The Messiah's Message to His Own People in the Gospels

The Messiah, a title meaning "Anointed One" in Hebrew ( mashiah ) and translated into Greek as "Christ" (Christos), was understood in the Old Testament as a figure consecrated for a special office, such as priests, prophets, or kings ^{[1, 2, 3]}. The Gospels present Jesus as this promised Messiah, whose message to his own people, Israel, was deeply rooted in Old Testament prophecy and tradition, yet also brought a new understanding of his role and the nature of God's kingdom ^[4].

Jesus' message to his own people began with the proclamation of the "Gospel of the kingdom" ^[14]. This "good message" (Greek: evangelion) announced that the Savior had come into the world ^[4]. Matthew's Gospel, written likely between A.D. 60 and 65, particularly emphasizes Jesus as the promised King of God's kingdom ^{[4, 9]}. Jesus preached this message throughout Galilee, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23). This message was not entirely new, as the Gospel had been "preached under the Old Testament" ^[11]. Prophets like Isaiah foretold the coming of one who would bring good tidings (Isaiah 61:1-3) ^[11].

However, Jesus' message also challenged prevailing expectations of the Messiah. While many anticipated a political deliverer who would restore Israel's earthly sovereignty, Jesus emphasized a spiritual kingdom and a suffering Messiah ^{[13, 15]}. The prophet Isaiah, for instance, spoke of a "suffering servant" whose humiliation would lead to exaltation and reconciliation between God and humanity (Isaiah 52:13–53:12) ^{[12, 13]}. This concept of a suffering Messiah was a significant aspect of Jesus' teaching, though it was often misunderstood by his contemporaries.

Jesus frequently called his people to repentance and a change of heart, echoing the calls of Old Testament prophets. Jeremiah, for example, recorded God's repeated plea to Israel: "Return now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings" (Jeremiah 35:15) ^[5]. Jesus similarly urged his listeners to repent, stating that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Matthew 4:17). He also warned of judgment for those who rejected his message, comparing his sending of prophets, wise men, and scribes to previous instances where Israel persecuted God's messengers (Matthew 23:34) ^[6].

Despite the emphasis on Israel, Jesus' message also contained hints of a broader, universal scope. While his primary ministry was to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:6), prophecies in the Old Testament indicated that the Messiah's influence would extend to other nations. Isaiah spoke of God lifting his hand to the nations and setting up a banner for the peoples (Isaiah 49:22) ^[10]. Genesis also contains a blessing to Jacob that peoples and nations would bow down to him (Genesis 27:29) ^[8]. Jesus himself spoke of a future gathering where "all the nations will be gathered" before him, and he would separate them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats (Matthew 25:32) ^[7]. This universal aspect of the Messiah's mission would become more explicit after his resurrection, when his disciples were commanded to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:7, 19).

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Messiah — (Heb. mashiah), in all the thirty-nine instances of its occurring in the Old Testament, is rendered by the LXX. "Christos." It means anointed. Thus priests (Ex. 28:41; 40:15; Num. 3:3), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and kings (1 Sam. 9:16; 16:3; 2 Sam. 12:7) were anointed with oil, and so consecrated to their respective offices. The great Messiah is anointed "above his fellows" (Ps. 45:7); i.e., he embraces in himself all the three offices. The Greek form "Messias" is only twice used in the New Testament, in John 1:41 and 4:25 (R.V., "Messiah"), and in the Old ”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Messiah — (anointed). This word (Mashiach) answers to the word Christ (Christos) in the New Testament, and is applicable in its first sense to any one anointed with the holy oil. The kings of Israel were called anointed, from the mode of their consecration. (1 Samuel 2:10,35; 12:3,5) etc. This word also refers to the expected Prince of the chosen people who was to complete God's purposes for them and to redeem them, and of whose coming the prophets of the old covenant in all time spoke. He was the Messiah, the Anointed, i.e. consecrated as the king and prophet by God'”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Christ — Anointed, the Greek translation of the Hebrew word rendered "Messiah" (q.v.), the official title of our Lord, occurring five hundred and fourteen times in the New Testament. It denotes that he was anointed or consecrated to his great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and King of his people. He is Jesus the Christ (Acts 17:3; 18:5; Matt. 22:42), the Anointed One. He is thus spoken of by Isaiah (61:1), and by Daniel (9:24-26), who styles him "Messiah the Prince." The Messiah is the same person as "the seed of the woman" (Gen. 3:15), "the seed of Abraham" (Ge”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospels — The central fact of Christian preaching was the intelligence that the Saviour had come into the world (Matt. 4:23; Rom. 10:15); and the first Christian preachers who called their account of the person and mission of Christ by the term evangelion_ (= good message) were called _evangelistai (= evangelists) (Eph. 4:11; Acts 21:8). There are four historical accounts of the person and work of Christ: "the first by Matthew, announcing the Redeemer as the promised King of the kingdom of God; the second by Mark, declaring him a prophet, mighty in deed and word'; th”
Jeremiah “I have sent also to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and don’t go after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to me. -- Jeremiah 35:15”
Matthew “Therefore behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city; -- Matthew 23:34”
Matthew “Before him all the nations will be gathered, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. -- Matthew 25:32”
Genesis “Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you.” -- Genesis 27:29”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Matthew, Gospel according to — The author of this book was beyond a doubt the Matthew, an apostle of our Lord, whose name it bears. He wrote the Gospel of Christ according to his own plans and aims, and from his own point of view, as did also the other "evangelists." As to the time of its composition, there is little in the Gospel itself to indicate. It was evidently written before the destruction of Jerusalem (Matt. 24), and some time after the events it records. The probability is that it was written between the years A.D. 60 and 65. The cast of thought and the for”
Isaiah “Thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. -- Isaiah 49:22”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
Acts (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Acts 8:32: 8:32-33 The passage of Scripture was Isa 53:7-8, one of the Servant Songs of Isaiah, a passage that speaks of the suffering servant of the Lord.”
Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 52:13: 52:13–53:12 This is the fourth of four passages that speak about the promised servant (see study note on 42:1-4). The Hebrew poem is carefully constructed in five three-line stanzas. It begins with the servant’s exaltation (52:13), proceeds to his humiliation (52:14–53:9), and ends with his exaltation (53:10-12). The faithful servant’s suffering would bring reconciliation between God and humans. The Lord Jesus perfectly fulfilled this prophecy (see ch 40; Matt 8:17; Acts 8:30-35; Rom 10:15-17; 15:21; 1 Pet 2:24-25). 52:13 prosper . . . be highly exalted: The serv”
Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 24:14: And this Gospel of the kingdom,.... Which Christ himself preached, and which he called and sent his apostles to preach, in all the cities of Judah; by which means men were brought into the kingdom of the Messiah, or Gospel dispensation; and which treated both of the kingdom of grace and glory, and pointed out the saints' meetness for the kingdom of heaven, and their right unto it, and gives the best account of the glories of it: shall be preached in all the world; not only in Judea, where it was now confined, and that by the express orders of Christ himself; but i”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 69:29: But I am poor and sorrowful,.... The Messiah was poor in a literal sense, as it was foretold he should, Zac 9:9; so he was in his private life; born of poor parents, and brought up in a mean way: and in his public life, having no certain dwelling place, and ministered to by others; and when on the cross, being stripped of his garments; and nothing to eat and drink but gall and vinegar; and nothing to leave to his mother, but commits her to the care of his beloved disciple. Though this phrase in general may denote the low estate of Christ in his humiliation, being in ”

Ask Your Own Question