Messiah in the Lost Books of the Tanak
Part 1
The Wisdom of Solomon
Nazarene Judaism is based upon logic and the logical conclusion that Yeshua of Nazareth fulfilled over 365 Tanak prophecies.
This is simply a matter of logic and math. I have done the math and even if we say that there was a 50/50 chance of any given individual fulfilling any one of these prophecies by chance alone (and that is an overly conservative figure), then the odds of Yeshua fulfilling all 365 of these prophecies by chance alone would be
75,153,362,648,762,663,292,463,379,097,258,784,876,021,841,565,066,235,862,633,311,089,030,688,803,667,470,190,838,367,948,312,598,497,021,919,232 to 1 against.
That big number is 75 trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion. Or in scientific notation 7.515336264 E+109. This number is even larger than the number of atoms in the observable universe!
Since only about 107 billion people have ever walked the earth, this figure far, far exceeds the “statitistial proof” of a DNA test.
So the odds that Yeshua was not the Messiah are not statistically different from zero, because nowhere near enough people have ever lived for it to be possible for any one of them to have fulfilled all of these prophecies by chance alone.
These 365 Messianic prophecies included only prophecies in the Tanak as it has come down to us, but what of the books beyond the Tanak?
For example there is an amazing Messianic Prophecy found in The Wisdom of Solomon 2:12-22, a book found in the Apocrypha, which reads as follows:
12: Therefore let us trouble the Righteous One; because he is not pleasant to us, and he stands up against our doings: and he reviles us for our transgression of the Torah, and records against us the trespasses of our audacity.
13: He professes that the knowledge of Elohim is his: and he says concerning himself “I am the Son of Elohim”
14: He is a rebuker of our thoughts.
15: He is heavy upon us even to behold: because his way of life is not like others,
his ways are different.
16: We are esteemed by him as impure: he abstained from our ways like from impurity: he blesses the ways and the end of the righteous, and he boasts that Elohim is his father.
17: Let us see if his words are true: and let us test him by his departure.
18: For if the Righteous One is the Son of Elohim, he will receive him, and deliver him from the hand of those who rise up against him.
19: With despitefulness and with torment let us examine him, that we may know the concern of his humility, and be harmful to him.
20: To a shameful death let us condemn him: we shall be upon him and shall question his words.
21: These insipid things they did think, and were deceived: because their own
wickedness has blinded them.
22: And they did not know the mysteries of Elohim, neither hoped they for the reward of the pure, and they did not discern an old soul without blemish.
(Wisdom of Solomon 2:12-22 – Translated from the Peshitta Aramaic)
Lets look at this prophecy in detail. We begin with:
12: Therefore let us trouble the Righteous One; because he is not pleasant to us, and he stands up against our doings: and he reviles us for our transgression of the Torah, and records against us the trespasses of our audacity.
(Wisdom 2:12 )
These verses give a remarkable prophecy of the way Yeshua stood up against Torah transgression:
1 Then came near to Him scribes and P’rushim from Yerushalayim, saying,
2 Why do your talmidim transgress the decrees of the elders? For they clean not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But He answered them and said: And why do you transgress the commandments of Elohim–by means of your decrees?
(Matt. 15:1-3 HRV)
The Prophecy continues:
13: He professes that the knowledge of Elohim is his: and he says concerning himself “I am the Son of Elohim”
(Wisdom 2:13 )
In fact both Matthew and Yochanan (John) quote Yeshua as angering many by saying “I am the Son of Elohim/Eloah”:
41 And likewise, the Chief Cohenim reviled Him, with the scribes and elders,
42 Saying, He saved others, but Himself He cannot save. If He is the king of Yisrael, let Him now come down from this gallows, and we will believe in Him.
43 He believed in Elohim, let Him deliver Him now, if He delight [in Him]: for He said, I am the Son of Elohim.
44 And so likewise the robbers, which were crucified with Him, reproached Him.
(Mt. 27:41-44 HRV)
36 To Him whom the Father sanctified and sent to the world, do you say, You blaspheme … because I told you that I am the Son of Eloah?
37 Though I do the works of My Father, you do not believe Me.
38 But if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works: that you might know and believe that My Father is in Me, and I am in My Father.
39 And they wanted to seize Him again, but He escaped from their hands.
(Jn. 10:36-39 HRV)
The prophecy of Wisdom of Solomon continues:
14: He is a rebuker of our thoughts.
(Wisdom 1:14 )
This was also fulfilled by Yeshua as we read in Matthew:
4 And when Yeshua perceived their thoughts, He said: Why think you evil in your hearts?
(Mt. 9:4 HRV)
The Wisdom of Solomon continues:
15: He is heavy upon us even to behold: because his way of life is not like others, his ways are different.
16: We are esteemed by him as impure: he abstained from our ways like fro impurity: he blesses the ways and the end of the righteous, and he boasts that Elohim is his father.
17: Let us see if his words are true: and let us test him by his departure.
(Wisdom 2:15-17)
This actually recalls an account in the Torah concerning the life of Joseph. When his brothers cast Joseph into the pit we read:
20 Come now therefore and let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits. And we will say, An evil beast has devoured him. And we shall see what will become of his dreams.
(Gen. 37:20 HRV)
There is great Messianic significance to this account. Joseph’s life was a type of the first coming of Messiah which parallels the Rabbinical Messiah ben Yoseph. The Suffering Messiah is called Messiah ben Yoseph because his brothers were redeemed by his suffering.
Like Joseph the Patriarch, Yeshua was betrayed by his own for a few pieces of silver (Gen. 37:28) he was cast into “the pit” (death) and raised back up so that he might redeem his brothers, Like Joseph, Yeshua’s teaching and revelation angered his brothers, who sought to put his claims to the test by casting him into the pit (of death).
The Wisdom of Solomon continues:
18: For if the Righteous One is the Son of Elohim, he will receive him, and deliver him from the hand of those who rise up against him.
(Wisdom 2:18)
This strongly parallels a Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 22:
9 (22:8) Let him commit himself unto YHWH; let Him rescue him; let Him deliver him: seeing He delights in him.
(Ps. 22:9 (8) HRV)
And both were fulfilled by Yeshua as we read in Matthew and in Yochanan (John):
43 He believed in Elohim, let Him deliver Him now, if He delight [in Him]: for He said, I am the Son of Elohim.
(Mt. 27:43 HRV)
18 And because of this, the Judeans all the more sought to kill Him; not only because He had loosed the Sabbath, but also because He had spoken about Eloah–that He was His Father, and made His nefesh equal with Eloah.
(Jn. 5:18 HRV)
The prophecy of Wisdom of Solomon continues:
19: With despitefulness and with torment let us examine him, that we may know the concern of his humility, and be harmful to him.
20: To a shameful death let us condemn him: we shall be upon him and shall question his words.
21: These insipid things they did think, and were deceived: because their own wickedness has blinded them.
22: And they did not know the mysteries of Elohim, neither hoped they for the reward of the pure, and they did not discern an old soul without blemish.
(Wisdom 2:19-22)
This was also fulfilled by Yeshua as Ya’akov wrote:
6 You have condemned and killed the just, and he did not stand against you.
(Ya’akov (James) 5:6 HRV)
The Messianic Prophecy of Wisdom of Solomon 2:12-22 fits well right along side of prophecies like Ps. 22 and Isaiah 53 as a profound prophecy of Messiah’s role as the suffering servant Messiah ben Yoseph as fulfilled by Yeshua of Nazareth.
(To Be Continued)
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