The question of whether Jesus is the Messiah is central to Christianity. The word “Messiah” comes from the Hebrew word “Mashiach” which means “anointed one.” In the Old Testament, prophets foretold the coming of a promised Messiah who would redeem God’s people. Christians believe that Jesus fulfilled these messianic prophecies and is the long-awaited Messiah and Savior of the world.
There are many reasons to believe that Jesus is the Messiah based on biblical evidence:
1. Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah
There are over 300 prophetic passages in the Old Testament that foretell the coming of the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled many of these, including being:
- Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25)
- Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6)
- A descendent of King David (Jeremiah 23:5, Luke 3:23-38)
- Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12, Matthew 26:14-16)
- Pierced hands and feet (Psalm 22:16, Luke 23:33)
- Numbers other details of his life, ministry, death, and resurrection were foretold centuries before he was born and fulfilled explicitly in the New Testament accounts of his life.
2. Jesus claimed to be the Messiah
Jesus directly claimed to be the prophesied Messiah and Son of God in passages such as:
- John 4:25-26 – The woman at the well said, “I know that Messiah is coming.” Jesus replied “I who speak to you am he.”
- Mark 14:61-64 – When asked if he was the Messiah, Jesus said “I am.” This claim led the Jewish leaders to condemn him for blasphemy.
- John 10:24-39 – Jesus claims divinity as “one” with the Father, and the Jews seek to stone him for blasphemy.
In claiming to be the Messiah, Jesus was claiming to be much more than a prophet or teacher; he declared himself as the divine Son of God and savior of humanity.
3. Jesus worked miraculous signs that fulfilled Messianic expectations
In addition to Jesus’ direct teachings, his miracles and works testified to his identity as the Son of God and prophesied Messiah. These included:
- Healing the sick (Isaiah 35:5-6)
- Giving sight to the blind (Isaiah 29:18)
- Casting out demons (Zechariah 13:2)
- Authority over nature, like calming the storm (Psalm 89:9)
- Power over death through resurrections (Ezekiel 37:12-14)
- His own resurrection from the dead (Psalm 16:10)
The miraculous signs Jesus performed aligned with Old Testament expectations of the Messiah’s works and power.
4. Jesus was identified by others as the Messiah
In addition to Jesus’ own words and actions testifying he was the Messiah, others also recognized and declared him to be the Christ:
- Andrew tells Peter “We have found the Messiah” when he meets Jesus (John 1:41)
- The Samaritan woman testifies to her village that Jesus is the Messiah (John 4:29)
- Martha declares Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (John 11:27)
- Peter declares “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16)
- A Roman centurion claims Jesus as the Son of God at his death (Matthew 27:54)
From his closest disciples to everyday citizens, many recognized Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah.
5. Jesus is the central figure of the New Testament and Christian faith
If Jesus was not actually the Messiah, it is difficult to explain his absolutely central role in the New Testament and founding of Christianity. Some key facts:
- All four Gospels focus on recounting Jesus’ life, ministry, death and resurrection.
- The rest of the New Testament looks back on Jesus as the Messiah and basis of salvation.
- All New Testament authors identify Jesus as the promised Christ and Son of God.
- Christianity centers around Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s plan of redemption.
- Within a few decades of Jesus’ death, thousands of Jews were converted to Christianity based on belief Jesus was the Messiah, even facing persecution.
If Jesus was not actually the foretold Messiah, Christianity could never have developed so soon out of Jewish messianic expectation. The New Testament writings and birth of the early Church centered on belief in Jesus as the long-awaited redeemer.
6. Alternative messianic candidates do not match Jesus
Skeptics sometimes argue that Jesus improperly claimed to be the Messiah, or propose other historical figures as possible candidates. However, alternative messianic candidates fail to fulfill the Old Testament qualifications and role:
- John the Baptist – John self-declared he was not the Christ (John 1:20). He saw himself as preparing the way for the true Messiah Jesus.
- Bar Kokhba – Led Jewish revolt 132-135 AD. Initially thought to be the Messiah, but was killed by Romans. Did not fulfill major prophecies.
- Other Jewish leaders – Some first century Jews expected a military/political deliverer. Jesus defied these expectations, claiming a spiritual kingdom.
- Other religions’ founders – Jesus stands unique among world religions in fulfilling centuries of predictive prophecies recorded in Scripture.
While there were various contemporary messianic expectations, Jesus matched Scriptural qualifications like no one else before or since. The prophecies point conclusively to his identity.
7. Jesus’ resurrection confirms his claims
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead sets him apart as the authenticated and glorified Messiah. Romans 1:4 declares:
And was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus predicted his death and resurrection multiple times (e.g. Matthew 16:21). After Jesus was crucified, he appeared alive over a 40 day period to:
- Mary Magdalene and other women (Matthew 28:1-10)
- Two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:13-32)
- Peter (Luke 24:34)
- Ten apostles (Luke 24:36-49)
- All eleven apostles (John 20:26-31)
- Seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-14)
- All disciples before his ascension (Matthew 28:16-20)
St. Paul notes that Jesus appeared to over 500 people after his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). The dramatic transformation of despairing disciples to bold proclaimers of Christ following his resurrection points to its historical validity. Jesus’ resurrection powerfully confirmed his identity and victory over sin and death.
8. New Testament writers affirmed Jesus as Messiah
New Testament authors unanimously identify Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Old Testament Messiah:
- Matthew: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)
- Mark: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1)
- John: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
- Luke: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
The New Testament epistles repeatedly look back to Christ Jesus as the cornerstone of salvation and the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant and Mosaic law:
- Romans 1:3 – “Concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh…”
- 1 Corinthians 15:3 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures…”
- 1 Peter 1:10-11 – “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully…”
Both the authors who walked with Jesus and later apostles affirmed him as the long-awaited Messiah foretold in the Hebrew scriptures.
9. Accepted by Gentiles as well as Jews
Though Jesus came first to preach to the Jews as God’s chosen people (Matthew 15:24), his message of salvation extended to the Gentiles as well. Scripture foretold the Messiah would make God’s salvation available to all peoples:
I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:6)
Jesus commanded his followers to take the gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:19). The book of Acts records the disciples preaching to Jews as well as Gentiles from Europe, Africa, and Asia. People of all languages and ethnic backgrounds found new life in Jesus Christ.
Jesus launched a global, multiethnic movement fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that the Messiah would be “a light for the Gentiles.” This movement continues spreading worldwide today.
10. The Messiah according to Jesus himself
Jesus described his messianic identity and mission in terms that matched Old Testament prophecies about the Christ:
- The Son of Man – Jesus’ favorite title for himself, drawn from Daniel 7:13-14, showed he is the glorious, eternal ruler.
- Suffering Servant – Jesus described his mission as giving his life as a ransom for many, in line with Isaiah 53.
- The Bridegroom – Jesus fulfilled the messianic wedding imagery of Isaiah 25:6-9 and other texts.
- The Son of David – As Messiah, Jesus held authority to forgive sins and restore God’s kingdom, as the heir to David’s throne.
Jesus frequently referenced Scriptures that illuminated his identity and purpose as the foretold Christ. Though he often sought to avoid public misunderstanding, Jesus ultimately accepted the title and mission of Messiah.
Conclusion
The cumulative biblical evidence strongly affirms that Jesus is the Messiah. He fulfilled hundreds of predictive prophecies, worked miraculous signs, claimed divinity, died for sin, rose victorious, and founded the global Church. His life aligned perfectly with the ancient Scripturalportrait of the coming Christ.
Christianity rests on the confession that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. This has been the orthodox position of the Church from its birth to today. After examining the biblical texts, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that Jesus is indeed the fulfillment of all Messianic hopes and expectations recorded in the Old Testament.
