atlashunter
Senior Member
I seem to remember passages where he hints at it but I don’t recall him coming right out and claiming it.
Some scripture for thought
Matthew 26:63-64
63 But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Matthew 16:15-17
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.
John 8:58
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Jesus over and over assumed the implication that he was the messiah without denying it so or claiming it. "When the messiah comes, will he do greater miracles than this?" In other words, the scriptures pointed to a prophet likened to Moses. " "This is how they will know I sent you".
There is a reason for not making big claims. Anybody could claim it, but Jesus said believe based on the works/miracles I do. Lots of verses on this. Pointing again to MosesI see the hints at it in the gospels (assuming they are credible for the sake of argument). In a time when the Jews were expecting a messiah, someone who would be in a position of great power, it’s to be expected that people would lay claim to being that guy. They are doing it to this day. It’s not clear to me that he was that bold as to come right out and lay claim to it.
Maybe the Jews were set up. They were blinded, not to see. Then salvation could go to those who were the real Jews.I guess what I’m wondering is if he wasn’t claiming to be the messiah then what was it about him that threatened the Jewish ruling class to the point of wanting him dead? And if he was claiming to be the messiah more openly why do the scriptures have him beating around the bush about it? I think it’s fair to say that whether he was or wasn’t, to most Jews he didn’t fit their expectation based on their understanding of the prophecies, especially once he was executed.
He offended the self righteous. The Jews of that day had lived their lives trying to please God. Now someone offends them by implying that they were not pleasing God. This is an understatement. He was highly offensive. Even worse to those who took pride in their accomplishments and notoriety of being a religious hero or the face of righteous. Ever wondered why people "went to the dessert to see John the Baptist". Not that John came to them, but rather they went to him?. Because common people after doing an assessment of their lives, said to themselves, I can't live up to the standards the religious elite display, thus what will I do?. They had heard about one in the dessert preaching forgiveness of sins, and flocked to him. My brother n law, once told me, I can't live up to that, implying he was not able to give up what he assumed was holding him back. Perfect candidate. Yet Paul, one of those religious elite, also a perfect candidate. Why, because in view of Jesus, rather than his fellow elite, he became aware... that he could not live up to the standard. Thus, all his works, figuratively, stone [building blocks like brick], one by one making a building for god to live in, he tore down, becoming rubble, that he could say, by the grace of God, i am what I am, [not by my self discipline]. As Stephen said, God does not live in houses made by man. And as Jesus said, not one stone will be left standingI guess what I’m wondering is if he wasn’t claiming to be the messiah then what was it about him that threatened the Jewish ruling class to the point of wanting him dead? And if he was claiming to be the messiah more openly why do the scriptures have him beating around the bush about it? I think it’s fair to say that whether he was or wasn’t, to most Jews he didn’t fit their expectation based on their understanding of the prophecies, especially once he was executed.
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
http://www.jewfaq.org/m/mashiach.htmI wonder if Scripture ever revealed the Messiah would be the Son of God? So even if Jesus told the Jews he was the Son of God, did that necessarily mean he was the Messiah?
Many verses after Jesus has revealed he was the Son and many verses before revealed a Messiah was coming. I'm not sure anyone was aware that the Messiah would be the Son.