What If...The Anointed One
Saturday Refresh
I have attempted, in previously “What If…” contributions, to explain the purpose of my uncovering and pursuits of these particular traditions or, at least, traditional expressions found in the Word of God. The “bottom-line” being that what has been brought to my attention has only increased my faith, my confidence, and my understanding of what the inspired writers of the Bible desired for us all to know. And that to take the time and effort to better understand His words and thereby God Himself, should not be viewed with skepticism (nor as the efforts of a skeptic), but as a partial fulfillment of the charge that we “search out a matter” that God has taken glory in concealing. (see Prov.25:2)
I was reading a book, a gift received this last Christmas as we celebrated the birth of Jesus, addressing the history of Jesus and His “first followers”. In it the author made the following observation (slightly modified to fit this context):
[Searching out a matter that God has concealed] “requires humility, patience, penitence and love. Humility to understand the thoughts of people who thought (think) differently from ourselves; patience, to go on working with the data and resist the premature conclusions; penitence, to acknowledge that our traditions may have distorted original meanings and that we have preferred the distortions to the originals; and love, in that genuine [exegesis], like all genuine knowledge, involves the delighted affirmation of realities and events outside of ourselves, and thoughts different from our own.” (“History and Eschatology” N.T. Wright © 2019)
I have found that statement to effectively express my experience – and most particularly what was said regarding the need for penitence.
This particular “What If” entry is much less about the typical transliteration – though it does have that feature – and mostly about the need for a better understanding from the historical perspective of our Lord Jesus Christ. The almost-too-easy wordplay that comes by noting that history is really “His story” (which clearly does not translate to other languages) may still contain some very important implications to how we understand our faith, our “religion”, and our relationship with Almighty God.
This (the topic of “Christ” or “Messiah” – it is after all the same word) is a very deep doctrine that represents a foundation that is built deep on the bedrock of God’s immutable character and nature. And so, in order to keep this contained in this single post, I am going to follow a fairly precise outline, with some, but certainly nowhere near all, of the supporting references and passages. (BTW - Remind me to tell you the story of the high-rise headquarters building the bank I worked for early in my career built – talk about foundations!)
The outline is:
Purpose – The Plan for the Anointed One
Poetry – The Prototypical Anointed One
Prophecy – The Promises of the Anointed One Made
Presentation – The Promises of the Anointed One Fulfilled
Progeny – The People of the Anointed One
PURPOSE – The Plan for the Anointed One
Whether we start at the end and work our way back, at the beginning and work our way forward, or in the middle and explore in both directions, it is undeniably true that the essence of our existence is rooted and entwined in the manifestation of the Anointed One.
The great question of “why” we are here, and the immediate follow-up of “why” evil is allowed are both answered in our understanding of His Eternal Plan in the Anointed One (see Eph.2:3-10 and following; also Romans 12:1-2ff). We, created in His Image and Likeness, started with the advantage of being made for eternity; but we had to become “fit” for eternity in order to not only be eternal but to truly share with Him Eternity.
(By the way, that certain actions and motivations are attributed “evil-ness”, even by (or maybe especially by) those who profess to not believe in God is an intriguing truth.)
One of the most impressive proofs of the centrality of the manifestation of the Anointed One, is also one of the easiest to overlook – maybe in part because it is so sublime. The chronology found within the Bible itself, as expertly demonstrated by the efforts of Martin Anstey and communicated by Philip Mauro, has, as its primary purpose, the presentation of the birth, manifestation, ministry, and sacrifice of the Anointed One.
Why are we given His genealogy? with specific years assigned? Why, if God wanted us merely to know how old Mankind is, did He not just declare the years? Something like: ‘In year one, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without…’ And then, ‘in year 130 Seth was born and in year 1656 things were so bad that a flood was sent…’
You get my point. Instead of events, God inserted the history of His “Adam” – those made in His Image and Likeness. But even that was not exclusively the means to track time. Long before it would become obvious to the reader (or the writers for that matter), God homed in on the line of the Anointed One. Moses was assigned to write the early history of the sons of Jacob; Moses was from the tribe of Levi. And yet, the ancestry of Judah (see Gen. 38) is highlighted…we are not even told the name of Aaron and Moses’ father!
And if that is not indicative enough, what about the last entries of the chronology of the Bible – those of the seventy years of servitude in Babylon (Jer.25:12) and the seventy “sevens” of years that lead us precisely to the manifestation of the Anointed One (Dan.9:24-27)?
Let me back up just a bit and explain the origins of the title “Anointed One” which is “mēšîah” in the Hebrew or “christǒs” in the Septuagint and the Greek New Testament. Both words speak of one who is anointed, usually with oil. Anointing was a rite that spoke, at least in the Biblical context, of being set apart for a purpose and most often for a purpose that the Lord Himself had designated. We see the idea of an “one anointed” first in the instructions for the tabernacle and for the priesthood (remembering that the reason Aaron was selected to be the “anointed priest” was because the people opted out of hearing from the Lord directly (Ex.20) and then only the tribe of Levi stood with Moses after the golden calf incident (Ex.32:26)). The oil used for the anointing was made with a very specific recipe found in Exodus 30:22-33. It was to be used for ceremonial reasons only; not for what might be thought of as common or carnal (fleshly) purposes.
POETRY – The Prototypical Anointed One
Of course, all of that is especially obvious from where we stand on the timeline of history (or is it “His story”?). As is the case for the foreshadowing that we see called out in the Psalms in particular.
Psalm 2 is clearly intended to point to the “Anointed One” and is in fact found quoted or referenced in both the letters to the seven cities (see Rev.2:26-28) as well as the mysterious language of chapter 12:5 of the Revelation, before the language is used to describe the return of Jesus when He comes with His armies at the battle of Har-Magedon (Rev.19:15). I will include it here in its entirety because of the significance.
Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Anointed One, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!”
He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
“I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.’ ”
Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! Psalm 2
Though this was written, within the confines of time, to describe the Lord’s choice of David to be king after Saul, what would be hyperbole in describing him as a king was in reality an accurate declaration of the King of the Kingdom of God Who will be fully revealed upon His return.
David’s anointing as king is described in detail in 1Samuel 16:1-13 (interestingly, the next thing we are told in this recounting is that the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul – even though he would continue to sit on the throne for a number of years). Saul had been anointed a prince over the people of the LORD (1Sam.9:16) and a ruler over His possession (1Sam.10:1). David is anointed on the LORD’s declaration “…for I have found a king for Myself…”, whom the Lord Himself will “show” to Samuel. (It is true that Samuel, after Saul’s disobedience to the Lord, chides Saul as having been anointed as king, however, those words were never declared by the Lord (see 1Sam.15:1ff)).
For brevity I will note the following Psalms that add insights regarding David as the prototype of the King of kings: Psalm 20, especially versus 6-9; Psalm 28:7-9; Psalm 84:4-12; Psalm 89:26-52; Psalm 132, especially verses 13-18.
PROPHECY – The Promises of the Anointed One Made
The clearest and most well-known of the declarations from a spokesman of the Lord can be found in Isiah 61. In it are found a description of His ministry throughout the ages of God, and, as Jesus Himself pointed out, the split between that which was indicative of His first advent and that which will be directly associated with His return (along with His ongoing ministry from heaven in between). It is worth including it all here:
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD…
(here is where Jesus stopped reading to those in Nazareth and then declared that the portion He read was being fulfilled)
…and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations; and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, and foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. But you will be called the priests of the LORD; you will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, everlasting joy will be theirs.
For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; and I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them. Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the offspring whom the LORD has blessed. I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. Isaiah 61
As I alluded above, there is much in the way of “sabbath” or redemptive language sown into these promises, as well as the clear forecasting of the day of vengeance (which Jesus did not include as a part of His ministry in the first half of the week).
The more enigmatic passage found in Daniel 9 that includes the message that Gabriel was told to bring to the spokesman Daniel (whom Gabriel noted as being of great value, precious to the LORD), ties into both the “Anointed One-centric” (or Christo-centric of you prefer) chronology of the Lord, as well as a strong (though somewhat less clear than Isaiah’s words) description of the implications of His mission. And since I have provided a thirteen part series that covers the implications of the word Daniel received and shared, I will leave off trying to abbreviate it here.
PROCLAMATION – The Promises of the Anointed One Fulfilled
So, two things up front. The first being some clarification as to why I am including this topic under the heading of a “What If…”; the second will provide a bit of “fine print” as to the title of the outline point, especially as regards “Fulfilled”.
As for the first point: aside from the clear warnings from Jesus regarding the “psěudǒchristǒs” (Matt.24:15-28ff) and those from John regarding “antichristǒs” (1John 2:18-23; 4:1-3; 2John 7), there is and has been a tendency for the term “Christ” and, to a somewhat lesser (or at least divergent) degree, “Christian” to enable a misappropriation of the idea of a disembodied divinity. I expect this is in part because of what we will touch on in a moment regarding my final outline point: the idea being that “Christ” can be, even should be understood to be synonymous with spirit or spiritual. And thus facilitating a more or less Docetic understanding of Jesus Himself, that is then extended to the “philosophies” of Jesus’ teachings.
Though it may seem a technicality, the mental application of the term “Christ” as an epithet with “Jesus”, among other things, is a bit improper from the point of view of syntax. “Christ”, in the Greek, is a noun not an adjective: the Anointed One as opposed to the anointing. When we see Him referred to as the “Lord Jesus Christ” what was being told to us is that Jesus is the lord and the anointed one; not one who is lordly and anointed.
All that to say – I have found a few authors and translations that have inserted the title “Anointed One” almost exclusively in the New Testament (as well as a replacement for the Septuagint usage of “christǒs” where appropriate in the Old Testament) and, in the reading of it like that, it has been insightful; and at times quite powerful!
On the second point, as noted above for both Isaiah 61 and Daniel 9:24-27 (and, for that matter, the very Messianic Psalm 2), He comes, plural, for a purpose. What was accomplished by Jesus the Anointed One by means of His death, justification, resurrection, and ascensions, though fulfilling the requirements that had been inserted into the Everlasting Covenant made within God, include aspects of the Redemption (the restoration of God’s original commission to Mankind) that will not experience the fulness of His work until after the commandments and statutes (the terms and conditions) of the deed of purchase have been completed and His return.
This doctrine of “atonement” is sometimes referred to as the “now, but not yet” or the “positional versus the experiential works” when attempting to explain the delay or gap or separation of the realization of some of the implications of His sacrifice, but not all of them.
To me the doctrine is much easier to understand by embracing the two terms that are used (though not always declared – I see another “what if…” coming) when accounting for His “Anointed One” works.
The first term is “the ransoming” – the “at any time” opportunity to confess the need for and acceptance of the price He paid for our sins – the immediate “call on the name of the Lord and be saved” experience (the goat of the sin offering of the Day of Atonement) that enables saints to be with Him in heaven…for now.
The second term is the proper use (meaning the definitions of both Hebrew and Greek source words) of the word “redemption” (see Leviticus 25 regarding the year of Liberty and the rules of the “near kinsman”), which is a “once, for all”. That which is available to all those who have accepted the ransom: the experienced restoration of our lost inheritance which will be realized in the seventh day of the week of Redemption (the bull of the sin offering of the Day of Atonement) that brings all of us, in our immortal bodies, into the fullness of His original intent…and then the New!
In any frame, there are things that we have been able to realize and experience currently and there are those promises yet to come – that, though they have been “paid for” by Him, have covenantal restrictions associated with their realization.
When Jesus came out of the water (483 years after Cyrus put forth the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple) the Holy Spirit rested on Him and the Father declared from Heaven His approval of Jesus as His Son – His only begotten Son – His provision for the sins of Mankind! For the next three and a half years, Jesus demonstrated the anointing that abided. He is the fulfillment of the order of Melchizedek – the Priest/King – the Anointed One to whom Aaron and David pointed.
The book of Hebrews refers to Him as our great High Priest – He Who, once and for all time offered His sinless blood to reconcile Man to God and to enable the restoration of Man to their original destiny. And while we wait for the appointed time to be accomplished, He sits with the Father on the throne and shepherds the nations with a rod of iron (and, as He promised, the overcomers join Him in that shepherding)!
PROGENY – The People of the Anointed One
And while the overcomers in the presence of God experience the worship and majesty of the Kingdom of heaven; His people, who have called on the name of the Lord Jesus the Anointed One, are serving Him and endeavoring to bring that same Kingdom to earth, as it is in heaven.
The first followers of Jesus were all of Jewish heritage, They had all been waiting for their Messiah, their Anointed One for well over 1500 years. But the Anointed One that was sent – God Himself in Flesh – was not the Anointed One they expected. But that was certainly no surprise. He came, as we saw in Isaiah, to make it possible for the kingdom of heaven t be experienced in earth. Three and half years go by fast – they did then and they do now. Jesus spent that time demonstrating the kingdom of God on earth and preparing His followers to be equipped for when His time came.
He was specifically preparing them to receive the Holy Spirit, in fulness; the authority and ability to fulfill the mission and deliver the message that had been entrusted to them. In Isaiah 61, as quoted in Luke 4:18 (after the temptations of Jesus that followed His immersion and the 40 days of fasting), we are told that He was anointed (the word is “chriō”) to do the work of preaching the good news. It was this anointing that Jesus was so excited that they too should receive – but that anointing could only be sent after He returned to the Father (see John 14:26; 16:5-11; 20:22).
And then the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled and the followers were filled with the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father. Then, again Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and shared the good news to the rulers of the people and elders. Again, though this time in Samaria, those who had received Jesus as their savior also received the Holy Spirit. That which Jesus rejoiced in and the Father promised was being realized in the lives of His followers.
So far in the story, it was only those who were of the Jews who, having accepted Jesus as the Anointed One, were being filled by the Spirit. That is, until Peter was sent to Cæsarea to preach the good news to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house. I will take a quick moment to describe this first effort by one of the Jewish first-followers of Jesus to explain who He is and what His ministry meant to the Gentiles (with the encouragement to us all that this Good News has not expired):
Opening his mouth, Peter said:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus the Anointed One (He is Lord of all)—you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. Acts 10:34-44
So, Peter, by the direction of the Spirit, and recognizing the impartiality of the intention of God (btw - what is translated “in every nation” could also be read “from all Gentiles”) to bring all those who call upon the Lord into His salvation – because He is Lord of all – shares what I believe are the essentials of the story of the Ransoming by Jesus the Anointed One – the Good News!
The foundation of this good message, Peter points out, was Jesus’ immersion in water. He then affirms the power of God that emanated from the anointing of the Holy Spirit and that “did good and brought healing” – for “God was with Him” – Emmanuel! Peter speaks of the next crux point – the cross and the resurrection and His testifying to the selected followers afterwards.
And then, it seems to me, that Peter begins preaching to himself as much as to the Gentiles: “And He ordered us to proclaim to the people…” The word is “laǒs”, it is a primary word that speaks of all of humanity, without consideration of race, nationality, gender, or social status! The simple message, Peter reminds himself and proclaims to them: the testimony is: Jesus has been appointed, set in place by God, as the Judge and Decider of the living and the dead (and he is not using metaphorical language here).
Peter finishes with an appeal to the spokesmen of God who had testified that, “because of His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.” And though the Gentiles may or may not have been familiar with those spokesmen, they certainly were aware of their need for the removal of their guilt.
We currently think of a name in a one-dimensional sense – that to which we respond when it is spoken. In the Greek it is significant in a more or less three-dimensional sense: it also speaks of one’s reputation, position, and authority. And so, it is because of Who Jesus is, what He has done, and the power and ability He possesses that those who put confidence in Him are granted that their sins are sent away, dismissed – they have been pardoned from the sentence of death!
It would seem, that the Holy Spirit is satisfied with Peter’s proclamation; He, is not even waiting for Peter to finish. While Peter is saying the inspired words (“rhēma”), the Holy Spirit falls upon all who were listening to the word (“lǒgǒs”). What happens next is, for the most part, a “for the nations” repeat of what happened when the Pentecost for the Jews was fulfilled – the gift of the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentiles, and they are filled. The wall of separation was not just breached, it was removed!
It was in Antioch, after the scattering of the early followers of Jesus, who fled from Jerusalem because of the persecution that had been started by Saul (even though Saul had later met the Anointed One on the road to Damascus), that the believers in the Way were first called the people of the Anointed One (“christianǒs”). Here is what had led to that. Some of the scattered believers, from as far away as Cyrene (a city west of Alexandria) and the island of Cyprus, following the trade routes, began speaking to the Greeks in Antioch of Syria about Jesus. “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.” (see Acts 11:19ff)
Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to encourage the work that the Holy Spirit was doing in Antioch. It was then placed upon his heart to go find Paul and bring him back to strengthen the congregation. The rest, as the saying goes, is history!
And now – according to Martin Anstey’s work on Biblical chronology and with the acceptance of the AD dates as inserted by Dionysius Exiguus in what we now see as 532 AD – we are 2000 years since His being revealed as the Anointed One. (The Bible marks that event as occurring in 4071 Anno Hominis (years since Adam) and we are currently in 6071 Anno Hominis.) The Holy Spirit continues, in this age, to commune with those who have put their confidence in the Name of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. To enable and empower us to fulfill that which He has called us to do – to proclaim to all peoples and to testify that Jesus is the One who has been appointed by God the Judge of the living and the dead!
And so:
What a ‘what if’ blessing! Each time I read your studies (and now your book), another meaning is revealed or expanded on. His Story makes total sense when we consider that God created everything, then sent His Son.
The gift of the Holy Spirit is critical to us who have never been in the physical presence of the Anointed One. We would not be able to believe or understand (the little we do) of the spiritual realm. It reminds me that of any ‘solid’ object, there is more space than atoms.
God’s word has blossomed in my mind by (being led) to your studies and each day it strengthens my faith. That is a true blessing! Thank you for your willingness to do this! God bless you and your wife (and your beautiful babies). 🙏