second century B.C. through the Talmudic age (c. A.D. 600) are examined, it is clear their understandings
about who the Messiah would be and what He would do are very consistent. They conform to a very high
degree with the understandings that Messianic Believers have concerning these same matters today.
11:4-6 Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see
―(4) Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
(5) The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are
raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (6) And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be
offended in me‖.
Y‘shua does not give a straightforward reply. His answer consists of presenting Yochanan with certain
"evidences" – His miracles. These acts are directly associated with the "Jubilee Release", a concept related
to Messiah returning the world to the way it once was.
There is something very curious in Y‘shua's reply when compared to Isaiah's prophecy:
―The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are
raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them‖ (Matt 11:5)
―Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the
lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and
streams in the desert‖. (Isaiah 35:5-6)
The key difference between these two Scriptures is the issue of ―the dead being raised up‖. Isaiah does not
mention this. Yet, in the scrolls found at Qumran, is one that relates the raising of the dead to the Messiah.
The Qumran Redemption and Resurrection scroll says of the Messiah:
4Q521: ―For He will honor the pious upon the throne of His eternal kingdom, setting prisoners free, opening
the eyes of the blind, raising up those who are bowed down...
...and the Lord shall do glorious things which have not been done, just as He said. For He shall heal the
critically wounded, He shall revive the dead, He shall send good news to the afflicted...‖
This may suggest that Y‘shua and Yochanan were communicating using a mutually-recognised teaching not
found in the Tenach, but known to those who spent time "in the wilderness" (as both Y‘shua and Yochanan
did).
Y‟shua's Commission
There is a big difference between a teacher and a preacher. Y‘shua was both; but his main occupation
during his stay on earth was preaching. Notice how He introduced Himself and listed His 'terms of reference'
at the start of his ministry. Especially note his threefold reference to preaching.
―The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to:
Preach the Gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to:
Preach deliverance to the captives and the recovery of sight to the blind
To set at liberty them that are bruised and to
Preach the acceptable year of the Lord‖. (Luke 4:18)
Preaching the Gospel by Word
The Gospel of the Kingdom of YHWH that Y‘shua preached was Good News. In the Sermon on the Mount,
the Saviour introduces the various aspects of this Good News. I will briefly list them.
Matt 5:1- 12 A list of blessings... This is Good News.
Matt 5:13- 16 The value and work of a believer... This is Good News.
Matt 5:17- 32 The eternal nature of YHWH's law... This is Good News.
Matt 5:33- 48 The greatness of YHWH's mercy... This is Good News.
Matt 6:1- 18 The rewards for humility and prayer... This is Good News.
Matt 6:19- 34 The providence of the Almighty... This is Good News.
Matt 7:1- 5 The final victory of true judgment... This is Good News.
Matt 7:6- 11 The value of truth and prayer... This is Good News.
Matt 7:12- 20 Invaluable warnings about deception... This is Good News.
Matt 7:21- 29 The final overthrow of hypocrisy... This is Good News.