Thoughts From One Never Alone

Did the early Christians force a foreign concept of Messiah into their religious context? Did Jesus answer John the Baptist’s question positively or not? These questions have created controversy within the broader context of biblical studies. Many liberal scholars believed that Jesus could not have viewed Himself to be the Messiah because the concept of Messiah was one that developed later in the early years of Christianity. When Jesus responded to John the Baptist’s question, He did not claim to be the Messiah. So they said. Today, in light of the DSS, those assertions are considered untenable.

We now know that when Jesus responded by quoting from Isaiah 61 He was saying ‘yes’ to John’s question. How do we now know this based upon the DSS? 4Q521, known as ‘Redemption and Resurrection,’ makes it clear that in the Jewish context, leading up to the life and ministry of Jesus, there was an expectation that the Messiah would indeed be revealed through the acts mentioned in Isaiah. Jesus told John in essence that ‘I am the One that Israel has been expecting and was foretold by Isaiah.’ Jesus, according to His response found in Matthew chapter 11, believed He was the Messiah.

4Q521 not only helps us appreciate how Jesus viewed Himself but also gives us insight into the mind of 1st Century Judaism. Obviously, the Essenes we only a sect of Judaism, but at least we now know that it is not absurd to believe that Isaiah 61 helped to form Messianic expectations in 1st Century Judaism.