Prophesies of the Anointed One and the 2nd Temple

Were the Jews of Jesus’ time expecting their Savior to arrive? The short answer is yes. A longer answer is offered in this blog. The Jews of Jesus’ day were well aware that the time for their Savior to come had come because God had given that information to them in their Scriptures: He would either be a Suffering Servant[1] or a Mighty King,[2] depending upon their righteousness.[3] He would come as a light to the Gentiles,[4] revealing His righteousness to all nations.[5]

“If the people of Israel will be righteous, the Messiah will come in the clouds of heaven. If they will not be righteous, He will come as a poor man riding upon an ass.”[6]

The Sanhedrin knew the 2,000-year era from the Patriarchs until the end of the Mishnaic period had come to a close, so they were expecting their Savior.[7] Many arose during Jesus’ time, claiming to be their Savior, yet their followings died out when they died.

Perhaps the Sanhedrin considered Jesus on the level of Theudas or Judas the Galilean when they rejected Him. Or perhaps their wealth had blinded them to His miracles and spiritual power. Though He was fulfilling 330 prophecies in their Scriptures before their very eyes, they couldn’t see it. They didn’t have the eyes to see nor ears to hear the words of the Lord. They weren’t among His sheep.

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”[8]

Jesus arrived in fulfillment of the Scriptures, which said He would be pierced[9] for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities.[10] Malachi[11]  prophesied that the Anointed One would appear in the 2^nd Temple, while Haggai[12] prophesied God would bring glory to the 2^nd Temple to far exceed that given to the 1^st Temple. Jesus often preached in the 2^nd Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. Hundreds of years earlier, Daniel prophesied the Temple’s destruction.[13]

In conclusion, the Jewish Scriptures include numerous prophecies that people should not ignore. Daniel, Isaiah, Malachi, Haggai, Zechariah, and King David gave us a specific timeline for Jesus’ arrival, which had to be prior to the 2nd Temple’s destruction in 70 A.D. As our blemish-free (sinless) Pascal Lamb, Jesus offered Himself on Monday of the Passion Week, which is the day the Passover Lamb is traditionally chosen. He was crucified the following Friday, which is the day the Passover Lamb is traditionally sacrificed. We can rejoice that on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead in fulfillment of the Scriptures.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”[14]

---

[1] Isaiah 53; Zechariah 9:9

[2] Daniel 7

[3] Sanhedrin 97a; 97b

[4] Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 52:10; 60:3

[5] Psalm 98:2-3

[6] Sanhedrin 98a

[7] Sanhedrin 97a; 97b

[8] Psalm 118:22

[9] Zechariah 12:10; Psalm 22

[10] Isaiah 53

[11] Malachi 3:1

[12] Haggai 2

[13] Daniel 9:26

[14] John 15:13