Messianic Identity of Jesus
Jesus is the promised Messiah.
This doctrine defines Christian orthodoxy. Denial places one outside the historic faith.
What the traditions say
Foundational. Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) prophesied throughout the Old Testament, fulfilling the promises to Israel.
Jesus is the promised Messiah who fulfills the Law and brings the Gospel. The Law-Gospel distinction illuminates His messianic work.
The liturgical year is structured around the unfolding of Christ's messianic mission — from Annunciation through Resurrection to Ascension.
The entire patristic reading of the Old Testament is Christological. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and all the Fathers read Israel's story as pointing to Jesus.
Christ fulfills the threefold office (munus triplex): Prophet, Priest, and King. The entire covenant of grace culminates in His coming.
Messianic expectation was diverse: Davidic king, priestly messiah, Son of Man, prophet like Moses. Some Jewish groups may have recognized Jesus; most did not.
Jesus did not fulfill the messianic expectations: restoring Israel, rebuilding the Temple, or establishing universal peace. The Messiah is still awaited.
Who binds this (creedal)
Every affiliated congregation inherits its denomination's position. Follow a chip to see the confession's language.
Key scriptures
- Acts 2:36 — Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
- Gen 3:15 — And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
- Isa 53:5 — But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
- Isa 7:14 — Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
- Isa 9:6 — For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
- John 1:41 — He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
- John 4:25 — The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
- John 4:26 — Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
- Luke 2:11 — For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
- Luke 24:27 — And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
- Matt 1:1 — The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
- Matt 16:16 — And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
- Mic 5:2 — But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
- Rev 5:5 — And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
- Rom 1:3 — Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
What the confessions say
Articles of the historic confessions that address this doctrine.
- Reformed Westminster Larger Catechism Q41 — Why was our Mediator called Jesus?
- Reformed Heidelberg Catechism Q18 — But who is that Mediator who at the same time is true God and a true and righteous man?
- Reformed Baptist 1689 London Baptist Confession 8.3 — Of Christ the Mediator
- Roman Catholic Council of Trent (Decrees) On Justification · Chapter II — On the dispensation and mystery of Christ’s advent
- Reformed Westminster Confession of Faith 8.3 — Of Christ the Mediator
- Reformed Heidelberg Catechism Q36 — What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?
The Church Fathers
The earliest Fathers who commented on the Scriptures above.
I Glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by Him has given you such wisdom. For I have observed that ye are perfected in an immoveable faith, as if ye were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh and in the spirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ, being fully persuaded,…
So then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language, and every one interpreted them as he was able.
And hear again how Isaiah in express words foretold that He should be born of a virgin; for he spoke thus: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bring forth a son, and they shall say for His name, `God with us.'" For things which were incredible and seemed impossible with men, these God predicted by the Spirit of prophecy as about to…
He has therefore, in His work of recapitulation, summed up all things, both waging war against our enemy, and crushing him who had at the beginning led us away captives in Adam, and trampled upon his head, as thou canst perceive in Genesis that God said to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy…
They may, then, obliterate the testimony of the devils which proclaimed Jesus the son of David; but whatever unworthiness there be in this testimony, that of the apostles they will never be able to efface, There is, first of all, Matthew, that most faithful chronicler of the Gospel, because the companion of the Lord; for no other…
Now, as our Lord Jesus Christ, who is also God, was prophesied of under the figure of a lion, on account of His royalty and glory, in the same way have the Scriptures also aforetime spoken of Antichrist as a lion, on account of his tyranny and violence. For the deceiver seeks to liken himself in all things to the Son of God. Christ is…