SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH (from Dan. 9:26)

The difficulty in interpreting this term is because of the different usages associated with the term “Messiah” or “anointed one” (BDB 603, KB 645). The term was used of placing a special oil on a person to denote God’s call and equipping for an assigned leadership task.

1. used of Jewish kings

(e.g., 1 Sam. 2:10; 12:3; 24:6,10; 2 Sam. 19:21; 23:1; Ps. 89:51; 132:10,17; Lam. 4:20; Hab. 3:13; “Anointed Prince” in Dan. 9:25)

2. used of Jewish priests

(i.e., “anointed priests,” Exod 29:7; e.g., Lev. 4:3,5,16; 6:15; 7:36; 8:12; possibly Ps. 84:9-10; and 133:2)

3. used of Patriarchs, and prophets

(cf. Gen. 26:7; 1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15, which refers to the covenant people corporately; possibly Hab. 3:13)

4. used of prophets

(cf. 1 Kgs. 19:16; possibly 1 Chr. 29:22)

5. used of Cyrus

(cf. Isa. 45:1)

6. #1 and #2 are combined in Psalm 110 and Zechariah 4

7. used of God’s special coming, Davidic King to bring in the new age of righteousness

a. line of Judah (cf. Gen. 49:10)

b. house of Jesse (cf. 2 Samuel 7)

c. universal reign (cf. Psalm 2; Isa. 9:6; 11:1-5; Mic. 5:1-4ff)

d. ministry to the needy (cf. Isa. 61:1-3)

I personally am attracted to the identification of “an anointed one” with Jesus of Nazareth (cf. John 1:41; 4:25) because of

1. the introduction of an eternal Kingdom in Daniel 2 during the fourth empire

2. the introduction of “a son of man” in Dan. 7:13 being given an eternal kingdom

3. the redemptive clauses of Dan. 9:24, which point toward a culmination of fallen world history

4. Jesus’ use of the book of Daniel in the NT (cf. Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14)

It must be admitted this is a rare title in the OT, possibly only Dan. 9:25. It must also be acknowledged that Jesus does not fit the OT general description of the Messiah.

1. not leader in Israel

2. not officially anointed by a priest

3. not just savior of Israel

4. not only “son of man,” but shockingly “Son of God”