Patrick has posted about it before. The idea that the Messiah would be a temporal ruler was not universal. There were probably as many groups, each with their own idea about who and what the Messiah would be, as there are people today who argue about what the second coming of Christ will be like.
Some did view the Messiah as a temporal ruler who would throw off the Gentile oppressors and reestablish the throne of David.
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone. (John 6:15)
Other’s were looking for the Messiah as new Moses who would institute a new exodus. The new exodus would include the return of the manna from heaven which the Israelites ate in the first exodus. The people at the Sea of Tiberius certainly longed for a return of the manna from heaven.
So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (John 6:30-32)
Some thought that the new exodus would be a physical exodus, and that the earth itself would be physically transformed. I believe John refers to this in the Book of Revelation:
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:21-22)
This is the view Scott Hahn has in his book “The Lamb’s Supper” that the transformation of the earth at the end of time will mirror the Eucharist, that the transformation of bread and wine into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ is a fortaste of the transformation of all creation at the end of time. Scott Hahn says that the end of time will be “Eucharistic.”
Some thought the exodus would be spiritual, an exodus from sin and death. Luke alludes to this.
About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. (Luke 9:28-31)
Many miss the fact that in Lukes account of the transfiguration, Jesus speaks with Moses and Elijah about a second exodus. The first exodus started with a passover lamb and flight out of Egypt to escape slavery. Jesus is our paschal lamb and he died so that we could be released from slavery to sin, and then he destroyed death death by rising from the dead.
The Samaritan woman has an idea about who the Messiah will be - a mighty teacher.
The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” (John 24:25)
And the Samaritans ask him to stay and teach them for a few days.
Jews were no dummies. They were knowledgeable about scripture. They knew all the prophecies about the Messiah - Isaiah, Jerimiah, Zecheriah, and Daniel - even if they did not agree about how to interpret them. But a significant portion of the people undersood Daniel’s prophecy that the Messiah would come 490 years after the exile. They could read calendars, and many were expecting the Messiah. They knew the 490 year clock was ticking, and that he would arrive soon. Not the least of these is Mary.
Mary stands in the temple looking at her twelve year old son who had disappeared for three days.
***After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, *(Luke 2:46)
A Mother found her Son. But this is no ordinary Jewish mother. This is the Theotokos, the Bearer of God. She is the Gebirah, the Grand-Lady and Queen-Mother. This is the Mother of God, the Mediatrix of Grace and the Co-Redemtrix. This is a woman who was specially prepared by God to give birth to the Messiah. And after finding her son in the Temple after three days, the pinnacle of creation, Mary, looks at the Second Person of the Trinity and says,
***Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety. *(Luke 2:48)
The perfect representative of humanity looks God in the eye and wants to know why he has left them for so long. Israel had waited 1500 years, since the time of Moses, for their Messiah, and Mary want’s to know why God has waited so long. She speaks for Israel, and for the whole world when she says that she has been “Looking for you with great anxiety!”
She knew exactly who he was.
Israel longed for their Messiah, and many were looking for him. Simeon was “Looking for the consolation of Israel” and he is not alone. The entire nation of Judah was going out to John in the desert to be baptized and confess sins because they expected the Messiah soon.
My view is that the level of expectation at the time of Jesus cannot be underestimated, and Mary is a key here, because when she speaks to her son in the temple, she speaks to God, and her words are the words of all humanity. Mary speaks for all of creation.
Why have you waited so long? WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!!!
-Tim-
.
