? 20 When the men were come unto him, they said,
John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or
look we for another? 21 And in that same
hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil
spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your
way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see,
the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to
the poor the gospel is preached. 23 And
blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
John is seeking
confirmation that there is no one to come after Jesus. This seems rather odd
for us as John the Baptist is the one who announced Jesus first to the people.
However, I read in a book entitled A
History of Messianic Speculation in Israel from the First through the
Seventeenth Centuries by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver that there was an
expectation of two messiahs at times, one; Messiah ben Joseph and, two; Messiah
ben David. One is a conqueror and one suffers for the people of Israel and dies
fighting the enemies of God and Israel. Jewish tradition also refers to, “The
Four Craftsmen.” Whether these rabbinic
teachings of multiple messiahs are later interpolations or not it is clear that
John is wondering if all of the prophecies will be fulfilled in one man; Jesus
Christ. The Dead Sea Scrolls also speak of something like a war-messiah from
the tribe of Ephraim dated to the first century before Christ, a suffering
Messiah, and a priestly Messiah figure.
Jesus implies that
there is no need to look for anyone else to come after Him. All is being
fulfilled and will be fulfilled in Him. Just as Jesus quoted Isaiah in chapter
4 stopping at a point in the prophecy where what comes next signified His
second coming to earth at the end to take control so here is another example of
a prophecy in Isaiah where by Jesus alluding to it He is saying He is
fulfilling and will fulfill in Himself the prophecies concerning the Messiah.
Read the entire chapters of Isaiah 34 and 35 to see examples of what I mean. In
these passages we have the return of the Jews supernaturally to Israel at the
end as well as the judgment of God.
Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen ye
the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. 4
Say to them that are of
a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
5 ¶ Then the eyes of the blind
shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in
the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7 And the parched ground shall become a pool,
and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each
lay, shall be grass with reeds
and rushes. 8 And an highway shall be
there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall
not pass over it; but it shall be
for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up
thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
And again, review
Isaiah 61;
Isaiah 61:1 ¶ The Spirit of
the Lord GOD is upon me;
because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath
sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that
are bound; 2 To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort
all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them
that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be
called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be
glorified.
Compare the break after
the comma in verse 2 of Isaiah 61 with where Jesus stops reading in Luke 4.
Luke 4:17 And there was
delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the
book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised, 19
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed
the book, and he gave it
again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the
synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And
he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
It is a person’s own
hard heart that would prevent them from seeing that He is the Messiah, God
walking on earth in the flesh, the Redeemer of all mankind. It is your own
sinful nature that prevents you from receiving Christ as your Saviour, to be offended in Him.
Isaiah 8:13 Sanctify the
LORD of hosts himself; and let
him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he
shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of
offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many
among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.
1Peter 2:8 And a stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offence, even
to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also
they were appointed.
Jesus declares Himself
to be the Messiah that the Jews are waiting for and God, our Creator, the
Saviour of all mankind. This is clear.
John 4:25 The woman saith
unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come,
he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus
saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto
him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Luke 23:42 And he said unto
Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto
thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
In the interaction with
Peter in Matthew Jesus lets Peter make this declaration of faith that Jesus is
the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God or God walking in the flesh,
and it is upon that belief, that rock of faith, that He will build His church,
a called-out assembly, His body walking on earth after His physical departure.
Matthew 16:13 ¶ 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? 14
And they said, Some say that
thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of
the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But
whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon
Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,
Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is
in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee,
That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates
of hell shall not prevail against it. 19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should
tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
There are no other
messiahs to come and Christ is the only way to approach God the Father as He
was Him walking in the flesh.
Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto
him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there
salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
He is the Saviour of
the world.
John 1:29 The next day John
seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world.
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