Jesus Christ
The Passion
Is Jesus the Messiah
by Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D.
Many did not believe in Jesus and slandered him:
"This man blasphemeth" said the scribes.
The Jews of Judah in fact tried to stone him to death, which is why the followers of Jesus repeatedly questioned his decision to return to where "the Jews sought to stone thee."
Over and over again, throughout the Gospel we are told how priests, Pharisees and scribes plotted to kill Jesus:
"Then the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him" -Matthew 26.
"And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him." -John 5.
"The chief priests, and unto the scribes...condemn him to death." -Mark 9.
"Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him." -John 5
"But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth." -John 8.
"And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him." -Luke 22.
Some rejected him and refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah based on geography: "But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the townof Bethlehem, where David was? So there was a division among the people because of him." -John 7.
Scripture tell us that Jesus was born in Bethelehem, in Judea--probably between 6 B.C. and 6 A.D. However, he was known as "Jesus of Nazareth" because he was raised in the Galilean town of Nazareth. Jesus was a Galilean, a Nazarean and some Jews did not believe a Messiah could come from such a place.
"And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" -John 2,46.
Even those who lived in Nazareth and Galilee found it had to believe a Messiah could come from their home country.
"And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? And they were offended in him.... And Jesus did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." -Matthew 13.
"Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk,
and healed them." -Mark 6.
Yet, according to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and he was a direct descendant of King David--exactly as prophecied.
As retold by Matthew 1: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat...And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon, and Soloman begat...and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things...he had gathered all the chief priests and demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet." -Matthew 2.
However, it was also prophecied that the Messiah would come from Nazareth. After the birth of Jesus, Nazareth is where his family chose to dwell:
"And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." -Matthew 2.
Yet, even though he had all the right credentials, Jesus was a threat to those who desired only a peaceful coexistence with their Roman rulers, and he was a dispointment to those who wanted rebellion and war.
The message of Jesus was foregiveness, peace and love. Jesus preached love not war.
"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." -Matthew 5.
"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" -Matthew 6.
"Love one another." -John 14.
"Judge not, that ye be not judged." -Matthew 7.
"For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" -John 12.
"The Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. -Luke 9.
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