The term “Messiah” originates from the Hebrew word “Mashiach” (מָשִׁיחַ), which means “anointed one.” It refers to a person chosen and consecrated by God for a specific purpose, often associated with leadership, deliverance, or restoration. The concept of the Messiah in the Bible is deeply tied to the expectations of a divinely sent figure who would deliver and redeem God’s people.
### Biblical References:
1. **Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)**:
– The idea of an “anointed one” first appears in reference to kings, priests, and prophets being set apart through anointing with oil as a sign of God’s approval and calling.
– **1 Samuel 16:13**: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.”
– **Leviticus 4:3**: Refers to the high priest as “the anointed priest” (mashiach).
– The Messianic expectation grew over time, focusing on a future King from David’s lineage who would establish an everlasting kingdom.
– **2 Samuel 7:12-13**: “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
– **Isaiah 9:6-7**: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders… Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness.”
– Prophecies also portray the Messiah as a suffering servant who takes on the sins of the people.
– **Isaiah 53:5**: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
2. **New Testament**:
– In the New Testament, the term Messiah is directly linked to Jesus of Nazareth, identified by early Christians as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
– **John 1:41**: “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ).”
– **Matthew 16:16**: Simon Peter said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
– The Greek equivalent of “Mashiach” is “Christos” (Χριστός), from which the term “Christ” is derived.
– **Luke 4:18-21** (Jesus quoting Isaiah 61:1-2): “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
– Jesus’ role as the Messiah encompasses both his suffering and sacrificial death, as well as his anticipated return as King to fully establish God’s kingdom.
– **Matthew 20:28**: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
– **Revelation 19:16**: “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of kings and Lord of lords.”
The term “Messiah,” therefore, signifies divine appointment and the ultimate redemptive mission fulfilled through Jesus, according to Christian belief, while also reflecting the hope of restoration and deliverance rooted in the Jewish Scriptures.