Meaning of Messiah

The English word ‘Messiah’ is derived from Aramic ‘mesica’, reflecting Hebrew ‘masiach’,
which means ‘anointed’. In Greek, it is ‘Christos’, which is translated as ‘Christ’. in the Old
Testament ‘anointed’ is closely linked with two offices, king and high priest. According to Jews
Messianic hope, the concept of the king Messiah, the “anointed One” is one who would one day
come to deliver his people from oppression. Kish Messiah is the instrument by whom God’s
kingdom is to be established in Israel and in the world.

Matthew Understanding of Messiah

Matthew captures messianic hope and expectations of the Jews. He does his utmost to point out
every detail fulfilled in Jesus’ life. And with preference he quotes the sayings of Jesus in which
Jesus himself refers to the Old Testament (Mt 2:5, 4:4,6,7,10, 11:10, 21:13, 15:4, 19:5). Matthew
cares to stress that Jesus is not a political Messiah, but He is a Messiah with divine power. Jesus’
divinity and equality with God the Father is brought out in many ways:

Jesus is greater than God’s temple (Matt 12:6) than Jonah and Solomon (Matt 12:42), than David
(Matt 22:41 – 46).

Jesus does miracles which only God can do, such as stilling the storm, raising Jairus’ daughter
and so on. God the Father testifies about him, “This is my Son” (Matt 3:17; 17:5).

Jesus knows all that the Father knows (Matt 11:27).

Jesus will judge mankind as only God can judge (Mt 16:27, 19:28, 24:27 -31, 25:31 – 46).

Jesus is with the Father and the Holy Spirit, Almighty God, in whose name all people should be
baptized (matt 28:19).

Matthew instructs his readers that the true Messiah, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, has
indeed come. The purpose of Matthew’s gospel is to prove that Jesus is the promised Messiah.
Matthew presented Jesus as Israel’s Messiah (Anointed One) who fulfils the function of
prophets, priest and king in one person.
Mark Understanding of Messiah

One of the main issues in Mark’s ways of presenting Jesus is what it means for Jesus to be the
Messiah. The whole point of Jesus’ Messianic identity in Mark’s gospel is that He had to die.
The earliest of the canonical Gospels, mark shows the complexity of applying the term ‘Christos’
to Jesus. From the opening words in 1:1 the author indicates familiarity and acceptance of the
term as applied to Jesus (the good news about Jesus the Messiah). Mark’s particular destination
for Jesus is “Jesus Messiah and Son of God”. in the high priest’s question – “Are you the
Messiah, the Son of the blessed?” (Mark 14:61), the two designation of Messiah and son of God
explicitly come together again because “Son of the Blessed” represents a Jewish indirect way of
expression for “Son of God”. Jesus responds affirmatively, “I am”. The “I am” a possible
allusion to the self-description language of God in the Old Testament ( Isaiah 43:10,13). When
Jesus was crucified, the observers mockingly address him as “Messiah, the king of Israel”. This
is how mark affirmed Jesus as ‘Messiah’ Christ.

Luke understanding of Messiah

As in other Gospels, Jesus is seen in Luke as Messiah (Luke 9:20). He is also the Son of God, as
the angel indicates (Luke 1:35). In Luke 2:26, we are introduce to Simeon who waited the
consolation of Israel and had been promised by God that he would live to see “Lord’s Christ”.
Likewise in 3:15 when John the Baptist was asked if he is “the Christ’ and replies Christ is the
mightier one coming after him. in 4:41 the demons knowledge of Jesus had to do explicitly with
his messianic status: “they knew that He (Jesus) was the Christ”. The final Lukan affirmation of
Jesus’ messiahship appear in 24:26 -27, 44 – 47, where the risen Jesus identifies himself as “the
Christ”, whose suffering and subsequent glory and predicted in the Old Testament.

John understanding of Messiah

The word Christ appears 17 times in the fourth Gospel. John believes that Jesus is the “anointed
one”, “the son of God’ (20:31). It is evidence that for him those two titles adequately and
unexpectedly interpret that significance of Jesus and therefore it is proper to take this title. Thus,
John maintains the confession of Jesus as the anointed one in whom promises in the Old
Testament have been fulfilled. The question of whether Jesus is the Messiah, i.e. of whether any
Christological understanding of Jesus is valid at all, is present in several places (1:41 – 2; 4: 25 –
6, 7:26 31, 41, 9:22, 10:24).

Contemporary Jewish though the Messiah was conceived of as an anointed, divinely endowed
Son of David who would shatter the hated pagan rule and deliver God’s people. The Gospel was
written, not that people might believe in Jesus Christ, but that they might believe that Jesus
Christ is the Messiah (Christ). Jesus was his name not Jesus Christ. The Gospel sounds the
Christological note at the very beginning; one of the first disciples, Andrew, tells peter that he
has found the Messiah (1:41). The next day Nathanael confesses Jesus to be “the son of God, the
King of Israel” (1:49). The Gospel accurately reflects the political situation of the time. King of
Israel does not mean a military revolutionary as the Jews understood it. In fact after one of Jesus’
notable miracles, the people tried to take him by force and make him kin (6:15) but he refused
them. The last enrtry into Jerusalem is described in terms of coming of Israel’s King (12:13, 15).
That Jesus was accused of political situation before Pilate is reflected in the latter’s question,
“Are you the King of the Jews?” (19:3). Jesus replied that his kingly authority did not come from
this world and could not be promoted by worldly means of force of arms. Jesus was later mocked
as King of the Jews and executed with the title “king of the Jews” on the cross (19:19). It is
obvious that his messianic kingship is not on the political but on the spiritual level. In the same
way, the title “Christos” is not of itself adequate to designate the person and die mission of Jesus.
He is not only the Messiah; he is the messiah who is also the Son of God. He is the Messiah in
the sense that he fulfils the Old Testament hope of a coming deliverer (1:45). The Messiah was
expected to remain hidden until he would suddenly appear on the scene, but Jesus was a well
known figure. When Jesus talked of his imminent death, the Jews answered him by saying; “we
have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever” (12:34). By citing this word, John is not
referring to any specific prophecies but to the way the Jews interpreted the Old Testament (Isa
9:6).

Paul understanding of Messiah

Before the experience of Damascus road, Paul must have known the essentials of the Christian
claim for Jesus, especially Jesus as the ‘promised messiah”. Damascus road experienced
convinced Paul that this claim was correct. It is in fact that the Paul does not frequently refer to
Jesus as messiah and in no way minimizes the importance of the doctrine. The concept is much
larger than the use of the term. Paul says almost a little about messiahship of Jesus. probably the
reason may be fact that Paul’s letters are addressed to Gentile audiences rather than to Jews. If
we had Pauline correspondence addressed to Jews, we would probably find much more about
Jesus’ messiahship.

Paul’s understanding of the messiahship of Jesus involve a transformation of traditional

Messiah in other books of New Testament

Hebrews: the designation of Christ is used through the epistle. It is a reminder that the anointed
one, the kingly messiah, has come. Christ is a permanent High priest, who has made propitiation
for sins (2:17). As High priest He identifies with the people, yet is sinless (4:15); and endures
forever (6:20). As High priest He has finished His work (8:1). Christ priesthood is superior
because Christ’s priesthood is new and better (7:15, 7:7,19,22. 8:6). Christ priesthood is
permanent (7:10). Christ’s priesthood is based on a better covenant (8:6, 6;13). He offered His
own blood to provide complete cleansing (9:14). He bore the sins once but will appear a second
time for salvation (9:28).

Peter: Peter preferred the designation ‘Christ’ in his epistles, Peter writes that Christ shed His
precious blood (1 Peter 1:19), suffered as a substitute (1 peter 2:21), suffered in the flesh (1 Peter
4:1), suffered in front of witnesses (1 peter 5:1), and died for sin once for all (1 peter 3:18). In
the light of this, Peter encourages the believers to set apart Christ as Lord in their hearts (1 Peter
3:15) because in the end God will call believers to eternal through their union with Christ (1
Peter 5:10).

Jude: The title master and Lord both refer to Christ. Master in Greek is despoten meaning
‘absolute ruler’. Jude equates Jesus wit Yahweh of the Old Testament, who was the anticipated
Redeemer and ruler in the Old Testamen. Jude further calls Jesus as Messiah, ‘the anointed one’
(v 25).