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Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms

Part 5 - Psalms 69

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Messiah truth

1.       I.   Introduction

This is the fifth in a series of essays in which claims by Christian apologists and missionaries of "messianic prophecies" in the Psalms are investigated. The first four essays^{1[1],2[2],3[3],4[4]} covered the 33 claimed "messianic prophecies" in Psalms 8, 16, 18, 27, 31, 35, 38, 40, 41, 45, 55, 68, 78, 80, and 89. The major Christian "messianic prophecies" from the Psalms (Psalms 2, 22, and 110) were separately examined and effectively refuted^{5[5],6[6],7[7]}, and will not be repeated in this series. For additional introductory remarks, refer to the first essay (see footnote 1).

The Internet abounds with sources where Christian "messianic prophecies" are listed along with the alleged accounts of their "fulfillment" in the New Testament, and which are described in terms such as "over 300 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus". Most of these lists are duplicates, therefore, only one such list^8[8], to be called the reference list, will be used in these essays as the source for the Christian "messianic prophecies" that will be studied.

2.     II.   "Messianic Prophecy": Comparing Christian and Jewish Perspectives

Refer to the Section II in the first essay of this series (see footnote 1).

3.   III.   Analysis of Claimed "Messianic Prophecies" and their "Fulfillments"

To say that a prophecy has been fulfilled means that the foretold event, condition, or situation has happened, and that one needs no longer await its completion or fulfillment. On the other hand, a prophecy that has not yet happened, or is yet to be completed, remains a prophecy not fulfilled.

The items typically claimed by Christians to be "messianic prophecy" often consist of a short passage, a single verse, or even a portion of a verse, from the Christian "Old Testament", and the same is true of the respective texts in the New Testament that are claimed to be accounts of "fulfillment". Christians also take it for granted that Jesus was of King David's lineage^9[9]. The "messianic prophecies" claimed to be present in a given psalm and the respective accounts of their "fulfillment" from the New Testament are addressed in the following subsections. The analysis will help to determine whether these pairs of passages in the Christian "Old Testament" and New Testament qualify as "messianic prophecy" and its "fulfillment", respectively.

1. A.     Psalms 69

The reference list indicates that Psalms 69 contains 11 "messianic prophecies" that are "fulfilled" according to the New Testament, as shown in Table III.A-1.

Table III.A-1 – Claimed "Messianic Prophecies" and their "Fulfillments"

Statement	Citations10[10]
	"Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
The Messiah would be hated by many without cause	Psalms 69:5[4]	Luke 23:13-22
The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake	Psalms 69:8[7]	Matthew 26:65-67
The Messiah would be rejected by the Jews	Psalms 69:9a[8a]	John 1:11
The Messiah's brothers would disbelieve him	Psalms 69:9b[8b]	John 7:3-5
The Messiah would be angered by disrespect toward the temple	Psalms 69:10a[9a]	John 2:13-17
The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake	Psalms 69:10b[9b]	Romans 15:3
The Messiah's heart would be broken	Psalms 69:21a[20a]	John 19:34
The Messiah's disciples would fail him in his time of need	Psalms 69:21b[20b]	Mark 14:33-41
The Messiah would be offered gall and vinegar	Psalms 69:22a[21a]	Matthew 27:34
The Messiah would thirst	Psalms 69:22b[21b]	John 19:28
The potter's field would be uninhabited	Psalms 69:26[25]	Acts 1:16-20

1. 1.      Overview

Following is a summary description of this psalm to help put its context into perspective.

PRAYER OF THE PERSECUTED: A deeply pathetic human document is presented by this Psalm. A devout servant of G-d is undergoing cruel treatment and fells that his sufferings are due to his religious loyalty. He pleads with G-d for relief and, in burning indignation, begs that retribution come upon his persecutors. His faith remains firm through the ordeal and he looks to the future with confidence. There are several passages in the Psalm which point to the fact that it was written as a prophetic vision that that foretold of the era when Israel would be in captivity. Indeed, the Midrash understands the Psalm as relating to the Babylonian exile. In collective singular, the downtrodden outcasts describe their woeful sufferings, while, at the same time, begging for the mercy of G-d. In the closing verses they affirm their faith in Him by triumphantly proclaiming His praises in a sincere song of devotion. The parallels between this Psalm and the book of Jeremiah are frequent and striking.^11[11]

The superscription identifies King David as the author of this psalm. The psalm, written entirely in the first person, can be interpreted as being either about himself or, prophetically, about Israel in exile, portraying their plight during those long and bitter times, and pleads for their speedy deliverance.

2. 2.      Investigating claimed "Messianic Prophecies" [and "Fulfillments"]

1. a.      The Messiah would be hated by many without cause

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.a-1.

Table III.A.2.a-1 – Psalms 69:5[4] and Luke 23:13-22

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:4	Luke 23:13-22	Psalms 69:5
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.	13. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14. Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: 15. No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 16. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 17. (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 18. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 19. (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 20. Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.	Those who hate me for nothing are more numerous than the hairs of my head; mighty are those who would cut me off, who are my enemies because of lies; what I did not steal, should I return?.

This verse can be seen either as pertaining to King David's own life, or as being prophetic about events that would occur to the Jewish people during their various exiles. As it relates to King David, and as was learned from similar scenarios in several of the psalms previously investigated, he had many enemies and was the target and victim of many slander campaigns. In this case, as in Psalms 35, King David wondered if he should restore that which his false accusers charged he had taken. In the case of Israel's exile, the historical record is witness to the many times that trumped up charges were leveled against the Jews (e.g., blood libels, poisoning of wells, etc.) just as a ploy to dispossess them of their wealth.

The "fulfillment" text is taken from a passage that describes Pontius Pilate discussing the release of Jesus with the spiritual and political leaders of the Jews. They allegedly demanded that he be crucified, and Pilate said that he found no reason to put him to death, and that he wanted to punish him and then release him before the Passover.

The match-up of this "messianic prophecy"-"fulfillment" pair is not obvious. King David is complaining about the exactions made upon him or, prophetically, upon Israel in exile, by oppressors on the false pretext that they were executing justice. The author of the Gospel of Luke provides an account of the Roman leader wanting to release Jesus while the leaders of the Jews accuse Jesus of various offenses and demand that he be executed. The problem is that the outcomes of the two situations were quite different, as was noted in several previous instances. King David survived all these plots, while Jesus wound up being crucified.

Another problem is created by ascribing King David's problems to Jesus. Namely, it forces the next verse in the psalm to apply to Jesus as well:

Psalms 89:6[5] - O G-d, You know my folly, and my guilty deeds are not concealed from You.

King David admitted that he sinned; in fact, he committed sins with intent [the noun (asham), intentional sin, is used here]. His trials were, at least in part, punishment for the sins he committed. Thus, by implication, this makes Jesus a sinner, one who sinned with intent, which contradicts Christian doctrine.

A related problem is created by the following account when King David's words are put into the mouth of Jesus:

Psalms 69:12[11] - And I made sackcloth my raiment, and I became a byword to them.

King David lamented about how his enemies made him the subject of derision when he donned sackcloth, the common garb during times of repentance (and mourning). The Hebrew Bible describes an occasion when King David was in sackcloth following his sinful act of conducting a census of Israel^12[12] (1 Chron 21:16). Prophetically, this could be his vision of the treatment of exiled Israel by the nations. Once again, this alludes to King David's actions to obtain the atonement for his sins, or, prophetically, for collective Israel doing this in exile. The New Testament contains no accounts of Jesus in sackcloth. These last two issues apply to the remaining "messianic prophecies" in this psalm.

Conclusion: Psalms 69:5[4] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

2. b.     The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.b-1.

Table III.A.2.b-1 – Psalms 69:8[7] and Matthew 26:65-67

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:7	Matthew 26:65-67	Psalms 69:8
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.	65. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 67. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,	For I have borne humiliation because of You; disgrace has covered my face.

King David tells of how he has suffered in G-d's cause. A similar sentiment was expressed later by the prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 15:15 - You know, O L-rd, remember me and think of me, and avenge me of my pursuers. Take me not to Your long suffering, know, I bore disgrace for Your sake.

Prophetically, this would be speaking of Israel in exile among the Gentile nations, suffering humiliation and disgrace because the Jewish people chose not to accept the other faiths. Psalms 44, which parallels Isaiah 53 in several places, is a prophetic psalm about the distress Israel will suffer in exile yet will not turn away from G-d and follow other gods:

Psalms 44:10-23 – (10) Even if You have forsaken us and put us to shame, and You do not go out in our hosts; (11) You make us retreat from the adversary, and our enemies plunder for themselves; (12) You deliver us as sheep to be eaten, and You scatter us among the nations. (13) You sell Your people without gain, and You did not increase their price; (14) You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to those around us; (15) You make us a byword among the nations, a [cause for] shaking the head among the kingdoms. (16) All day long, my disgrace is before me, and the shame of my face has covered me. (17) From the voice of the one who taunts and blasphemes, because of an enemy and an avenger. (18) All this has befallen us and we have not forgotten You, neither have we betrayed Your covenant. (19) Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps turned away from Your path, (20) Even when You crushed us in a place of serpents, and You covered us with darkness. (21) If we forgot the name of our G-d and spread out our palms to a strange god, (22) Will G-d not search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. (23) For it is for Your sake that we are killed all the time, [that] we are considered as sheep for the slaughter.

Clearly, v. 8[7] is either about King David or about Israel.

The "fulfillment" text describes the scene after Jesus spoke in front of the Sanhedrin, headed by the High Priest Caiphas, who reacted by rending his clothes and accusing Jesus of blasphemy. The fact that the author of the Gospel of Matthew (also the author of the Gospel of Mark [Mk 14:63]) recorded such an episode demonstrates an ignorance of the Mosaic Law:

Leviticus 21:10 - And the priest who is elevated above his brothers [the High Priest], upon whose head the anointment oil has been poured or who has been inaugurated to wear the garments, he shall not leave his hair unshorn or rend his garments.

According to the Torah, the High Priest was not allowed to rend his clothes for any reason (rending of clothes was often done as a symbol of mourning). Thus, it must be asked: How valid are the Gospel accounts about Jesus? Can these accounts be trusted as being accurate?

Conclusion: Psalms 69:8[7] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

3. c.      The Messiah would be rejected by the Jews

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.c-1.

Table III.A.2.c-1 – Psalms 69:9a[8a] and John 1:11

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:8a	John 1:11	Psalms 69:9a
I am become a stranger unto my brethren, [and an alien unto my mother's children.]	He came unto his own, and his own received him not.	I was a stranger to my brothers, [and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.]

King David laments about his kinfolk mistreating him, as if he were a stranger, and ignoring the relationship between them. His older brothers may have resented the fact that he, the youngest, was chosen to become the king of Israel. Alternatively, this could be speaking prophetically of the descendants of Ishmael (Isaac's paternal brother^13[13]) and of Esau (the "full" brother of Jacob/Israel), and how they betrayed and mistreated the Jewish people (the children of Israel).

The "fulfillment" text is taken from a passage that describes the "witness of John the Baptist" concerning the coming of Jesus and his mission, and how some (allegedly the Jews) rejected this revelation, while others received him.^14[14] Once again, the issue of identifying King David with Jesus creates a conflict for Christian theology. According to v. 6[5], King David confessed to having intentionally transgressed, thereby admitting his sinful nature, which must then also be applied to Jesus.

Conclusion: Psalms 69:9a[8a] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

4. d.     The Messiah's brothers would disbelieve him

The relevant texts from the King James Version (KJV) "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.d-1.

Table III.A.2.d-1 – Psalms 69:9b[8b] and John 7:3-5

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:8b	John 7:3-5	Psalms 69:9b
I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.	3. His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. 4. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. 5. For neither did his brethren believe in him.	I was a stranger to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.

The explanation of this portion of the verse was included in the prceding subsection.

The "fulfillment" text is drawn from a passage that describes Jesus being urged by his brothers to go up to Jerusalem, in spite of the risk of being killed, to teach at the Feast of Tabernacles so that he can be in the public eye and become known. The brothers, apparently skeptical of who Jesus claimed to be, dared him to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, regardless of the danger in it, and demonstrate his "miracles" in public rather than hide out. Neither James nor Jude, two brothers of Jesus who have books in the New Testament bearing their respective names, became "believers" only after Jesus was crucified and allegedly "resurrected". The question that comes to mind here is: If a person's own brothers do not believe him, how can he expect the rest of the world to do so?

Conclusion: Psalms 69:9b[8b] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

5. e.      The Messiah would be angered by disrespect toward the temple

The relevant texts from the King James Version (KJV) "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.e-1.

Table III.A.2.e-1 – Psalms 69:10a[9a] and John 2:13-17

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:9a	John 2:13-17	Psalms 69:10a
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; [and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.]	13. And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 15. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; 16. And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. 17. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.	For the envy of Your house has consumed me, [and the humiliations of those who blaspheme You have fallen upon me.]

King David was being consumed by his vision of how the envy by the Gentiles of the future Temple and Israel's special status would manifest itself as hatred.

The "fulfillment" text is from a passage that describes Jesus going into the Temple just before the Passover and, being infuriated with what he saw, he violently drove out the animal traders. In the last verse, the author of the Gospel of John "quotes" v. 10a[9a], but inverted the original context with a slight change in the meaning of a word. The Hebrew term (qin'ah) is applied in the Hebrew Bible three different meanings: as envy [as in wanting what someone else has] (e.g., Eccl 4:4), as jealousy [as in anger over suspicion of unfaithfulness] (e.g., Num 5:14), and as zeal [as in extreme anger or extreme devotion] (e.g., Ezek 36:6). By using another meaning of the term, the author of the Gospel of John effects a change in context. The envy of the Gentiles and its consequences to the Jewish people consumed King David, whereas, according to the "fulfillment" text, Jesus was consumed by his zeal to cleanse the Temple.

Conclusion: Psalms 69:10a[9a] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

6. f.        The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.f-1.

Table III.A.2.f-1 – Psalms 69:10b[9b] and Romans 15:3

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:9b	Romans 15:3	Psalm 69:10b
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.	For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.	For the envy of Your house has consumed me, and the humiliations of those who blaspheme You have fallen upon me.

Those who scoff at G-d direct their scorn at the one who believes in Him, which is what has happened to the prophets:

Jeremiah 20:7-10 – (7) You enticed me, O L-rd, and I was enticed, You overcame me and You prevailed. I have become a laughing-stock; everyone mocks me. (8) For whenever I speak, I cry out; I call out violence and spoil, for the word of the L-rd has been scorn and mockery for me all day long. (9) Should I say; I will not mention Him, and I will no longer speak in His name, it would be in my heart like a burning fire, confined in my bones, and I wearied to contain it but was unable. (10) For I heard the slander of many, a gathering around; tell and let us tell about him: everyone who was friendly with me awaits my destruction. Perhaps he will be enticed and we will prevail against him, and we will wreak vengeance upon him.

The historical record is witness to the fact that the Jewish people have been treated this way for many centuries just because they refused to accept the gods of the Gentile nations.

The "fulfillment" text, which includes a "quote" of v. 10b[9b], is taken from a passage where Paul preaches about the self-denial of Jesus on behalf of others. According to the New Testament, Jesus was very popular throughout his life except for the day on which he appeared before the Sanhedrin, when he was allegedly struck and humiliated. Unlike G-d's servants who were mistreated and humiliated for promoting G-d, Jesus was trying to promote himself and not G-d.

Conclusion: Psalms 69:10b[9b] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

7. g.     The Messiah's heart would be broken

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.g-1.

Table III.A.2.g-1 – Psalms 69:21a[20a] and John 19:34

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:20a	John 19:34	Psalms 69:21a
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: [and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.]	But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.	Humiliation has broken my heart and I have become ill; [I hoped for sympathy but there was none, and for comforters but I found none.]

King David expressed emotional anguish; his heart was broken, from either the personal humiliation he suffered at the hands of persecutors, or when he foresaw what would happen to his people, Israel, in exile.

The "fulfillment" text, taken from the passage that describes the aftermath of the crucifixion of Jesus, seems to imply that the Roman soldiers, who pierced the side of the body on the cross to see whether he was expired, injured (broke) his heart. How can one realistically compare the emotional broken heart of King David with an alleged physically injured heart of the dead Jesus on the cross? No such scenario with the (mashi'ah) is ever described in the Hebrew Bible. Of course, as a human being, one would expect the (mashi'ah) to have emotions and react to situations in different ways – with joy when things a good, and perhaps with a broken heart when things go bad; but this is not "messianic prophecy".

Conclusion: Psalms 69:21a[20a] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

8. h.     The Messiah's disciples would fail him in his time of need

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.h-1.

Table III.A.2.h-1 – Psalms 69:21b[20b] and Mark 14:33-41

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:20b	Mark 14:33-41	Psalms 69:21b
Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.	33. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34. And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38. Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.	Humiliation has broken my heart and I have become ill; I hoped for sympathy but there was none, and for comforters but I found none.

King David, abandoned by human friends who would come to comfort him, is left solitary, with only G-d as his source of comfort. Prophetically, King David would be describing Israel in exile, despised and rejected by the Gentile nations, with only G-d on whom they can rely.

The "fulfillment" text describes the scene of Jesus in Gethsemane, shortly after the "last supper". He already said at the supper that one of his disciples would betray him. At Gethsemane, he asked those disciples who accompanied him to wait and keep watch while he went to pray. Upon his return, he found them asleep, chided them, went back to pray. He found them asleep again and not keeping watch over him when he returned. The scenario described in the "fulfillment" text has no relationship to what King David described in v. 21b[20b] and, of course, the eventual outcomes were different as well.

Conclusion: Psalms 69:21b[20b] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

9. i.        The Messiah would be offered gall and vinegar

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.i-1.

Table III.A.2.i-1 – Psalms 69:22a[21a] and Matthew 27:34

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:21a	Matthew 27:34	Psalms 69:22a
They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.	They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.	They put poison into my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Building on the previous verse, King David described the cruelty of those who persecuted him. Not only did they not offer him comfort, they aggravated his hard lot. They brought him food that was laced with poison and vinegar to quench his thirst. This is figurative language. King David is conveying the message that they "added salt to his wounds". Prophetically, this could describe how he envisioned Israel being treated in exile.

The "fulfillment" text comes from the crucifixion narrative. Not only are the outcomes of the scenarios different – Jesus died and King David survived, but the Gospel accounts of this particular scene are different. The "fulfillment" text, taken out of the Gospel of Matthew, describes Jesus being offered a drink made of vinegar mixed with gall; according to the Gospel of Mark, Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh (Mk 15:23); and according to the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of John, Jesus was offered vinegar only (Lk 23:36; Jo 19:29-30). Which of them has it right?

Conclusion: Psalms 69:22a[21a] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

10. j.        The Messiah would thirst

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.j -1.

Table III.A.2.j-1 – Psalms 69:22b[21b] and John 19:28

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 69:21b	John 19:28	Psalms 69:22b
They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.	After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.	They put poison into my food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

All living things - plants, animals, and people - become thirsty. This is not something that will only happen to the (mashi'ah). This "messianic prophecy"-"fulfillment" pair is truly an act of desperation.

Conclusion: Psalms 69:22b[21b] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

11. k.      The potter's field would be uninhabited

The relevant texts from the KJV "Old Testament" and New Testament, and the corresponding Jewish translation for reference purposes, are shown in Table III.A.2.k-1.

Table III.A.2.k-1 – Psalms 69:26[25] and Acts 1:16-20

"Messianic Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
King James Version Translation	King James Version Translation from the Greek	Jewish Translation from the Hebrew
Psalms 89: 69:25	Acts 1:16-20	Psalms 69:26
Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.	16. Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.	May their palace be desolate; in their tents let there be no dweller.

The despicable behavior of his enemies and his unjust suffering at their hands cause King David to "lose his cool", as he passionately begged G-d not to let them go unpunished (vs. 23-39[22-28]). In a prophetic sense, this could apply as well to King David as he envisioned the fate of Israel in exile and the suffering they would endure. In v. 26[25] he asked that their dwellings of his enemies remain desolate and uninhabited.

The "fulfillment" text consists of the disciple Peter's words to a crowd that gathered to pray following the alleged "resurrection" of Jesus. Peter connected the words of King David, v. 26[25], with the "Potter's Field", also known as the "Field of Blood" (Mt 27:7-8). According to the Gospel accounts, this parcel of land was purchased by the chief priests with the 30 pieces of silver which they originally gave Judas in return for leading them to Jesus (Mt 26:15), and which he eventually returned to them (Mt 27:3-5). Apparently, the chief priests did not feel this "blood money" belonged back in the treasury of the Temple, so they purchased the "Potter's field" and designated it as a place for burying unknown individuals (Mt 27:6-10).

The Easton's Bible Dictionary^15[15] lists the following definition for the term Aceldama (Ac 1:19):

Aceldama [N] [H] [S]

the name which the Jews gave in their proper tongue, i.e., in Aramaic, to the field which was purchased with the money which had been given to the betrayer of our Lord. The word means "field of blood." It was previously called "the potter's field" (Matthew 27:7,8; Acts 1:19), and was appropriated as the burial-place for strangers. It lies on a narrow level terrace on the south face of the valley of Hinnom. Its modern name is Hak ed-damm.

[N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible

[H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names

[S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary

This parcel of land has been identified as being part of the "Valley of Hinnom", also referred to as "Gehenna", an area that is located southwest of the city of Jerusalem. If the "fulfillment" text were actually accurate, the area in question would be desolate today. However, anyone who visited Jerusalem and its vicinity, and who saw the place, knows that the opposite is true – the "Valley of Hinnom" has turned into a garden.^16[16]

Conclusion: Psalms 69:26[25] is not a valid "messianic prophecy".

2. IV.   Summary

In this fifth in a series of essays on so-called "proof texts" in the Psalms, 11 such texts from Psalms 69, which are claimed to be Christian "messianic prophecies", along with their respective "fulfillment" texts from the New Testament, were investigated. The analysis addressed content, context, and correspondence between each pair of texts, in order to assess the validity of the claims. Cumulative results of all "messianic prophecy"-'fulfillment" pairs investigated thus far are summarized in Table IV-1. [Note: Past results are shown in highlight, and current results are shown in plain form.]

Table IV-1 – Claimed "messianic prophecies" in Psalms 8, 16, 18, 27, 31, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 45, 55, 68, 69, 78, 80, and 89, and their "fulfillments"

Statement	Citations		Valid?17[17]
	"Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
Infants would give praise to the Messiah	Psalms 8:3[2]*	Matthew 21:16	NO
The Messiah would be given authority over all things	Psalms 8:7[6]	Matthew 28:18	NO
The Messiah would be resurrected	Psalms 16:8-10a	Matthew 28:6	NO
The Messiah's body would not be subject to decay	Psalms 16:8-10b	Acts 13:35-37	NO
The Messiah would be exalted to the presence of G-d	Psalms 16:11	Acts 2:25-33	NO
The Messiah would come for all people	Psalms 18:50[49]	Ephesians 3:4-6	NO
The Messiah's enemies would stumble and fall when they came for him	Psalms 27:2	John 18:3-6	NO
The Messiah would be accused by false witnesses	Psalms 27:12	Matthew 26:59-61	NO
None of the Messiah's bones would be broken	Psalms 34:21[20]	John 19:32-33	NO
There would be plots to kill the Messiah	Psalms 31:14[13]	Matthew 27:1	NO
There would be plots to kill the Messiah	Psalms 31:14[13]	Matthew 27:1	NO
The Messiah would be accused by false witnesses	Psalms 35:11	Mark 14:55-59	NO
The Messiah would be hated by many without cause	Psalms 35:19	John 18:19-23	NO
The Messiah would be silent before his accusers	Psalms 38:14-15[13-14]	Matthew 26:62-63	NO
The Messiah's offering of himself would replace all sacrifices	Psalms 40:7-9a[6-8a]	Hebrews 10:10-13	NO
The Messiah would say the scriptures were written of him	Psalms 40:7-9b[6-8b]	Luke 24:44	NO
The Messiah would come to do God's will	Psalms 40:8-9[7-8]	John 5:30	NO
The Messiah would not conceal his mission from the congregation	Psalms 40:10-11[9-10]	Luke 4:16-21	NO
The Messiah's betrayer would be a friend whom he broke bread with	Psalms 41:10[9]	Mark 14:17-18	NO
The Messiah would speak with a message of grace	Psalms 45:3[2]	Luke 4:22	?	NO
The Messiah's throne would be everlasting	Psalms 45:7-8a[6-7a]	Luke 1:31-33	?	NO
The Messiah would be God	Psalms 45:7-8b[6-7b]	Hebrews 1:8-9	NO
The Messiah would act with righteousness	Psalms 45:7-8c[6-7c]	John 5:30	?	NO
The Messiah would be betrayed by a friend	Psalms 55:13-15[12-14]	Luke 22:47-48	NO
The Messiah would ascend into heaven	Psalms 68:19a[18a]	Luke 24:51	NO
The Messiah would give gifts to men	Psalms 68:19b[18b]	Matthew 10:1	NO
The Messiah would be hated by many without cause	Psalms 69:5[4]	Luke 23:13-22	NO
The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake	Psalms 69:8[7]	Matthew 26:65-67	NO
The Messiah would be rejected by the Jews	Psalms 69:9a[8a]	John 1:11	NO
The Messiah's brothers would disbelieve him	Psalms 69:9b[8b]	John 7:3-5	NO
The Messiah would be angered by disrespect toward the temple	Psalms 69:10a[9a]	John 2:13-17	NO
The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake	Psalms 69:10b[9b]	Romans 15:3	NO
The Messiah's heart would be broken	Psalms 69:21a[20a]	John 19:34	NO
The Messiah's disciples would fail him in his time of need	Psalms 69:21b[20b]	Mark 14:33-41	NO
The Messiah would be offered gall and vinegar	Psalms 69:22a[21a]	Matthew 27:34	NO
The Messiah would thirst	Psalms 69:22b[21b]	John 19:28	NO
The potter's field would be uninhabited	Psalms 69:26[25]	Acts 1:16-20	NO
The Messiah would speak in parables	Psalms 78:2	Matthew 13:34-35	NO
The Messiah would be at the right hand of God	Psalms 80:18[17]	Acts 5:31	NO
The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 89:4-5[3-4]	Matthew 1:1	?	NO
The Messiah would call God his Father	Psalms 89:27[26]	Matthew 11:27	NO
The Messiah would be God's "firstborn."	Psalms 89:28[27]	Mark 16:6	?	NO
The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 89:30[29]	Matthew 1:1	?	NO
The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 89:36-37[35-36]	Matthew 1:1	?	NO

As the sample of claimed Christian "messianic prophecies"-"fulfillment" pairs increases, there are now 44 such pairs, the previously noted pattern becomes even better defined - they focus on Jesus, the central figure in the Christian messianic vision, not on the conditions that will prevail in the world due to his accomplishments.

Source: http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms5.html

Feel free to contact me at b_zawadi@hotmail.com

Return to Refuting Alleged Old Testament Prophecies Pointing to Jesus

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1^[1] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 1 - Psalms 8, 16, 18 - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms1.html

2^[2] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 2 – Psalms 27, 31, 34, 35, 38 - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms2.html

3^[3] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 3 – Psalms 40, 41, 45 - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms3.html

4^[4] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 4 – Psalms 55, 68, 78, 80, and 89 –

http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms4.html

5^[5] Psalms 2: "Kiss the Son"? Where Is that Son of A Gun? - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psal2.html

6^[6] Psalms 22: Nailing An Alleged Crucifixion Scenario - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psa22.html

7^[7] Psalms 110: To not Know "the L-rd" from "my master" Can End in Disaster - http://www.messiahtruth.com/ps110.html

8^[8] 300⁺ Messianic Prophecies: Prophecies From the Old Testament that Reveal that Jesus is the Messiah - http://www.gotell.gracenet.org/gbn12.htm

9^[9] This is a false premise. See the essay at - http://www.messiahtruth.com/throne.html

10^[10] In cases where verse numbers differ between the Hebrew Bible and the Christian "Old Testament", the citation shows the verse number in the Hebrew Bible followed by the verse number in the Christian "Old Testament" in brackets. Example: Psalms 69:5[4].

11^[11] Soncino Books of the Bible – The Psalms, Rev. Dr. A. Cohen, Editor, p. 216, The Soncino Press (1992)

12^[12] According to Jewish Law, which is based is Exodus 30:11-16, counting individuals directly is prohibited.

13^[13] Paternal brothers share a common father, but have different mothers. Uterine brothers share a common mother, but have different fathers. "Full" brothers share both parents.

14^[14] There are different interpretations among Christian clergy, some of which do not vilify the Jews. For example, Pastor Jon Courson (http://www.joncourson.com), based on the Greek grammatical syntax, explains it this way: "The first time the Greek word for `his own' is used in this verse, it is in a neuter form, referring to creation. The second time, it is masculine, referring to humanity. In other words, Jesus came into this world, and all of creation acknowledged Him. The winds obeyed Him. The water supported Him. The rocks were ready to cry out to Him. But there was one segment of creation which received Him not: man. Human nature is the only part of nature which refuses to worship God."

(http://www.blueletterbible.org/tmp_dir/c/1090681675-6011.html)

15^[15] M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain - http://bible.crosswalk.com/Dictionaries/EastonBibleDictionary/ebd.cgi?number=T63

16^[16] Examples: "Photos of Hell" - http://what-the-hell-is-hell.com/HellPhotos/; "The valley of Gehenna" - http://www.photosbytammy.com/galleries/galleries.asp?class=places&cat1=israel&cat2=valleyofgehenna

17^[17] A single entry indicates that the same answer applies to both "Prophecy" and "Fulfillment" claims. Two entries signify different answers for the "Prophecy" and "Fulfillment", respectively.

===================================================

False Prophets, Farmhands, and Lovers

[Zechariah 13:1-6]

by

Messiah Truth

1. I.            Introduction

A single verse in the 13^th chapter in the Book of Zechariah, Zechariah 13:6, has long been a favorite so-called "proof text" in the standard portfolio of Christian apologists and missionaries. As part of this portfolio being used to support the claim that the advent of Christianity is foretold in the Hebrew Bible, this verse has been promoted as a passage that prophetically foretells the crucifixion of Jesus.

A careful analysis of the verse, in its proper context, refutes this claim and, in fact, turns this passage into a powerful "counter proof text".

2. II.            Comparison of Christian and Jewish English Translations

The Hebrew text and side-by-side English renditions of the short 13^th chapter in the Book of Zechariah 13 are displayed in Table II-1. The King James Version (KJV) translation in the left column, a Jewish translation in the middle column, and the Hebrew text appears in the right column. The KJV rendition also contains several references to key passages in the New Testament, where the respective portions of Zechariah 13 are cross-referenced. The information on these New Testament/"Old Testament" cross-references in the Christian Bible was taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The highlighted words and phrases will be discussed later as part of the analysis.

Table II-1 – Zechariah 13

King James Version Translation

Jewish Translation from the Hebrew

The Hebrew Text

Zechariah 13

1

In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

On that day, a spring shall be opened for the House of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for [purification of] sin and [for cleansing of] uncleanness.

2

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

And it shall come to pass on that day, says the L-rd of Hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols from the earth, and they shall no more be remembered; and also the prophets and the unclean spirit I will remove from the earth.

3

And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

And it shall come to pass, if a man still prophesies, then his father and his mother, who bore him, shall say to him, "You shall not live; for you have spoken falsely in the name of the L-rd;" and his father and his mother, who bore him, shall thrust him through while he prophesies.

4

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive.(1)

And it shall come to pass on that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed, each one of his vision when he has prophesies; and they will not wear a hairy mantle in order to deceive;

5

But he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.

And he shall say, "I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the soil, for a man entrusted me with his cattle from my youth."

6

And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

And someone will say to him, "What are these wounds between your hands?" And he shall say, "Because I was beaten in the house of those who love me."

7

Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.(2)

O sword, awaken against My shepherd, and against the man who is associated with Me! says the L-rd of Hosts. Smite the shepherd, and the flock shall scatter, and I will return my hand upon the lower ones.

8

And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the L-rd, two parts shall be cut off and will die; and the third shall remain therein.

9

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

And I will bring the third through the fire, and I will refine them as one refines silver, and I will test them as tests gold; they shall call on My name, and I will respond to them; I will say, "They are My people;" and they shall say, "The L-rd is my G-d".

1. Matthew 3:4(KJV) - And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about

his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

2. Matthew 26:31(KJV) - Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this

night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock

shall be scattered abroad.

Mark 14:27(KJV) - And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for

it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.

With one notable exception, the two translations are reasonably consistent. Even the portions that are cross-referenced in the New Testament do not contain any gross mistranslation by the KJV translators. The exception is in Zechariah 13:6, where the KJV, among a small number of other Christian translations, falsely translates the Hebrew word (bein), between, as in, thereby effecting a contextual change in the question from, " … What are these wounds between thine hands? … ", to, " What are these wounds in thine hands? … ". The result of this mistranslation is that a rather obvious Christological significance has been infused into the entire verse. It is interesting to note that most other Christian translations have retained the more general concept of someone with contusions on his upper body – chest, back - which is consistent with the context of the Hebrew text.

3. III.            Overview of Christian and Jewish Interpretations

1. A.      Overview of the Christian Perspective

According to the Christian view, Chapter 13 of Zechariah is fertile with Christological innuendo. The foretelling of the remission of sins and the silencing of false prophets point to the initial Christian "messianic era", i.e., the first century C.E. This idea is further amplified with a claim of the prophetic suffering of Jesus and the dispersion of his disciples, of the destruction of the greater (unbelieving) part of the Jewish nation not long thereafter, and of the purifying of a (believing) remnant of them, a distinctive group of people to G-d.

The New Testament reference passages quoted below Table II-1 appear to be invoking phrases found in various verses in the chapter. In Matthew 3:4, the "raiment of camel's hair" worn by John the Baptist alludes to a garment traditionally worn by Jewish prophets, mentioned in Zechariah 13:4. Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27 contain the phrases, "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad" and "I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered ", respectively. These allegedly represent the fulfillment of a prophecy concerning the suffering of Jesus and the dispersal of his followers, found in a similar phrase in Zechariah 13:7, "Smite the shepherd, and the flock shall scatter".

It is interesting to note that Zechariah 13:6, the one verse from this chapter most often applied by Christian apologists and missionaries as a so-called "proof text", was not invoked or alluded to in the New Testament by any of the authors. From their silence on this contemporary Christian missionary "proof text", it appears that the authors of the New Testament did not perceive it as having any Christological significance.

More detailed commentary may be found in the standard Christian commentaries such as, Matthew Henry and Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown.

1. The Jewish Perspective

The 13^th chapter in the Book of Zechariah includes a collection of messianic prophecies and, in that respect, the Christian and Jewish perspectives are consistent. The major gap between the two views concerns the identity of the Messiah.

The era in which the events described in this chapter will take place is identified in Zechariah 13:1 as being the messianic era. The description of the spring of living water that will be flowing in Jerusalem, something that has never been there before, is an allusion to the messianic era. A reference to this spring is found again in the next chapter:

Zechariah 14:8 - And it shall be on that day, that living water shall go out from Jerusalem - half of it toward the eastern sea, and half of it toward the western sea; in summer and in winter it shall be.

Ezekiel also speaks of this flowing water in his description of the Third Temple:

Ezekiel 47:1 - And he brought me back to the door of the house and, behold, water flowed from under the threshold of the house eastward, for the front of the house faced to the east; and the water came down from beneath, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar.

The first six verses in this chapter deal with the removal of impurity from Judah. The Prophet speaks of a false prophet whose parents thrust him through for his deceitful activities. He also describes the lamenting by the false prophets about being farm hands and shepherds from their youth, and having been assaulted and beaten up in familiar surroundings.

The last three verses in the chapter describe the punishment of (a sword turned against) the enemies of Israel. The leaders of the (Gentile) nations were the shepherds, G-d’s colleagues, to whom He entrusted the fate of His people Israel (the flock). When they harm instead of help, G-d will unleash the sword against them. Then, the flock will be free to escape, and G-d will turn His vengeance even against the subordinates who helped molest Israel.

4. IV.            A Closer Look at the Passage Zechariah 13:6

1. The Traditional Approach: The False Prophet and Foolish Shepherd

As noted above, Zechariah 13:6 is used by Christian apologists and missionaries as a "proof text" that foretells the crucifixion of Jesus:

Zechariah 13:6 - And someone will say to him, "What are these wounds between your hands?" And he shall say, "Because I was beaten in the house of those who love me."

Zechariah 13:6(KJV) - And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.

When this verse is read alone, without the rest of the verses around it, it could leave the (false) impression of an allusion to the suffering that Jesus endured around the time of his crucifixion. However, when the verse is read in context, a rather different picture emerges about this wounded individual. The backdrop for the scenario is set up two preceding verses:

Zechariah 13:4-5 – (4) And it shall come to pass on that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed, each one of his vision when he prophesies; and they will not wear a hairy mantle in order to deceive. (5) And he shall say, "I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the soil, for a man entrusted me with his cattle from my youth."

This individual in Zechariah 13:6, the one with the contusions from being beaten, turns out to be a false prophet, even though he wore the hairy mantle, which was a distinctive garment worn by prophets of Israel (see, e.g., 1 Kgs 19:13,19; 2 Kgs 2:8,13,14). These false prophets will disown their "calling" and claim to belong to the humblest working class. A similar declaration, though reversed – a true prophet declaring he does not profit from his prophecies, i.e., unlike a false prophet who is remunerated for prophesying – is found in the Book of Amos:

Amos 7:14 - And Amos replied and said to Amaziah, "I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet; but I am a cattle herder and an examiner of sycamores."

Zechariah 13:7 is also a verse that is important to the context, particularly as it applies to the claims made by Christian missionaries:

Zechariah 13:7 - "O sword, awaken against My shepherd, and against the man who is associated with Me!" says the L-rd of Hosts. "Smite the shepherd, and the flock shall scatter, and I will return My hand upon the lower ones."

This shepherd is also the one previously described as foolish and worthless:

Zechariah 11:15-17 – (15) And the L-rd said to me, "Take for yourself yet another thing, the instrument of a foolish shepherd. (16) For, behold! I am setting up a shepherd in the land, he will not remember [to count] those who are missing, nor will he seek the young ones, nor heal the broken one; nor will he feed the one which stands still, but he will eat the meat of the healthy ones, and break their hoofs into pieces. (17) Woe to My worthless shepherd who abandons the flock; may a sword strike his arm and his right eye; his arm shall surely wither, and his right eye will go completely blind.

The fate of this foolish and worthless shepherd a certainty; he will be smitten.

Does Zechariah 13:6 still "point" to Jesus when read in context? It is not likely that Christians will agree to characterize Jesus, their lord and savior, as being a false prophet and a foolish and worthless shepherd.

2. An Alternate Approach: The False Prophet and Promiscuous Farmhand

Another way of reading the passage, especially Zechariah 13:4-6, gives an interesting twist to this prophecy. The stage is set in the opening verse of the chapter, which implies that sins, such as idolatry and other abominations, will be rampant in the land. Zechariah prophesies that, when the day comes, parents will turn against their own sons, who acted as false prophets and perverted the Word of G-d, and slay them (Zech 13:3). The Prophet adds that all false prophets, when they see that their visions did not materialize, will be ashamed of all they did to deceive the people and will discard their special garb (Zech 13:4).

The conventional translation for Zechariah 13:5 reads:

Zechariah 13:5 - And he shall say, "I am not a prophet; I am a tiller of the soil, for a man entrusted me with his cattle from my youth."

However, the term (hiqnani), commonly translated as [he] entrusted me with his cattle, also has another meaning. (hiqnani) derives from the root (qanah), [to] buy, and is conjugated here in the hiph'il stem in the past tense, which is an active verb construct that renders this term as, [he] who has made [others] buy me. When combined with the reference to the subject's youth, this could easily mean that these people, in addition to being farmhands, were also hired out for some other purpose.

For what purpose might these youthful tillers of the land have been hired out? The next verse, Zechariah 13:6, has the key to the answer. The conventional translation of this verse is:

Zechariah 13:6 - And someone will say to him, "What are these wounds between your hands?" And he shall say, "Because I was beaten in the house of those who love me."

However, the term (m^eahavai), commonly translated as those who love me, or my friends, also has another meaning that is lost in the common renditions. This word (m^eahavai) means my lovers, or my paramours, i.e., those who desire me [sexually]. The term (m^eahavai) is the conjugation of the plural form of the singular masculine noun (m^eahev), lover [in the romantic context; the plural is (m^eahavim), could be applied in either the masculine or the generic context], in the 1^st-person singular, masculine (and feminine) gender, my [male] lovers. The noun (m^eahev), lover, is derived from the root verb (ahav), [to] love, conjugated in the pi'el stem, which is a causative and denominative verb form. There are 16 applications of this noun, in various conjugations, in the Hebrew Bible, where in all cases it is used with the romantic connotation that goes along with sexual desire or lust. Table IV.B-1 shows these 16 instances of the noun along with the common English translations in both Jewish and Christian renditions of the respective passages..

Table IV.B-1 – Applications of the Hebrew noun (m^eahev), lover, in the Hebrew Bible

Hebrew Term	#	Pronunciation	Noun Conjugation	Citation	Typical translations (KJV/ArtScroll Stone Tanach)
	7	mea-ha-VA-yich	2nd-person, singular, feminine	Jeremiah 22:20,22, 30:14; Ezekiel 16:33,36,37, 23:22	thy lovers/your paramours
	5	mea-ha-VE-ha	3rd-person, singular, feminine	Ezekiel 23:5,9; *Hosea 2:9,12,15	her lovers/her paramours
	4	mea-ha-VA-i	1st-person, singular, masculine/feminine	*Hosea 2:7,14; Lamentations 1:19	my lovers/my paramours
				Zechariah 13:6	my friends/those who loved me

*The verses Hosea 2:7,9,12,14,15 correspond to Hosea 2:5,7,10,12,13 in Christian Bibles

The proper term to be used in describing those who love someone, not necessarily in the romantic sense, and conjugated in the 1^st-person, singular, masculine or feminine gender, is (ohava'i), those who love me. This noun also derives from the root verb (ahav), [to] love, except that it is conjugated in the pa'al/qal stem, the basic Hebrew verb form. This application is used on 20 occasions, in various conjugations, in the Hebrew Bible, and in five cases in this specific conjugation – at: Exodus 20:6**, Deuteronomy 5:10**, Psalms 38:12, Proverbs 8:17,21 [** - includes the preposition (l^e), to or for].

Sidebar note: Who were the (true) prophets and prophetesses of Israel? What distinguished them from the others? While the gift of prophecy included an ability to foretell the future, a prophet was far more than a person with that capability. A prophet was a spokesperson for G-d, a person ostensibly "chosen" by Him to speak to people on His behalf and convey a message or teaching. [True] prophets were role models of holiness, scholarship, and closeness to G-d, setting the standards for the entire community. Moreover, the primary job of a prophet was not to foretell the future, but to arouse the people and the government to repentance and observance. In the process of executing their primary mission, the prophets often resorted to the description of future events - some in the near future, some in the intermediate future, and some in the distant (messianic era) future.

Considering the conditions of rampant idolatry and other abominations that will prevail in the land just prior to the day when the prophecies in the 13^th chapter in the Book of Zechariah come to pass, it would make one wonder in what kind of activities these individuals – those who were identified as false prophets – were engaging. While it is a fact that tilling the land can cause wounds on hands and arms, perhaps even on legs and feet; from where would wounds "between the hands", i.e., across the chest and perhaps on one's back, come? In what type of activities did these youthful shepherds, farmhands, and false prophets engage when they were not tilling the land and watching the herds?

Under these circumstances, could Zechariah 13:6 still apply to Jesus? Surely, Christians will not want to have a false prophet and a youthful farmhand hired out to engage in acts of abomination as a "type and shadow" of their lord, savior, and messiah Jesus.

These two perspectives on Zechariah 13:6 in context, should serve as sobering "food for thought" to all who attempt to use this verse as a prophecy of Jesus' death.

5. V.            Summary

The analysis of the 13^th chapter in the Book of Zechariah demonstrates the importance of reading and understanding a verse or passage in its proper context.

The claims made by Christian apologists and missionaries concerning Zechariah 13:6 have been refuted, and this verse, when read in context, turns out to be an excellent "counter proof text". Moreover, it is noteworthy that the authors of the New Testament, in their silence on this verse, found no Christological significance in it. This would indicate that the use of this verse by Christian apologists and missionaries is a much more recent development. Perhaps these are some of the reasons that many legitimate Christian apologists no longer use it as a "proof text".

Source: http://www.messiahtruth.com/zec13.html

Feel free to contact me at b_zawadi@hotmail.com

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Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms

Part 7 – The "Big Picture"

 

By

Messiah Truth

 

1. I.            Introduction

 

In a series of six essays^{1[1],2[2],3[3],4[4],5[5],6[6]}, 55 claims of Christian "messianic prophecies" in the Psalms and their respective "fulfillments" in the New Testament were investigated, analyzed in detail, and refuted. Literally hundreds of so-called "proof texts" have been identified by Christian apologists and missionaries as representing alleged prophecies in the Christian "Old Testament", which are claimed to have been "fulfilled" by Jesus, the Messiah of Christianity, as recorded in the New Testament. These passages are often also called "messianic prophecies" in Christian sources, a characterization that, likewise, is used in Judaism to identify specific items on the "messianic agenda" that appears in the Hebrew Bible.

 

The set of "messianic prophecies" identified by Christians in the Christian "Old Testament" is not congruent with the set of "messianic agenda items" that was developed by the Jewish prophets in the Hebrew Bible. At last count, the reference list^7[7] that was used in the investigation of the Christian "proof texts" in the Psalms, identified 312 pairs of "messianic prophecy"-"fulfillment" citations, each of which includes a statement of the "messianic prophecy" claimed to have been fulfilled by Jesus. While the Internet abounds with references to these long lists of Christian "proof texts", the equivalent plethora of messianic prophetic texts for the Jewish messianic paradigm does not exist.

 

This essay presents an overview and an analytical comparison of the Jewish and Christian messianic paradigms.

 

2. II.            Judaism's Messianic Vision

 

The Jewish messianic vision is an original concept at the heart of traditional Judaism, and the dream of an eventual redemption is one of its foundations. The Hebrew phrase often associated with a future blissful era, known in Judaism as the messianic era, (aharit ha'yamim), the end of days, appears in the Hebrew Bible as early as Genesis 49:1, where Jacob summons his sons to bestow his blessings upon them. This chapter, and the blessing of Judah in particular, can be considered as the cornerstone of the Jewish messianic paradigm. The full picture of the Jewish messianic vision was developed primarily through the writings of the prophets.

 

The messianic paradigm of traditional Judaism consists of two main components:

 

•       The central figure, (mashi'ah), who will be in the leadership role, and whose actions will result in major changes to world conditions.

 

•       The "messianic agenda", which consists of the "action items" (the "messianic prophecies" of Judaism) expected to be executed and completed for the messianic era to be a reality.

 

The following sections provide a closer view at each of these two items.

 

1. (mashi'ah)

 

The (mashi'ah), the anointed one, is the individual whom the Jewish people are awaiting. Although he is the central figure in it, the Jewish messianic vision is not focused him; rather, it addresses his accomplishments. The actions of the (mashi'ah) will induce changes in the real world that will transform it into the picture envisioned by the prophets.

 

Although he is the central figure in the Jewish messianic vision, few details are recorded in the Hebrew Bible about the (mashi'ah) in terms of specific descriptions of his physical characteristics and attributes. In fact, in its 39 applications in the Hebrew Bible, the term (mashi'ah) is never used in connection with the promised future leader of Israel. One possible reason for this is that, starting in the first century B.C.E., the Jewish messianic paradigm experienced a significant transformation. It shifted away from the idea of a future blissful era, (aharit ha'yamim), the end of days, and evolved into the notion of future mortal leader who will redeem Israel from the oppression the people had been suffering in exile and from enemies who occupied the Holy Land. It was during this time frame that the modern title of (mashi'ah) was adopted as the common reference to this individual, who was expected to be the next occupant of the throne of King David. An interesting by-product of this phenomenon has been that, once this concept took hold, various individuals have appeared and proclaimed themselves, or were proclaimed by others, to be this awaited redeemer.

 

The information available in the Hebrew Bible spells out the requirements which a legitimate candidate for the "job" of (mashi'ah) must satisfy:

 

•       He must be a biological descendant, the (zera), seed, of King David (Is 11:1; Ezek 37:24-25)

 

•       His lineage to King David must go through King Solomon (2 Sam 7:12-16; 1 Kgs 8:18-20)

 

•       He must be a Jew and Jewish (Deut 17:15,18-20).

 

It follows from the above requirements that the (mashi'ah) must be born of two human parents – his biological father will transmit to him the lineage to King David, and his biological mother will provide him with his identity as a Jew.

 

There are bound to be scores of individuals who satisfy these requirements, but this does not guarantee that any one of them will be the (mashi'ah) – they are merely qualified candidates for the "job". In order to be identified and declared as the (mashi'ah), a qualified candidate will have to execute and complete the "messianic agenda" as part of his sovereignty.

 

2. The "Messianic Agenda"

 

The messianic vision of Judaism, which was developed primarily through the writings of the prophets, has as its centerpiece a "messianic agenda". This "messianic agenda" consists of prophetic statements which describe, at various level of detail, the conditions that will prevail in the messianic era. The items on the "messianic agenda" comprise the collection of "messianic prophecies" in traditional Judaism. Table II.B-1 shows a list of the most significant "messianic prophecies" of Judaism found in the Hebrew Bible.^8[8]

 

Table II.B-1 – "Messianic prophecies" of Judaism

 

#	Statement	Sample Citations9[9]	Fulfilled?10[10]
1	The appearance of Elijah the prophet will herald the arrival of the (mashi'ah)	Mal 3:23-24[4:5-6]	NO
2	There will prevail a universal knowledge and recognition of G-d	Is 11:9; Zech 14:9	NO
3	There will be a peaceful coexistence of all nations in the world	Is 2:4; Mic 4:3-4	NO
4	All weapons will be destroyed	Ezek 39:9,12	NO
5	There will be an end to evil	Zeph 3:13; Mal 3:19	NO
6	There will be an end to disease and death	Is 25:8, 35:5-6	NO
7	The will be no more famine	Ezek 36:29-30	NO
8	Predatory animals will no longer seek prey	Is 11:6-7, 65:25	NO
9	Part (the outlet) of the Nile River in Egypt will run dry	Is 11:15	NO
10	All exiled Jewish people (12 Tribes) will be repatriated to Israel	Is 11:11-12; Jer 23:7-8	NO
11	"Judah" and "Israel" will be reunited into one people	Is 11:13; Ezek 37:16-22	NO
12	The Third Temple will be built in Jerusalem	Is 33:20; Ezek 37:26-28	NO
13	All Temple worship rituals, including sacrifices, will resume	Ezekiel Chapters 40-48	NO
14	The dead will be resurrected	Is 26:19; Ezek 37:12-13	NO
15	Prophecy will return	Joel 3:1; Mal 3:23[4:5]	NO
16	The Davidic dynasty will be revitalized with the (mashi'ah) and his sons	Ezek 46:16-17; Dan 7:13-14	NO
17	Each Tribe of Israel will receive and settle its inherited land	Ezek 47:13-14, 48:1-70	NO
18	Jewish Law will be the Law of the Land in Israel	Is 11:2-5; Jer 33:15	NO
19	Israel will be the center of all world (political) governments	Is 11:10, 42:6; 60:3	NO
20	Israel will be the spiritual center of the world	Is 2:2-3; Zech 8:23	NO
21	The Gentile nations will recognize they have been wrong	Is 53:1-8; Mic 7:15-16	NO
22	The Gentile nations will help the Jewish people	Is 60:5-6,10-12	NO
23	The Gentile nations will come to Jerusalem to celebrate Sukkot (Festival of Tabernacles)	Zech 14:16	NO
24	The trees of Israel will yield their fruits on a monthly basis	Ezek 47:12	NO

 

As is evident from this collection of "messianic prophecies", they generally describe the conditions that will prevail during some future period known as the messianic era – they represent the output from a nation that was longing for a better life in a better world. When all the "messianic prophecies" of Judaism are considered, are found to be exhaustive and exclusive, which means that when they are fulfilled, it will not require "faith" to experience the impact of their presence – everyone will know it.

 

3. III.            Christianity's Messianic Vision

 

Although Christianity has adopted Judaism's idea that the Messiah will be a descendant of King David, the Christian messianic paradigm is inconsistent with its Jewish counterpart in all other aspects, as will be demonstrated in Section IV.

 

The common messianic paradigm of Christianity consists of two main components:

 

•        The central figure, Messiah, already came once in fulfillment of prophetic statements in the Christian "Old Testament", and who will return at a future time.

 

•        The "messianic prophecies" fulfilled by the Messiah in his "First Coming".

 

The following sections provide a closer view at each of these two items.

 

1. A.     Messiah

 

The central figure of the Christian messianic vision is the Messiah. The most striking feature of the Christian messianic paradigm is that, by design and unlike Judaism, it is entirely focused on the central figure, Jesus, who is referred to in the Greek Testament by the title Ιησούς Χριστός (Iesous Christos), or Jesus Christ (Jesus the Messiah) – the Anglicized version of the Greek name and title..

 

According to Christian theology, the nature and mission of the Messiah is that he is both Lord and Savior:

 

•        Jesus is divine since he has always existed as part of the divine godhead^11[11] (Jo 1:1-2).

 

•        Jesus was "sent to earth" in the form of a man (G-d manifest in the flesh) via the "Virgin Birth", thus making him the son of G-d (Mt 1:23; Mk 1:1).

•        Jesus came as the Messiah in order to redeem (or save) humanity by removing the stain of the "Original Sin" through his sacrificial death on the cross (2 Tim 1:9-10; 1 Jo 4:14).

•        In his "Second Coming", Jesus will reign over the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt 5:19, 7:21; Heb 9:28).

 

In his role as Lord and Savrior, Jesus is said to have fulfilled all the prophecies about him in the Christian "Old Testament".

 

2. B.    The "Messianic Prophecies"

 

According to Christian theology, the Messiah fulfilled all the prophecies in the Christian "Old Testament" which were spoken about him. These "messianic prophecies" consist of passages, single verses, or even portions of a verse in the Christian "Old Testament", and the same is true of their respective "fulfillment texts" in the New Testament. The list of the 55 "messianic prophecy"-"fulfillment" pairs investigated in the previous six essays typifies the contents of the complete reference list (see footnote 7). For reference, the results of the analysis are reproduced in Table III.B-1 (sequence numbers were added for clarification).

 

Table III.B-1 – The "messianic prophecies" of Christianity in Psalms 8, 16, 18, 27, 31, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 45, 55, 68, 69 78, 80, 89, 102, 109, 118, and 132, and their "fulfillments"

 

#	Statement	Citations		Valid?12[12]
		"Prophecy"	"Fulfillment"
1	Infants would give praise to the Messiah	Psalms 8:3[2]	Matthew 21:16	NO
2	The Messiah would be given authority over all things	Psalms 8:7[6]	Matthew 28:18	NO
3	The Messiah would be resurrected	Psalms 16:8-10a	Matthew 28:6	NO
4	The Messiah's body would not be subject to decay	Psalms 16:8-10b	Acts 13:35-37	NO
5	The Messiah would be exalted to the presence of G-d	Psalms 16:11	Acts 2:25-33	NO
6	The Messiah would come for all people	Psalms 18:50[49]	Ephesians 3:4-6	NO
7	The Messiah's enemies would stumble and fall when they came for him	Psalms 27:2	John 18:3-6	NO
8	The Messiah would be accused by false witnesses	Psalms 27:12	Matthew 26:59-61	NO
9	None of the Messiah's bones would be broken	Psalms 34:21[20]	John 19:32-33	NO
10	There would be plots to kill the Messiah	Psalms 31:14[13]	Matthew 27:1	NO
11	There would be plots to kill the Messiah	Psalms 31:14[13]	Matthew 27:1	NO
12	The Messiah would be accused by false witnesses	Psalms 35:11	Mark 14:55-59	NO
13	The Messiah would be hated by many without cause	Psalms 35:19	John 18:19-23	NO
14	The Messiah would be silent before his accusers	Psalms 38:14-15[13-14]	Matthew 26:62-63	NO
15	The Messiah's offering of himself would replace all sacrifices	Psalms 40:7-9a[6-8a]	Hebrews 10:10-13	NO
16	The Messiah would say the scriptures were written of him	Psalms 40:7-9b[6-8b]	Luke 24:44	NO
17	The Messiah would come to do God's will	Psalms 40:8-9[7-8]	John 5:30	NO
18	The Messiah would not conceal his mission from the congregation	Psalms 40:10-11[9-10]	Luke 4:16-21	NO
19	The Messiah's betrayer would be a friend whom he broke bread with	Psalms 41:10[9]	Mark 14:17-18	NO
20	The Messiah would speak with a message of grace	Psalms 45:3[2]	Luke 4:22	?		NO
21	The Messiah's throne would be everlasting	Psalms 45:7-8a[6-7a]	Luke 1:31-33	?		NO
22	The Messiah would be God	Psalms 45:7-8b[6-7b]	Hebrews 1:8-9	NO
23	The Messiah would act with righteousness	Psalms 45:7-8c[6-7c]	John 5:30	?		NO
24	The Messiah would be betrayed by a friend	Psalms 55:13-15[12-14]	Luke 22:47-48	NO
25	The Messiah would ascend into heaven	Psalms 68:19a[18a]	Luke 24:51	NO
26	The Messiah would give gifts to men	Psalms 68:19b[18b]	Matthew 10:1	NO
27	The Messiah would be hated by many without cause	Psalms 69:5[4]	Luke 23:13-22	NO
28	The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake	Psalms 69:8[7]	Matthew 26:65-67	NO
29	The Messiah would be rejected by the Jews	Psalms 69:9a[8a]	John 1:11	NO
30	The Messiah's brothers would disbelieve him	Psalms 69:9b[8b]	John 7:3-5	NO
31	The Messiah would be angered by disrespect toward the temple	Psalms 69:10a[9a]	John 2:13-17	NO
32	The Messiah would bear reproach, for God's sake	Psalms 69:10b[9b]	Romans 15:3	NO
33	The Messiah's heart would be broken	Psalms 69:21a[20a]	John 19:34	NO
34	The Messiah's disciples would fail him in his time of need	Psalms 69:21b[20b]	Mark 14:33-41	NO
35	The Messiah would be offered gall and vinegar	Psalms 69:22a[21a]	Matthew 27:34	NO
36	The Messiah would thirst	Psalms 69:22b[21b]	John 19:28	NO
37	The potter's field would be uninhabited	Psalms 69:26[25]	Acts 1:16-20	NO
38	The Messiah would speak in parables	Psalms 78:2	Matthew 13:34-35	NO
39	The Messiah would be at the right hand of God	Psalms 80:18[17]	Acts 5:31	NO
40	The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 89:4-5[3-4]	Matthew 1:1	?		NO
41	The Messiah would call God his Father	Psalms 89:27[26]	Matthew 11:27	NO
42	The Messiah would be God's "firstborn."	Psalms 89:28[27]	Mark 16:6	?		NO
43	The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 89:30[29]	Matthew 1:1	?		NO
44	The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 89:36-37[35-36]	Matthew 1:1	?		NO
45	The Messiah would be eternal	Psalms 102:26-28a[25-27a]	Colossians 1:17	NO
46	The Messiah would be the creator of all	Psalms 102:26-28b[25-27b]	John 1:3	NO
47	The Messiah would be accused by false witnesses	Psalms 109:2	John 18:29-30	NO
48	The Messiah would pray for his enemies	Psalms 109:4	Luke 23:34	NO
49	The Messiah's betrayer would have a short life	Psalms 109:8a	Acts 1:16-18	NO
50	The Messiah's betrayer would be replaced	Psalms 109:8b	Acts 1:20-26	NO
51	The Messiah would be mocked by people shaking their heads	Psalms 109:25	Mark 15:29-30	NO
52	The Messiah would be the "stone" rejected by the Jews	Psalms 118:22	Matthew 21:42-43	NO
53	The Messiah would come in the name of the Lord	Psalms 118:26	Matthew 21:9	NO
54	The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 132:11	Matthew 1:1	?	NO
55	The Messiah would be a descendant of David	Psalms 132:17	Matthew 1:1	?	NO

 

As is evident from the above list, the "messianic prophecies" of Christianity are Messiah-centric, i.e., they deal with the Messiah's origin, his attributes, his personal life's ordeals, and his death and resurrection. This is likely to be a result of the belief by Christians that G-d, via His direct intervention in human history, made His will and purpose known to mankind when He sent His "son", Jesus, to fulfill these "messianic prophecies". Thus, for Christians, the concept of "messianic prophecy" is the product of a "new revelation", and that the last word on the meaning of specific "messianic prophecies" in the Christian "Old Testament", accordingly, is found in the New Testament and in Jesus himself. For Christians, the Messiah already came and fulfilled all these "messianic prophecies", and they are now awaiting his "Second Coming".

 

4. IV.            The Two Messianic Visions: How Do They Compare?

 

Each of the two major components from the two messianic paradigms are compared respectively by contrasting several elements that characterize significant attributes and function. The tabular forms of these comparisons will show how they compare against each other, and how they compare against the accounts found the Hebrew Bible.

 

1. (mashi'ah) versus Jesus

 

Items that characterize the respective central figures of the Jewish and Christian messianic visions are compared in Table IV.A-1.

 

Table IV.A-1 – Comparing the central figures

 

Item	Judaism's () (mashi'ah)	Christianity's () Messiah	Compatible with…
			Each Other	Hebrew Bible
					
Pedigree	Will be a bloodline descendant of King David, born of earthly parents	Was born of a virgin who conceived from the Holy Spirit	NO	YES*	NO
Birthplace	Not specified	Bethlehem	NO	YES"	NO
Nature	Will be a mortal human	Is the divine son of G-d	NO	YES*	NO
Function	Will be a righteous king who will redeem and restore Israel	Served as a sin sacrifice to atone for the sins of mankind	NO	YES*	NO
Reign	Earthly kingdom	Non (1st advent). Kingdom of heaven (2nd advent)	NO	YES*	NO
Family Status	Will marry and have children	Was not married and did not father children	NO	YES*	NO
Advent	Will make one appearance, which is still being awaited	Came once, died, resurrected, and will come again	NO	YES*	NO

* By default

 

This comparison demonstrates that the central figure of Judaism's messianic vision, (mashi'ah), is incompatible with Jesus, the central figure of Christianity's messianic vision. This comparison also shows that Jesus does not fit the few descriptions of attributes of (mashi'ah) in the Hebrew Bible.

 

2. The "Messianic Agenda" versus the "Messianic Prophecies"

 

Items that characterize the respective prophetic components of the Jewish and Christian messianic visions are compared in Table IV.B-1.

 

Table IV.B-1 – Comparing the prophetic components

 

Item	Judaism's () "Messianic Agenda"	Christianity's () "Messianic Prophecies"	Compatible with…
			Each Other	Hebrew Bible
					
Number	Between two- and three-dozen	Over three hundred	NO	YES*	NO
Function	To describe the conditions that will prevail in the messianic era	To describe Jesus, his life's ordeals, and to glorify him	NO	YES*	NO
Status	Unfulfilled. To be executed and completed by (mashi'ah).	Fulfilled by Jesus in his "First Coming"	NO	YES*	NO
Validation	Upon completion, the resultant changes in the world will be real – perceptible, tangible, and "measurable"	Their fulfillment and resultant changes must be accepted on faith	NO	YES*	NO

* By default

 

This comparison demonstrates that Judaism's "messianic agenda" and Christianity's "messianic prophecies" are incompatible. This comparison also shows that the prophetic component of the Christian messianic vision is incompatible with accounts contained in the Hebrew Bible.

 

3. General Observations

 

Beyond the results obtained from these detailed comparisons, several additional points of interest concerning the two messianic paradigms are worth noting:

 

•      The "certainty of the end" is, at least conceptually, a common idea in both Judaism and Christianity. However, a major difference that sets apart the two messianic visions is that, in Judaism, history moves toward the coming of (mashi'ah), whereas, in Christianity, the belief is that the Messiah has already come and the doctrinal focus is on the fundamental belief rather on the Messiah's return.

•      The term "Messiah" has different definitions as used in Judaism and in Christianity. (mashi'ah) and its application is original to Judaism, whereas Messiah as applied in Christianity has its origin in pagan beliefs.

•      The Davidic lineage of (mashi'ah) is a biblical requirement in Judaism, whereas, in Christianity, the relationship of the Messiah to King David is viewed as messianic prophecy.

•      The significant disparity in the number of Judaism's "messianic agenda" items and Christianity's "(fulfilled) messianic prophecies" is due, in part, to the method of enumeration. In Judaism's messianic vision, all occasions in the Hebrew Bible where the same "messianic agenda" item is referenced are counted as one item. In Christianity's messianic vision, each reference in the Christian "Old Testament" to the same "messianic prophecy" is counted as a separate item. For example, 15 cited references to Jesus being G-d's son (including "firstborn") are counted as 15 "messianic prophecies", 13 cited references to Jesus being a descendant of King David are counted as 13 "messianic prophecies", 12 cited references to Jesus bearing the sins of man are counted as 12 "messianic prophecies, etc. This is artificial "inflation"!

 

•      The invention of a "Second Coming" and adding it to Christianity's messianic paradigm is a de facto concession by Christians that their Messiah failed to bring about the blissful era that is foretold in the Hebrew Bible. It is unbiblical!

 

•      The Christian messianic vision relies heavily on the "art of circular reasoning". In other words, Jesus can be positively identified as the subject of these "messianic prophecies" (i.e., "proof texts") only if one believes in him in the first place (i.e., in what is written about him in the New Testament). This is not at all a "proof"!

 

These issues reinforce the fact that, although superficially the two messianic paradigms may bear some structural resemblance, a close examination of their respective components demonstrates their differences and incompatibility.

 

5. V.            Summary

 

The results obtained from investigating the validity of 55 claimed Christian "messianic prophecies" in a collection of Psalms and their respective "fulfillments" in the New Testament revealed a significant disparity in the Jewish and Christian perspectives on "messianic prophecy". The purpose of the analysis presented in this essay was to get at the root of this disparity by examining the general framework of the respective messianic visions of Judaism and Christianity.

 

A comparison of the basic elements within each of the two main components that comprise the Judaism's and Christianity's messianic paradigms – the central figure and the prophetic texts – helped illustrate how they are inconsistent and incompatible with each other. Moreover, since Judaism's messianic paradigm is based on the Hebrew Bible, it follows that Christianity's messianic paradigm, being incompatible with that of Judaism, is incongruous with the Hebrew Bible as well. It is, therefore, reasonable to posit that the incongruity of the two views on "messianic prophecy" is related to their respective genesis.

 

Judaism's messianic paradigm evolved within the Hebrew Bible and it focused, via prophetic statements, on a future era of happiness and joy for Israel in a better world, not on the central figure who will lead Israel at that time, and whose specific identity was never disclosed. On the other hand, Christianity's messianic paradigm was designed and recorded in the New Testament ex post facto, i.e., after the fact – long after the canon of the Hebrew Bible was sealed and at least a decade after the advent of Jesus. So that, with its central figure identified as Jesus, it was and easy task for the authors of the New Testament to complete the picture. They hunted through the Christian "Old Testament" for passages that could be construed, often with the help some editorial liberties, as "prophecies" that related to Jesus – knowing the "outcome" makes it easy to look for and, if needed, invent statements that "predict" it. The purpose of this large quantity of these "messianic prophecies" and their respective "fulfillments" was to help convince people that they were true.

 

Although these lists of over 300 "messianic prophecies"-"fulfillments" pairs are invoked with pride and reverence by Christian apologists and missionaries as "evidence" of the absolute truth of their beliefs, the first six essays in this series demonstrated that, under scrutiny, they fall apart and invalidate the Christian messianic vision, which claims that it is rooted in the Hebrew Bible.

Source: www.messiahtruth.com/psalms7.html

Feel free to contact me at b_zawadi@hotmail.com

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1^[1] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 1 - Psalms 8, 16, 18 - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms1.html

2^[2] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 2 – Psalms 27, 31, 34, 35, 38 - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms2.html

3^[3] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 3 – Psalms 40, 41, 45 - http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms3.html

4^[4] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 4 – Psalms 55, 68, 78, 80, and 89 –

http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms4.html

5^[5] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 5 – Psalms 69 –

http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms5.html

6^[6] Debunking "Proof Texts" from the Psalms, Part 6 – Psalms 102, 109, 118, and 132 –

http://www.messiahtruth.com/psalms6.html

7^[7] 300⁺ Messianic Prophecies: Prophecies From the Old Testament that Reveal that Jesus is the Messiah - http://www.gotell.gracenet.org/gbn12.htm

8^[8] This list is not exhaustive. It contains those items on which there is relatively uniform consensus within traditional Judaism.

9^[9] In most cases, there are multiple sources of which only a sample is cited. Where verse numbers differ between the Hebrew Bible and the Christian "Old Testament", the citation shows the (chapter and) verse number in the Hebrew Bible first, followed by the (chapter and) verse number in the Christian "Old Testament" in brackets. Example: Mal 3:23-24[4:5-6].

10^[10] A prophecy has been fulfilled when the foretold event or condition has been realized, and that one needs no longer await its completion or fulfillment. On the other hand, a prophecy where the foretold event or condition has not yet occurred, or has not been completed, remains a prophecy not fulfilled.

11^[11] The overwhelming majority of Christians adhere to the doctrine of the Trinity, though some denominations do not accept the notion of a triune godhead.

12^[12] A single entry indicates that the same answer applies to both "Prophecy" and "Fulfillment" claims. Two entries signify different answers for the "Prophecy" and "Fulfillment", respectively