Pastor John Hagee says Jesus did not come to be Messiah

Pastor John Hagee, seen on the “Trinity Broadcasting Network,” is under intense fire from fellow Christians for assertions made in his new book entitled, “In Defense of Israel.” The “Fire and Brimstone” preacher claims that his new discoveries will shake the very foundations of Christian theology as understood today. Well, it certainly has shaken some foundations, but not the ones he intended, instead it seems that it is his own ministry may fall victim to his new theology.

Pastor Hagee asserts that Jesus did not come the first time as the Messiah. He states that Jesus did not “Claim to be the Messiah in word and deed.” He also claims that if Jesus did not claim to be the Messiah, then Israel could not be held responsible for denying him. Okay, with all of that said, the only thing left to do is check these assertions against the Scriptures themselves.

As to the assertion that Jesus did not make any claim to be the Messiah, we will first go to the book of Mathew, where Jesus asked his disciples who they believed he was. It was Simon Peter that hit the nail on the head by saying that Jesus is “The Christ, the Son of God.” Remember, that when the Bible was translated from the Greek into what we know as the King James Version, Messiah is translated as Christ.

Another example would be the woman at the well in the book of John. While Jesus is making conversation with the woman she gives Jesus her understanding of the plan of God. She tells Jesus that she believes that the Messiah will come and make all things known to the people. Jesus Answers the woman by telling her that he is the Messiah.

Now, we move on to the cursing of the fig tree by Jesus because it had no fruit for him. This is an analogy of the coming of the Messiah and the readiness of Israel to accept him. Simply explained, God sent his son Jesus to gather Israel together, and accept him as Messiah. However, Israel refused to accept Jesus as Messiah. Therefore, just as Jesus cursed the fig tree and it withered and died, so too, was Israel cursed. That is why Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD by Titus Vespasian. Nevertheless, there is another prophecy concerning the fig tree in the book of Mathew. The fig tree which is an analogy of Israel will bloom again and that is what happened in 1948 with the establishment of the Jewish Nation back in the land. We are to watch Israel and when it is in the land and is prospering it is an indication that the time of the end is drawing near.

We can validate this with the lament of Jesus in the book of Mathew over Jerusalem and its people when he said, “Jerusalem, how often I would have gathered your children together like a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you would not.” This is a prophecy uttered by Jesus and fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD which left Israel desolate and scattered among the Nations.

The signs and the prophecies which were to signal the coming of the Messiah were established, and well known by the religious leaders. It was the claims that Jesus made that he was the Son of God, and the Messiah that resulted in is crucifixion.

I am always leery of a Pastor that claims to have some new and previously undiscovered revelations pertaining to Christian theology. This new thought process of Pastor Hagee is no exception and should be scrutinized. Perhaps, it is just the pressure that Pastors feel that they must make some new and astonishing biblical discovery which sets them apart from the many other biblical scholars. However, when you start to interpret the Bible to raise yourself up, you are doomed to fall.

Sources

The Holy Bible (King James Version)
Mathew 16:13-17
John 4:25-26
Mathew 23:36-37
Mathew 24:32-34

Video – YouTube (John Hagee stating Jesus did not come to be Messiah)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzdziGln5Qc