The passages which may be adduced as proof of the Messianic consciousness of Jesus all exhibit His own interpretation of Messiahship, as the call- ing of the agent of a Divine work of redemption.
(1) The Bapfism.-iVov discussion of I'.aptism and Temptation, see art. CiiARACTKi; OF ('in:iST, p. 285 f.) This is evidently much more than instal- lation into a prophetical office. It was the solemn acceptance by Jesus of the vocation of Messiali interpreted with reference to the talcing away of sin. For such an office, a iiprsmial rank superior to that of all other men, ami a |)ia unal endow- ment of the Spirit in a na'a-uiv \ilii,h no other man could receive, were c^iajiial.— cJi The sermon at Nazareth. Here the Messianic era is described in terras of intense spirituality ; and the Speaker claims to be the Messiah in a sense which identifies Him with the Servant of the Lord (Lk 4i6-3»)._ vol., I.— 51
(3) The reply to John the Baptist. To the question 'Art thou he that cometh?' He makes a reply which is at once an affirmation and an interpretation. He is the Messiah, not after a political sort, em- ploying external or catastrophic instrumentality, but of a far hi-li.r or.hT, caii|.h.yiiiK nuan,-, wliich reach to the ilr|illi ..1 man'. iicn-Uiu- (Mt \\--, ef. Is35''-«).— (4) rir , ,7,„„</, „/•/■•/'" //"■ A'.'/'/'.V. In Mt ll'" Julin i- ila> I,).-, liwa- ,,f Mai :;' «!,<. pre- pares the way i-i .l.ii.n !i ..I h, I- I hr Angel of the Covenant, wim 1 :■ :; , .i iMi .idiuvah. In Mk !)'-■'■• John i> i; ,■ : I: - ,■■'■' "!-r.ii the Messiah; while in I--" la- \- iiliiii iiu'd witli the 'voice' of Is 40'"°. The iiiiplied claim on the part of Jesus, which the Evangelist repeats, is to a personal dignity not less than that of One whose coming is, at the same time, the coming of Jehovah to His people.— (5) Thr ihr> > f.J.l ,,iU of thedisdples. The call mentioned in the l-'uinth Gospel (Jn 1*^-") is necessary to ruiuli i mirlliuiljiu that which is men- tioned first by the Synopti.sU (Mk l'""'-", Mt 4'"-", Lk 510. ii)_ fijg tiiijti (jail in tlie ordination to Apostle- ship (Mk 3''' ") is the culmination of the series. Messiahship and Apostleship thus receive progres- sive interpretation. The Kingdom, the King, and high rank even like that of jirince in a tribe of Israel, are all to be interpreted in a manner that confounds and contradicts popular theory. — (6) The answer to Peter. Into one moment of intense emo- tional strain and profound spiritual instruction are compressed (a) joyous recognition of faith's insight and grasp (Mt 16") ; (i) solemn illumination of the truth which faith had tints, with little intelligent apprehension, made its ow n 1 M L s ' '). The Mes- sianic calling has an aim w hi'li i- n aihed through death and resurrection, lie who is competent to carry out such a scheme does not stand in the same rank of being with other men. Jesus' doctrine of His person is never dogmatically announced. It is none the less, rather all the more, impressively taught, because He allows it to grow upon the minds of believers as an irresistible inference. — (7) It is significant that Jesus' claims to Messiah- ship become more e\]ilieit toM-nvd the close of His career. No donht II \i>laiialinn is that mis- apprehension was sralr, ly nu» |„.-,il,le. If He be — as He is — a Kin-, it i- lluon-li Inmiiliation He passes to His glory (Mk 1 1'"- '-'■' 13'- " 14"- "- 15-).
4. Saviour.— (ij Jesus' view of sin, in respect of its guilt, and power, and pollution, was the very gravest. Yet He did not hesitate to announce Himself as able to save men from an evil for which the OT provided no institute of deliverance. He forgave sin (Mt 9"). He restored the outcast (Lk 748-50 i9io)_ He died to make good His claims as Redeemer (Mt 26=«). This negative form of salva- tion, however, is not that upon which alone, or even usually, He dwells. He dwells rather on the positive" aspect of salvation, and claims to be able to bestow upon men the highest blessing of which the OT revelation can conceive, viz. life. Not merely does He promise it in the future, but He bestows it in the present. He possesses life (Jn5-'^). He bestows lif,-i(i-i. llis«.,r(ls convey life(6«^). Thos.' «lio |H■|M'^- m llim am nn^lia of life to others {'r\. l.in^ mn-i^- Ininlaiiirnially in knowledge of Gn,l, ami ul lliiii-cll as the Christ (17^). If we admit that the Foiiith (lo.spel has reproduced the teaching of Jesus with sul)stantial accuracy, it is impossible not to recognize the superhuman nature of Jesus' self-consciousness. The Jews might well strive with one another (6°-) as to what His words meant. They certainly conveyed a claim which no mere man could ofier in his own behalf.
(2) There is only one possible response on the part of men to the Divine saving act, viz. faith, as personal trust. There can be no doubt that Jesus did require faith in Himself, and, in so doing,
INCARNATIOX
IXCARNATION
consciously stood toward men in a place that can be filled by God only. It is true that the words ' believe in rae ' occur but rarely in the Synoptics (Mk 9", ^Nlt 18«). But if they have not the phrase, they have the fact. In Beyschlag's well-known words, ' the conduct of those who sought His help, to -whom He says so often "thy faitli hath saved thee," is, at bottom, a faith in Christ.' So also, confessing Him (Mt 10'-), praying in His name (IS*"), coming to Him and learning of Him (!!=«;*'), are, in essence, religious acts. What is implicit in the Synoptics becomes explicit in the Fourth Gospel (Jn 11^ 12'S 14' 1&>, in which cases the use of (is implies trustful gi\-ing up of self to the per- sonal object of faith). Surely there is only one justification for the man who speaks in such phrases and adopts such an attitude toward His fellows, viz. that, human though He be. He consciously occupies a relation to God radically distinct from that which can be held by any mere man. Jesus accepted a worship that can be rendered to God only. Yet He never by a breath suggested that He was a rival to Jehovah in the faith and love of men. Whom, then, did He conceive Himself to be ? Whom must they, who thus worship Him, believe Him to be, if they are to be free from the error of man-worship ?