"Michael Bird tackles a question central to historical Jesus research and to understanding the development of the Christian confession: Who did Jesus say that he was? Thoroughly conversant with the extensive history of scholarship, Bird applies a rigorous critique to the dominant arguments used against attributing a messianic self-understanding to Jesus. He builds a substantial case for Jesus's messianic self-understanding by analyzing the words explicitly spoken on this topic by or about Jesus during his earthly ministry and by examining the deeds Jesus chose to enact and the roles he would have been understood--and would have understood himself--to embody by these deeds. Bird brings a fresh perspective and keen mind to this debate, painting a historically plausible picture of a Judean well versed in current messianic paradigms who crafted a ministry that reflected both an awareness of acting as God's end-time agent and a particular understanding of what that agent was to accomplish."--__David A. deSilva__, Ashland Theological Seminary  
  
"Michael Bird has written one of the clearest and most compelling treatments of Jesus and the messianic question that I have read. Ancient literature and modern literature are alike handled with great expertise and excellent judgment. Readers will find no long-winded, specious theories propounded here. On the contrary, this book lays out the evidence fairly and with economy and then consistently reaches sensible conclusions. In the end, Bird goes where the evidence takes him, concluding that Jesus understood himself as Israel's Messiah, which explains the nature of the name of the movement that arose in the aftermath of Easter. I recommend this book highly."--__Craig A. Evans__, Acadia Divinity College  
  
"Bird offers a robust defense of what might be called a 'neo-conservative' position on Jesus's self-understanding. This book will appeal to scholars from a range of perspectives due to the vast amount of ancient source material covered in detail along with an array of important modern sources. Students and scholars wanting a detailed but accessible entry into this key topic in historical Jesus studies would do well to start with Are You the One Who Is to Come?"--__James Crossley__, University of Sheffield

__Michael F. Bird__ (PhD, University of Queensland) is lecturer in theology at Ridley Melbourne Mission and Ministry College in Australia. He is the author of Jesus and the Origins of the Gentile Mission and The Saving Righteousness of God, and is a co-contributor to the biblical studies blog "Euangelion."

Did Jesus claim to be the long-awaited "messiah"? Going against much contemporary scholarship, Australian scholar Michael Bird argues that he did. He begins by exploring the messianic expectations in the Old Testament and Second Temple Jewish literature. Next, Bird points out weaknesses in current arguments that "Messiah," or "Christ," was a title given to Jesus by the early church but not used by Jesus himself. Bird then examines the Gospels and related literature, finding in Jesus's words and actions evidence that he saw himself as the messiah described in the Scriptures of Israel and believed that Israel's restoration hinged on the outcome of his ministry.

This book shows that Jesus saw himself as the messiah anticipated in the Jewish scriptures and believed that the restoration of Israel hinged on the outcome of his ministry.

Foreword by Stanley E. Porter  
Preface  
1\. "Jesus Who Is Called the Christ"  
Scholarship on the Messianic Question  
In Quest of Jesus's Self-Understanding  
2\. Messianic Expectations in Second Temple Judaism  
The Paucity and Diversity of Messianic Expectations  
The Extent of Messianic Ideas in the Old Testament  
Messianic Claimants in the First Century  
Sources and a Sketch  
Conclusion  
3\. Messiah Jesus--a Role Declined?  
Messiahship Inferred from the Resurrection  
The "Messianic Secret"  
Disciples' Enthusiasm and Authorities' Perception  
An Inference from the Titulus on the Cross  
The Scripturizing of the Tradition  
Conclusion  
4\. Messiah Jesus--a Role Redefined?  
The Messianic Jesus  
Son of Man as Divine Agent and Messiah  
Jesus as the Anointed One of Isaiah  
The Kingdom of God Presupposes a King  
Allusions to David and Solomon  
The "I Have Come" Sayings  
Conclusion  
5\. Messiah Jesus--a Crucified Messiah?  
Peter's Confession at Caesarea Philippi  
The Anointing of Jesus at Bethany  
Triumphal Entry and Demonstration in the Temple  
The Royal Riddle of David's Lord  
The Passion of the Shepherd King  
The Trial of the Messiah  
The King of the Jews  
The Messianic Herald of Salvation  
Crucified Messiah, Not Crucified Martyr  
The Origins of the Christianoi Conclusion  
6\. Toward a Messianic Christology  
Eschatological Finality  
The Church and Israel  
Prophet, Priest, and King  
Conclusion  
Indexes

Bird, Michael F.

Cover Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Foreword 

Preface 

Abbreviations 

1. “Jesus Who Is Called the Christ”

2. Messianic Expectations in Second Temple Judaism 

3. Messiah Jesus—a Role Declined?

4. Messiah Jesus—a Role Redefined?

5. Messiah Jesus—a Crucified Messiah?

6. Toward a Messianic Christology 

Bibliography 

Did Jesus claim to be the long-awaited"messiah"? Going against much contemporary scholarship, Australian scholar Michael Bird argues that he did. He begins by exploring the messianic expectations in the Old Testament and Second Temple Jewish literature. Next, Bird points out weaknesses in current arguments that"Messiah," or"Christ," was a title given to Jesus by the early church but not used by Jesus himself. Bird then examines the Gospels and related literature, finding in Jesus's words and actions evidence that he saw himself as the messiah described in the Scriptures of Israel and believed that Israel's restoration hinged on the outcome of his ministry.

Did Jesus claim to be the long-awaited 'messiah'? This book argues that he did. It explores the messianic expectations in the Old Testament and Second Temple Jewish literature. It also points out weaknesses in arguments that 'Messiah', or 'Christ', was a title given to Jesus by the early church but not used by Jesus himself.

Did Jesus claim to be the long-awaited 'messiah'? Going against much contemporary scholarship, Australian scholar Michael Bird argues that he did. He begins by exploring the messianic expectations in the Old Testament and Second Temple Jewish literature. Next, Bird points out weaknesses in current arguments that 'Messiah', or 'Christ', was a title given to Jesus by the early church but not used by Jesus himself. Bird then examines the Gospels and related literature, finding in Jesus' words and actions evidence that he saw himself as the messiah described in the "Scriptures of Israel" and believed that Israel's restoration hinged on the outcome of his ministry.

Michael F. Bird (PhD, University of Queensland) is New Testament tutor at Highland Theological College, Scotland. He is the author of Jesus and the Origins of the Gentile Mission and The Saving Righteousness of God: Studies on Paul, Justification and the New Perspective. He is also co-moderator of the New Testament blog Euangelion.

Eden Customer

This is an attractively produced volume which seems to be presenting a populist style, but actually is scholarly and serious. This reviewer was at first suspicious of such words as ?traditionalist? and ?conservative?, but the author?s position is well and clearly argued even though the bibliographical references are included in footnotes to the main text which can be irritating especially when they outnumber that text in size and quantity. All would be clearer if the references were included in an appendix, since the number of textual comments is limited and could be included in the main body or left at the foot of the page occasionally. Otherwise, all is clear enough and mercifully free of typos. The main argument is that Jesus did indeed regard himself as fulfilling Messianic functions and was at one with the primitive church in regarding himself as The Messiah, albeit with a variety of associated titles, words and actions which together have the cumulative effect of Messiahship, even if he was reticent about using the title itself openly and overtly with regard to himself directly. The ?smoking gun? is the titulus affixed over his head on the cross, in all the accounts. Other pointers include the Confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi, The Triumphal Entry, The Anointing at Bethany and the Cleansing of the Temple. The alternative is that Jesus? view of himself was radically discontinuous with the earliest Christians (and all other Christians since) and the Romans, the Chief Priests and his enemies in general. The argument relies heavily on the Gospels, together with themes from the Old Testament, the Intertestamental Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, especially during the Second Temple period, but references to the rest of the New Testament are a bit thin. Although there is a scatter of Pauline material throughout, the crucial witness of this by far the earliest author seems undervalued and deserves a fuller treatment, perhaps even a chapter of its own. As it is, even the Apocalypse attracts greater attention. Bird even detects the concept of a Suffering Messiah in non-Christian literature of the Period, going back to Zechariah and associated texts about the Davidic Shepherd, and including references to the death of the Teacher of Righteousness in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Such quotations, he avers, were taken up and applied, with qualification, to himself by Jesus. However, he is vindicated and becomes the eschatological figure who judges the world of which he is King.

Are You The One Who Is To Com?

The Good Book Stall

This is an attractively produced volume which seems to be presenting a populist style, but actually is scholarly and serious. This reviewer was at first suspicious of such words as ‘traditionalist’ and ‘conservative’, but the author’s position is well and clearly argued even though the bibliographical references are included in footnotes to the main text which can be irritating especially when they outnumber that text in size and quantity. All would be clearer if the references were included in an appendix, since the number of textual comments is limited and could be included in the main body or left at the foot of the page occasionally. Otherwise, all is clear enough and mercifully free of typos.  
The main argument is that Jesus did indeed regard himself as fulfilling Messianic functions and was at one with the primitive church in regarding himself as The Messiah, albeit with a variety of associated titles, words and actions which together have the cumulative effect of Messiahship, even if he was reticent about using the title itself openly and overtly with regard to himself directly. The ’smoking gun’ is the titulus affixed over his head on the cross, in all the accounts. Other pointers include the Confession of Peter at Caesarea Philippi, The Triumphal Entry, The Anointing at Bethany and the Cleansing of the Temple. The alternative is that Jesus’ view of himself was radically discontinuous with the earliest Christians (and all other Christians since) and the Romans, the Chief Priests and his enemies in general.  
The argument relies heavily on the Gospels, together with themes from the Old Testament, the Intertestamental Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, especially during the Second Temple period, but references to the rest of the New Testament are a bit thin. Although there is a scatter of Pauline material throughout, the crucial witness of this by far the earliest author seems undervalued and deserves a fuller treatment, perhaps even a chapter of its own. As it is, even the Apocalypse attracts greater attention.  
Bird even detects the concept of a Suffering Messiah in non-Christian literature of the Period, going back to Zechariah and associated texts about the Davidic Shepherd, and including references to the death of the Teacher of Righteousness in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Such quotations, he avers, were taken up and applied, with qualification, to himself by Jesus. However, he is vindicated and becomes the eschatological figure who judges the world of which he is King.

Are You the One Who Is to Come?

Are You the One Who Is to Come? [eBook]

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