Messiah Yeshua—the Servant of Elohim

Matthew 12:18–21, Behold! My Servant. The nation of Israel was to be YHVH’s servant to be a spiritual light to the Gentiles (Isa 49:6 cp. Deut 4:5–6), yet Israel failed in their YHVH-ordained mission to evangelize the world. Therefore, YHVH raised up Yeshua out of Israel to be that Servant instead. This is why Matthew applies this prophecy to Yeshua in this passage.

Furthermore, Matthew in applying Isaiah’s prophecy to Yeshua’s first coming sees him not as fulfilling his kingly role (in Jewish thought, Messiah Son of David, the Conquering King [e.g. Rev 19–20]—of which the life of David was viewed as a prophetic prototype), but his servant role (in Jewish thought, Messiah Son of Joseph, the Suffering Servant [e.g. Isa 53]—of which the life of Joseph was viewed as a prophetic prototype). At Yeshua’s second coming, he will come as the Conquering King of kings and Lord of lords to defeat his enemies and to establish his kingdom on the earth.

Matthew 12:23, Son of David. The popular expectation of the Jews in Yeshua’s day was that the Messiah would come to fulfill the role as the Conquering King Messiah to liberate them from the tyranny of the Romans and to re-establish a sovereign Israelite nation. Even the followers of Yeshua thought this (e.g. Matt 20:21; Acts 1:6). Therefore, the Messianic expression Son of David was a euphemistic title reflecting this expectation.

 

1 thought on “Messiah Yeshua—the Servant of Elohim

Share your thoughts...