Messiah Jesus: The World's Only True Hope

By Eloy Puga

Messiah Jesus explores the concepts of the biblical Messiah, pseudo-messiahs, hope, heaven, and the prophetic criteria for messiahship while showing that only Jesus fulfilled God's prophetic standards.

As you read you'll find answers to:
• Who/What will Messiah be?
• How will He appear?
• Where and when will He show up?
• What will He do?
• Has God confirmed His Messiah?
• Is Jesus the only way to God?
• Is there true hope?

Messiah Jesus equips you to recognize the truth that Jesus is God's Messiah and the Savior of the world. This is a faith-building tool that answers questions and clarifies areas concerning Jesus' messianic role. Let God use this book to take your confidence and worship to another level as you increase in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986708911

Book preview

Contents

List of Abbreviations

Preface

INTRODUCTORY MATTERS

Chapter One: The Purpose and Importance of this Study

Introduction

This Book’s Flow

Chapter Two: Prolegomena: God, The Bible and Messianic Prophecy, Truth, Jesus, and

Religious Roads to God

God

The Bible and Messianic Prophecy

Truth

Jesus

Religious Roads to God

Summary

THE MESSIAH, HOPE, AND MESSIANIC CRITERIA

Chapter Three: The Idea of the Messiah,

the Waiting World, and Time

The Idea of the Messiah

Other Religions’ Messiahs and Time

Views of Time

Summary

Chapter Four: Is There True Hope?

The Absence of Hope

Generic Hope and the Biblical View of Hope

Present-day Hope of the Believer

Misplaced Vain Hope

Eschatological Hope

Hope and the Messiah

Summary

Chapter Five: Biblical Prophecy as Non-negotiable Messianic Criteria

Criterion #1: Who/What He Will Be? Part 1: Divine

Criterion #2: Who/What He Will Be? Part 2: Human

Criterion #3: How He Will Appear/Be Born? Through a Virgin Birth

Criterion #4: Where He Will Appear? In Israel

Criterion #5: When He Will Appear? Before AD 70

Criterion #6: What He Will Do? Part 1: Be Rejected, Suffer, and Die Voluntarily

Criterion #7: What He Will Do? Part 2: Resurrect

Summary

PSEUDO MESSIAHS, PSEUDO HOPE, AND PSEUDO WAYS TO GOD

Chapter Six: Two Pseudo Messiahs of Judaism

Bar Kokhba

Sabbatai Zevi

Summary

Chapter Seven: The Pseudo Messiah of Bahaism

Baha’u’llah

Summary

Chapter Eight: Three Pseudo Messiahs of

Cults of Christianity

Jim Jones

Sun Myung Moon

David Koresh

Summary

THE SUPREME CREDENTIALS

OF JESUS AND HIS FULFILLMENT OF MESSIANIC CRITERIA WHICH LEADS TO GOD’S EXCLUSIVE CONFIRMATION OF

JESUS AS MESSIAH

Chapter Nine: The Supreme Credentials of Jesus the Messiah Part 1 (Who/What): Fulfillment of Messianic Criteria 1 and 2: The God-Man

Fulfillment of Criteria Concerning His Nature

Summary

Chapter Ten: The Supreme Credentials of Jesus the Messiah Part 2 (How): Fulfillment of Messianic Criterion 3: Prophecy of His Virgin Birth

Fulfillment of Criterion Concerning His Virgin Birth

Summary

Chapter Eleven: The Supreme Credentials of Jesus the Messiah Part 3 (Where/When): Fulfillment of Messianic Criteria 4 and 5: Prophecies of Place and Timing

Fulfillment of Criteria Concerning

Where He Will Appear

Fulfillment of Criteria Concerning

When He Will Appear

Summary

Chapter Twelve: The Supreme Credentials of Jesus the Messiah Part 4 (What): Fulfillment of Messianic Criteria 6: Prophecies of Isaiah and Psalms: Rejection, Suffering,

and Death

Isaiah 53 (Isaiah 52.13 – 53.12)

Psalm 22

Additional Apologetic on Jesus’ Death

The Main Reason of Jesus’ Death: Atonement

Summary

Chapter Thirteen: The Supreme Credentials of Jesus the Messiah Part 5 (What): Fulfillment of Messianic Criteria 7:

Prophecies of Psalms and Isaiah: Resurrection

Fulfillment of Criteria Concerning His Resurrection

Additional Apologetic on Jesus’ Resurrection

Summary

Chapter Fourteen: The Supreme Credentials of Jesus

the Messiah Part 6: God’s Exclusive Confirmation

of Jesus as Messiah

God’s Exclusive Confirmation of

Jesus through His Infancy

God’s Exclusive Confirmation of Jesus at His Baptism

God’s Exclusive Confirmation of

Jesus at His Transfiguration

God’s Exclusive Confirmation of Jesus

through His Resurrection

Summary

JESUS THE MESSIAH AS

THE EXCLUSIVE WAY

Chapter Fifteen: The Way: The Meaning of Jesus’ Exclusivity Part 1: Positive Perspective

The Way in Jesus’ Self Understanding

The Way to Forgiveness and Reconciliation

The Way to Ultimate Hope

The Way to Truth

The Way to Life

The Way to God

Summary

Chapter Sixteen: The Way: The Meaning of Jesus’ Exclusivity Part 2: Negative Perspective

The Falsehood of Religious Pluralism

Summary

CONCLUSION:

JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GOD

Chapter Seventeen: Conclusion: Jesus is the

True Messiah of True Hope

Recap

To Whom Shall We Go?

Appendix I: The Second Coming of Messiah and

Why You should Care

Appendix II: The Gospel of Jesus the Messiah

Appendix III: Statements on Christology

Appendix IV: Examined Messianic Prophecies

that Jesus Fulfilled

Glossary

Bibliography

About the Author

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

By Your Spirit, and within the steps of eternal life,

may we know You, the only true God,

and the One You have sent —

Jesus Christ.

PREFACE

This work is a forceful defense and propagation of Jesus’ Messiahship. It’s an edited version of my doctoral thesis. People have asked if the thesis will be published, well here it is for all to enjoy, to be edified, and to be challenged by. Since my life changing encounter with the Lord of Life, Light, and Love in 2003, I have dedicated my life to Him and to His service. One way that I show my dedication is by attempting to love the Lord with all my mind; this is simply another humble offering to His Majesty.

I think that there are at least two fruitful ways to read this book, one is to read it straight through, the other is to read the Introduction in Chapter 1, followed by Chapters 4 and 5, then Chapters 9-17 (the rest of the book). The footnotes are helpful as clarification points, the reference material seeks to edify and hopefully shows my heart, certain terms are also explained in the glossary.

I would like to thank the people who have supported me in this long endeavor, from my best friend and wife, Jennifer, to my daughter Mari and her encouragements of "100!" to the faithful saints I’ve had the privilege to befriend and learn from. There are many to name but here are a few: Dustin and Christine, Joe, Edgar, and the many other dear brothers and sisters I have fellowshipped with who love Jesus and are awaiting His return.

Love, grace, and peace!

Eloy

John 330

UNIT 1

INTRODUCTORY MATTERS

Chapter One

The Purpose and Importance of this Study

Introduction

¹

Approximately 80 percent of the world’s population adheres to the five biggest world religions: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism. ² One of the commonalities of these and of other faiths is the hopeful belief in the appearing of some type of messiah savior: Christianity has Jesus, Islam awaits the Mahdi, Hinduism awaits Kalki, Buddhism awaits Maitreya, and most of Judaism is still waiting for their Messiah. ³ There are/have also been many self-proclaimed Messiahs that were affiliated with various cults of Christianity, adherents of these cults are hopeful that their Messiah will also truly appear. ⁴

This raises some questions: Are all these Messiahs going to appear? Has the Messiah already appeared? How can we know if any of these Messiah figures is the true One? Are there any messianic criteria which one could use to measure the propositions and the deeds of a supposed Messiah? Can any Messiah bring true hope?

By using the Bible as a measuring rod, it will be shown that Jesus of Nazareth is the only one who could/did undoubtedly fulfill messianic prophecy.⁵ However, people do boldly claim otherwise that Jesus did not fulfill messianic prophecy and that He was nothing but a pseudo Messiah at worst or a manifestation of God at best (with a few other views of Jesus in between, see next paragraph). Writing on the expectation of the Messiah appearing during Roman rule, Jewish scholar, Dan Cohn-Sherbok, states, During this period various false Messiahs appeared, including Jesus whom the Jews refused to accept because he did not fulfil the prophecies of messianic redemption contained in the Hebrew Bible.⁶

Even though many of Judaism’s scholars concur with Cohn-Sherbok, there are varied views on Jesus which are seen in Jewish circles as presenting Him as a false prophet, thus only a prophet. Islam also holds to Jesus being a prophet, extremely revered, albeit nothing more than a prophet. Another view of Jesus is that He was a Jewish non-messianic social reformer.⁷

I think that out of the various non-biblical views of Jesus, if one had to choose the best non-biblical view it’ll be from the Baha’i faith; Jesus was a manifestation of God. But the Baha’i faith also proposes that He was not God and that He is not the Messiah. Nonetheless, the main zeitgeist of the western world presents Jesus as just one of the many religious founders whom are all on par with each other and that He is definitely no Messiah. Thus, Jesus is not unique, nothing makes Him special, He is just one of the boys, therefore, He is well placed on the same reverential plane alongside one of the many avatars of Hinduism, the Buddha, Confucius, Muhammad, Baha’u’llah, etc.⁸

The aforementioned types of erroneous thoughts ultimately lead to Jesus being toned down to being quite an amicable fellow while simultaneously being one of the many roads to God. This does not agree with the biblical record of Jesus being the prophesied Messiah, Jesus being the one and only Son of God, Jesus being the preexistent one who came to earth through the incarnation, Jesus being the only savior of the world, Jesus being the only way to God, Jesus being the final Judge of humanity, while also being humanity’s ultimate hope.⁹ Religious pluralism, the idea that all religions lead to God/some type of salvation and that no religion and/or any religious founder is special, is diametrically opposed to the truths of the Bible. Even though religious pluralism has been in vogue, and truth is not heralded as that which corresponds to reality, what is true must be clearly and robustly presented.

The Messiahship of Jesus is a vital doctrine that must not take a backseat to any other Christian doctrine, Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the one who was prophesied about throughout the entire Old Testament (OT). It was through the New Testament (NT) fulfilment of messianic prophecy that God confirmed that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.¹⁰ Therefore, a biblical argument can be made that if Jesus is the prophesied Messiah, it follows that all others are pseudo messiahs, and that Jesus is the only way to God. One aim of this work is to not only show that the Messiahship of Jesus and Christian exclusivism are interrelated and inseparable, but to show why they are deeply connected.

Two main underlying arguments umbrella this work, they both can be presented in logical forms. One main argument will aim to answer the question, Did any person outside of Jesus fulfill messianic prophecy? This question is mainly raised concerning the pseudo messiahs that will be examined.

The logical form that will be used is modus ponens, the way of affirmation: (If p, then q; p therefore, q).

If A – any person does not fulfill messianic prophecy,

Then B – it is impossible for that person to be the true Messiah and the way to God.

A – These persons did not fulfill messianic prophecy.

Therefore, B – it is impossible for these persons to be the true Messiah and the way to God.

1) A ⊃ B

2) A

3) ∴ B

Another argument aims to answer the question, Is fulfilled messianic prophecy indicative of the true Messiah and the way to God?

The logical form of sorites will be used, this form heaps up premises that all link together, for example:

p ⊃ q

q ⊃ r

r ⊃ s

∴ p ⊃ s

If C – fulfilled messianic prophecy and NT records indicate God’s confirmation of Jesus and Him being the sole way to God,

then D – Jesus is the true exclusive Messiah.

If D – Jesus is the true exclusive Messiah,

then E – outside of Jesus there are only pseudo Messiahs and pseudo ways to God.

If E – outside of Jesus there are only pseudo Messiahs and pseudo ways to God, then F – Jesus’ exclusivity is true.¹¹

1) C ⊃ D

2) D ⊃ E

3) E ⊃ F

4) ∴ C ⊃ F

This theological work encompasses various branches of religious studies and theology, it is best understood as an offering in ACCEPT,¹² the ACCEPT acronym describes a study in:

A – Apologetics

C – Comparative Religion

C – Christology

E – Exegesis

P – Prophecy

T – Trinitarian Worldview (within a)

With the proper understanding that spiritual weapons used by Christians are not of this world (2 Cor 10.4-5), the researched data based in the aforementioned areas will be analyzed and critically evaluated to intelligently argue against messianic false hoods while proclaiming the truth of Jesus’ messiahship and His exclusivity in a fresh way. May this work be used to demolish arguments that put themselves up against the knowledge of God while showing the way to the only true hope in this world is found in Jesus.

This Book’s Flow

This section lays out the main flow of the book; each unit logically follows the previous one. It doesn’t have to be read this way, it’s just the basic lay out. If there’s any section that peaks more interest than others start there.

Unit 1 Introductory Matters: Chapter 1 lays a foundation for this study’s importance mainly dealing with introductory material. Chapter 2 explains some key terms and concepts in this work, an explanation on why God is presupposed in this work is offered (this chapter does not give an argument for God’s existence) while briefly discussing some of God’s attributes critical to this project (i.e. truthfulness of God, faithfulness of God, etc.). Scripture will be explained to be from God and wholly trustworthy, some evidences for its historical reliability will be given. Basic views on truth will also be explained, mainly the correspondence theory of truth and the view of truth in religion. The person of Jesus will be presented with a biblical view while raising awareness on how famous and impactful His life has been throughout the centuries, this section sets the tone for Jesus being supreme and thus having no equals. Hope will be briefly discussed to touch upon the fact that everybody lives with some type of hope, if there is no hope present then people are utterly in despair either consciously or unconsciously. Lastly, the idea of many roads leading to God (religious pluralism) and how this idea is quite prevalent in current-day society will be briefly discussed.

Unit 2 The Messiah, Hope, and Messianic Criteria deals with the following: Chapter 3 presents the concept of the Messiah originating from the OT while also including but not being limited to Jewish thoughts on the Messiah. The majority of the world will be shown to be awaiting some type of savior as attested to in various religions. As the majority of the world awaits some type of Messiah, a few ideas of time pertinent to the study will be discussed.

Chapter 4 follows with a discussion about the idea of hope. Hope will be defined generally, then the biblical view of hope will be presented specifically. Types of hope are differentiated between present-day hope of the believer, misplaced vain hope, eschatological hope, and hope and the Messiah.

In chapter 5, the biblical criteria for the Messiah will be presented in seven parts, these seven parts have to do with the who, what, when, where, and how of the Messiah. Selected biblical messianic prophetic texts will be presented and discussed as being the non-negotiable criteria that the true Messiah himself must fulfill to be considered genuine.

Unit 3 Pseudo Messiahs, Pseudo Hope, and Pseudo Ways to God begins a new unit of the study which follows the same method throughout each chapter: to honestly present each messianic contender by giving a brief history and description followed by analysis to conclude whether or not the messianic contender meets the selected biblical criteria for true Messiahship. Chapter 6 presents and examines two alleged Messiahs of Judaism, chapter 7 presents and examines the alleged Messiah from the Baha’i faith, and chapter 8 presents and examines three alleged Messiahs of separate cults of Christianity.¹³

Unit 4 The Supreme Credentials of Jesus and His Fulfillment of Messianic Criteria which Lead to God’s Exclusive Confirmation of Jesus as Messiah deals with the investigation of all seven criteria being fulfilled in the life of Jesus, this shows that Jesus Christ is truly supreme. This unit is more than mere proof texting using NT evidence, this unit will examine and explain/interpret the fulfillment of biblical prophetic criteria.

Chapter 9 deals with criteria 1 and 2: the divinity and humanity (respectively) of the Messiah. OT prophecies found (but not limited to) in Micah 5, Isaiah 9, Deuteronomy 18, Jeremiah 23, etc. will be examined and explained. Since the Messiah is to be both divine and human, the hypostatic union will be discussed.

Chapter 10 deals with criteria 3: how is the Messiah to arrive on this earth? By investigating Isaiah 7.14 referring to the virgin birth of Jesus that question will be answered. In chapter 11, criteria 4 and 5 regarding the where and when, the place and timing of the Messiah’s coming will be investigated. Micah 5.2 shows that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, Israel, and concerning the timing of the Messiah’s arrival, Gen.49.10 and Daniel’s Seventy Weeks will be investigated.

Chapter 12 examines criteria 6 concerning another aspect of what the Messiah will do. The Messiah was prophesied to be rejected, to suffer, and to die. Prophecies specifically in Isaiah and in the Psalms will be examined. An apologetic for the death of Jesus will be presented. Chapter 13 closes the examination of messianic criteria with a section about criteria 7: the resurrection of the Messiah. Like the previous chapter, prophecies in Isaiah and the Psalms will be examined. Additionally an apologetic for the resurrection of Jesus will also be given.

In chapter 14, God’s confirmation of Jesus will be presented and discussed. This chapter is indeed critical to this study because even after all the biblical criteria concerning the Messiah is shown to be fulfilled in Jesus, now God Himself is shown to have the final word for His selection of the Messiah that He has sent; He has sent and confirmed Jesus His only Son. God confirms this is the case through Jesus’ infancy, baptism, transfiguration, and resurrection.

Unit 5 Jesus the Messiah as the Exclusive Way not only chronologically follows but truly logically follows from all the previous units and expounds on the exclusivity of Jesus. Since this study will show Jesus to be the true Messiah, chapter 15 now presents Jesus’ exclusivity from a positive perspective, the chapter explains that in Jesus’ self-understanding He knew that He was the Messiah, followed by the positive perspectives that He is also the exclusive way to forgiveness and reconciliation, hope, truth, eternal life, and the sole way to God, which ultimately correlates with His exclusivism.

Chapter 16 deals with the negative aspect of Jesus’ exclusivity meaning that since He is the exclusive Messiah, hence the only way to God, then it is impossible for there to be other ways to God. This chapter deals with the main reasons why religious pluralism is false. This chapter also suggests that pluralism has demonic underpinnings.

Unit 6 Conclusion: Jesus is the True Messiah Who Offers True Hope While Being the Only Way to God closes the study with chapter 17. The closing chapter is a recap of the study’s content and ends with a sobering inquiry that after everything that God has accomplished in Jesus, if Jesus is not the true Messiah than what other hope does this world have? If humanity refuses to have confidence (life-changing faith/belief) in Jesus, then to whom shall it go? Simply put, there is and there will be no other Messiah other than Jesus. The One who was prophesied has truly come, Yeshua Ha-Mashiach.

---

¹ This work is aimed between the popular/lower semi-technical level. Its aim is to help the believer think and to help the thinker believe; similar to many RZIM resources.

² https://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-exec/ Approximately 2.2 billion Christians (32%), 1.6 Billion Muslims (23%), 1 billion Hindus (15%), 500 million Buddhist (7%), and 14 million Jews (0.2%) = 77.2% of the world’s population.

³ See pertinent footnote in the glossary.

⁴ In the case of the cults of Christianity being examined in this work, and in the Baha’i faith, the belief is that the Messiah (who is their Messiah) has already appeared.

⁵ Ed Hindson lists over 100 messianic prophecies from the OT that were fulfilled by Jesus, Hindson calculates that the chance of all these prophecies being fulfilled in the life of one man is one in 84 followed by 131 zeros. Ed Hindson, Mark Hitchcock, and Tim Lahaye, eds., The Harvest Handbook of Bible Prophecy (Harvest House: Eugene, 2020), 245. Additionally, mathematician, Peter Stoner, proving that Jesus fulfilled messianic prophecy, has calculated the probability of a person fulfilling only 8 messianic prophecies, If these estimates are considered fair, one man in how many men, the world over, will fulfill all eight prophecies? This question can be answered by applying our principles of probability. In other words, by multiplying all of our estimates together, or 1 in 2.8 x 10⁵ x 10³ x 10² x 10³ x 10⁵ x 10³ x 10⁴. This gives 1 in 2.8 x 10²⁸, where 28 means that we have 28 ciphers following the 2.8. Let us simplify and reduce the number by calling it 1 in 10²⁸. Written out this number is 1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Peter W. Stoner and Robert C. Newman, Science Speaks Online Edition rev. 2005, http://www.yearofourlord.org/1_bible_divinity_of_christ/ScienceSpeaks.pdf, 49. Originally published (Moody: Chicago).

⁶ Dan Cohn-Sherbok, A Concise Encyclopedia of Judaism (One World: Oxford, 1998), 130.

⁷ For works which portray Jesus as a Jewish non-messianic social reformer see: Gerd Thiessen’s The Shadow of the Galilean, Richard Horsley’s Jesus and the Spiral of Violence, and R. David Kaylor’s Jesus the Prophet.

⁸ For solid works arguing why Jesus is not just another religious leader see Kenneth R. Samples, God among Sages: Why Jesus is not just Another Religious Leader (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2017), and other resources in the bibliography.

⁹ Matt. 16.16-17, John 3.16, John 1.14, Acts 4.12, John 14.6, John 5.27 cf. Acts 17.31 respectively.

¹⁰ God’s confirmation of Jesus as the Messiah will be examined in this work. The main areas of God’s confirmation are seen at Jesus’ birth, baptism, transfiguration, and resurrection.

¹¹ The obvious implication from this conclusion is that religious pluralism is false.

¹² ACCEPT was coined by this writer.

¹³ As is the case with the selection of only two Jewish messianic contenders, these selected messianic contenders are also just a representative sample of the multitude of cults of Christianity which think that they have found the Messiah.

Chapter Two

Prolegomena: God,

The Bible and Messianic Prophecy,

Truth, Jesus, and

Religious Roads to God

God

The existence of a personal God is cardinal to all evangelical theology. ¹⁴ In this work God is the Great Presupposition; He is assumed to exist. My belief in the God of the Bible is properly basic ¹⁵ meaning that this belief is held as being foundational and not accepted based on other beliefs. Examples of properly basic beliefs are: there is a past, the author of this work exists at the time of this writing, and every human person in one way or another was conceived by two human parents. ¹⁶ So in this work the burden of proof of the existence of God is not necessarily in the Christian’s court. ¹⁷ God’s existence is simply presupposed/assumed; He is the God who is there, the God who revealed Himself and who answers prayer.

God is more than Plato’s Form of the Good or his Demiurge, God is also more than Aristotle’s Unmoved Mover. God is better described as the God of St. Anselm’s Ontological argument, meaning that God is the most excellent being that can be conceived, nothing greater than God can be conceived. The God referred to in this study is the God who made the world and everything in it – He is Lord of heaven and earth . . . (Acts 17.24).

Furthermore, God is Spirit, in and of Himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection, all sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present (omnipresent), almighty (omnipotent), knowing all things (omniscient), most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.¹⁸ This is a short summary of some of God’s attributes/qualities/excellencies/characteristics.

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.¹⁹ Therefore, as a solid foundation for this work is being set, one must think rightly about God. Thus, a few of His attributes that were mentioned above must be kept in mind