Why did people think that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah?

Answer 1

A:Reading the gospels, it is hard to determine why the people who would have known Jesus would have thought of him as the Jewish Messiah. Mark chapter 6 acknowledges this when it has the people of Nazareth doubt that he was more than a carpenter. He may have gone around healing people, but Mark's Gospel tells us that he nearly always admonished those people not to tell anyone about him. And even Peter is shown as demonstrating his doubts by denying Jesus three times.

By the time of the First Roman-Jewish War of 62-70 CE, it seems as if few Palestinian Jews were among his followers. It is away from Judea and Galilee, among the diaspora Jews and Gentiles who were told about the gospels, that we see numbers of people accepting Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah. It appears that being told about a distant Jesus was more effective in gaining followers.

Additional Answer:

There is a scarcity of direct verses in the Gospel as to Jesus being the Christ or Messiah. Examples are in Matthew 16:12-20; John 1:40-42. However, as the Jews were normally well read in Scripture and many at that time were looking for the one greater than Moses - Messiah - hearing the Psalms in particular in weekly Temple service and seeing/hearing Jesus fulfill all of the prophecies attributed to Him in the OT, many would be attracted to Him and think He was the Promised Messiah. Even the ruling Sanhedrin feared this association and plotted His death (also prophecized). When they asked if He is the One, the Son of God, He answered 'I Am' a reference to Moses and the burning bush. Yet, the driving thrust beyond the raising of the dead and giving sight to the blind, etc. was His Resurrection and 40 days on Earth afterwards - where He was seen. The Church of God began that Pentecost 10 days after (on 50th day) and many were converted then and continuallly to the current 2 Billion professing Christianity.

The primary reason for not wanting to tell the masses directly of His Messiahship is the fact that they had an incorrect concept of the Messiah returning as a king and not a Suffering Servant. Read Matthew (12:16) to see this fulfillment of Isaiah 42:1-4 which shows that the Messiah's quiet withdrawal was in keeping with the prophet's portrayal of Him. This was significant in that Jesus being reserved in the face of Jewish opposition would eventually lead to blessings on the Gentiles.

Answer 2

Rather than be dogmatic, I will be truthful. For it is gods law to not bear false witness. It was the culture at the time, that a all men studying faith would follow a mentor or a Tab. John the baptist was a mentor to christ. So then Jesus went on and taught what he learned to others. They probably did not consider him the messiah then. Christ did not go around screaming out that he was the chosen lamb of god. But thigh watching his works people flocked to him as the messiah. Many close friends began to believe he was gods prophet rather than a messiah. As time wore on and he began to fulfill the messianic prophesy his followerd tried to make him seen like a rebellion leader, but he rejected this idea, and reprimanded them for it. As this made him a criminal of society he actually lost supporters leaving only those who loved him, and those who never denied him. When he have himself for sacrifice rather than fight back, even his closest friends betray him. When the resurrection is witnessed they realized he had fulfilled the role of messiah. That is why they teach christianity in this way.

Answer 3

When He was walking the Earth, He asked His apostles this same question:

Matthew 16:13-16New King James Version (NKJV) Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

Answer 4

Many people believed Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah because he fulfilled prophecies in the Hebrew Bible, performed miracles, and preached about the coming of the Kingdom of God. His teachings and actions resonated with those seeking a savior or deliverer.