TEACHING OF YESHUA MOSHIACH --- PART 2

Moshiach
The term [Moshiach,] does not belong strictly to the teachings of Yeshua, since He Himself never used it. However, He accepted this title in Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi. All the synoptic Gospels -- Matthew, Mark and Luke record the confession [You are the Moshiach] while Matthew adds a significant comment by Yeshua. He notes that YHVH Himself, [My Father Who is in heaven,] gave Peter this insight -- Matthew 16:17. Yeshua certainly accepted the confession and regarded it as revelation. He also did not refute being the Moshiach in His answer to the high priest’s question [Are you the Moshiach?] -- Mark 14:61. In John’s Gospel, Andrew tells Peter that he had found the Moshiach -- John 1:41; the woman at Samaria also talks to Yeshua and He reveals that He is the Moshiach -- 4:25-26. There was a widespread expectation among the Jews that a deliverer would come to overthrow their political enemies, the Romans. There were various ideas about his origin [a military leader or a heavenly warrior] and his methods. The Zealots believed that deliverance could come only through armed revolution. No wonder Yeshua hesitated to broadcast His title as Moshiach.

Son of YHVH:
The title [Son of YHVH] occurs mainly in John’s Gospel. Mark and John both regarded Yeshua in this light -- compare to Mark 1:1; John 20:30-31. There are certainly passages where the Moshiach is linked with the Son of YHVH and where Yeshua rejects neither title -- compare to Matthew 16:16. But in the teachings of Yeshua, one passage makes abundantly clear the special relationship that Yeshua had with YHVH as Son; namely, -- 11:27 also Luke 10:22, a parallel passage, where Yeshua implies that He is the Son of the Father. Many similar passages in John’s Gospel are however, more explicit. The Son is unquestionably pre-existent; living before time began. Yeshua knows He came from the Father and would return to the Father. Yeshua regarded Himself as divine; He was fully YHVH. However, John portrays Yeshua most clearly in His earthly nature as well; He was also fully human. Nowhere in the teachings of Yeshua did He explain how YHVH could become man, but He assumed this as a fact. As YHVH’s Son, He taught with the authority of YHVH.

Teachings About the Kingdom of YHVH:
No one can read the synoptic Gospels without noting how often the [Kingdom of YHVH] occurs. Many of the parables of Yeshua are specifically called parables of the Kingdom. Yeshua’s concept of the Kingdom was a basic idea of the Christian gospel. The main idea is the rule of YHVH over people rather than a physical realm that belongs to YHVH. In other words, the emphasis is on the active reigning of YHVH as King. YHVH’s Kingdom consists of the relationships between the members and the King. It also means the Kingdom will not be expressed in institutional terms. There is one problem with the Kingdom teachings that must be faced: its timing. Some sayings imply that it is already present, while others suggest that it will not come until the future. Some scholars don’t believe that the present and future can be held together; therefore, they reject one and concentrate on the other. Those who maintain a present understanding of the Kingdom developed the idea of a social gospel; what happens in the here and now. According to this view, there is no place for a future arrival of the Kingdom; only an emphasis on establishing a Kingdom that helps the poor and needy. On the other hand, some concentrate only on the future Kingdom. In this case, it is difficult to see in what sense the Kingdom teachings are relevant. Yet others have insisted that since both present and future aspects are found in the Gospel records, no explanation is satisfying that denies one at the expense of the other. One possible solution is to regard the present aspects as applying to this age but as not reaching their fulfilment until the future establishment of the Kingdom. A similar solution, expressed differently, is to maintain that the reality is a future Kingdom but that it has spilled over into the present. Yeshua intentionally included both present and future aspects.

The Present Kingdom:
That the Kingdom was a theme of common interest is clear from -- Luke 17:20-21, where the Pharisees asked Yeshua when it was coming. They were looking for the Moshiach to establish a political overthrow of the Romans. His answer, that it was [among them,] is clearly a present idea. Evil spirits were also exorcised as evidence that the Kingdom had arrived -- Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20. Moreover, Yeshua mentioned that the Kingdom had been forcefully advancing -- Matthew 11:12, but not by revolutionary methods. Still, something dynamic was already happening. This idea of dynamic power is one of the most characteristic features of the Kingdom. Yeshua spoke of binding the strong, armed man -- Luke 11:21-22, which shows that in His Ministry He expected to give a powerful demonstration against the forces of darkness. It is evident that the Kingdom Yeshua proclaimed, present or future was a Kingdom in which YHVH was supreme. The Kingdom was part of His mission, in which YHVH was bringing spiritual deliverance to His people. Moreover, the Kingdom teachings of Yeshua are part of the total message. No part of that message can be separated from any other part without distorting the whole.

The Future Kingdom:
The parables have the clearest teachings on the future aspect of the Kingdom -- Matthew 13. The discourse on the Mount of Olives is equally telling -- Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21. In the latter, Yeshua spoke of the future using imagery drawn from Jewish literature. He references clouds, glory and angels in relation to the coming of the Son of Man -- Mark 13:26-27. Matthew references a trumpet call, another familiar feature -- Matthew 24:31.Various features from the Kingdom parables give the clearest idea of the nature of the Kingdom. Membership in the Kingdom is not considered to be universal, for in the parable of the sewer not all the soils [people] enjoy the same results. The same distinction is seen in the parable of the tares and the parable of the dragnet. The tares are destroyed and only the wheat is harvested. The members of the Kingdom are those who hear and understand the Word of the Kingdom -- Matthew 13:23. For all our racial, cultural and gender differences, there are only two kinds of people in the world: saved and unsaved. There are members of the Kingdom and outsiders. Each person must individually respond to Yeshua’s offer of salvation in order to be part of the Kingdom. There is an emphasis on growth in the parable of the mustard seed, where small beginnings grow into big things. The parables of the treasure and the pearl underline the value of the Kingdom. The universal character of the Kingdom comes out sharply in the parable of the vineyard, where the Kingdom is taken away from the non-believing Jews and is given to another [nation.] This likely refers to the non-Jewish people, the Gentiles -- Matthew 21:43 entrance into the Kingdom. Yeshua Commanded His disciples to preach to all nations -- 28:19. This worldwide Kingdom gave Gentiles and Jews equal status; a revolutionary thought for Israel.