MESSIAH SON OF DAVID AND MESSIAH SON OF JOSEPH
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By Gary Blais 8 Feb 2024
Based on the research work of David C. Mitchell in his book Messiah Son of Joseph

In Jewish thought: the idea is that there are 2 separate messiahs and not 1. These are the Jews that reject Jesus (Yeshua) the anointed one who was sent by GOD.

No where in the Canonical Gospels does Yeshua (Jesus) call himself the son of David. Matthew calls him the son of David and Angel Gabriel calls him the son of David and the Apostles call him the son of David. Yet Yeshua (Jesus) does not call himself the son of David. But Yeshua (Jesus) does call himself the son of David in the book of Revelation.

And when Yeshua (Jesus) asks the Pharisees whose son is the Messiah. And they reply David's son. Yeshua (Jesus) replies “How can he be David’s son if David calls him Lord, how can he be David’s son. So, Yeshua (Jesus) is not accepting this title of David’s son currently.

In the Parable of the vineyard in Mark 12. [Yeshua (Jesus) compares himself to Joseph]. Mark 12:6-7 He had one more man to send, a beloved son, he sent him to them last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those vine – growers said to one another, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours!’ These words appear only one other time in the Bible. And that is in the Septuagint Greek Text of Genesis 37:18-19 And their Josephs brothers see Joseph coming and what did they say? ‘Come, let’s kill him.’

Here is the full saying of Genesis 37:18-19 When they saw him from a distance, and before he came closer to them, they plotted against him to put him to death. They said to one another ‘Here comes this dreamer! Now then, come and let us kill him”

So, Yeshua (Jesus) is comparing himself to Joseph, when he is about to be killed by his brothers.

In Mark 12:10 Yeshua Jesus quotes from Psalm 118 “Have you not even read this scripture: ‘A stone which the builders rejected; this has become the chief cornerstone; This came about from the LORD, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

The Rabbis say that in this Psalm it is referring to the Messiah son of Joseph. The Rambam says the same thing. (The Stone)

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful GOD who does no wrong, upright, and just is he. Yeshua is the Shepherd Stone of Genesis 49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the Mighty GOD of Jacob; (From thence is the Shepherd, the stone of Israel).

In the book of John 1:45 we see the testimony of Phillip and he confesses. ‘We have found the one spoken of by Moses and the prophets. And who is he? Phillip says, ‘He is Yeshua (Jesus) son of Joseph of Nazareth. He is the son of God and the King of Israel.

So, Phillip is calling Yeshua (Jesus) the son of Joseph and we know from the Sukkah 52a the Messiah son of Joseph was already a term familiar with Rabbi Dosa and his contemporaries in the middle of the 1st century. In fact, this can be traced back even further to the Targum and the sefta and Zachariah 12:10. So Messiah son of Joseph was already a familiar term at the time John is writing his Gospel. John and Phillip are alluding to the same figure that the Rabbis’ spoke about.

Of course, we can reply that his name was Yeshua, and his father was Yoseph (Joseph) and that is true. And this was part of some great divine plan.

The Ephraimites are expecting a second Joshua. A son of Joseph. And along comes Phillip and says we have found the Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), son of Joseph. Joshua the son of Joseph from Yahoshua to the shortened form Yeshua so in English we can say Joshua or Yeshua when referring to Jesus.

And we find the same thing in John 6:42 They said, is not this Yeshua, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down from heaven?” And this is exactly what is promised in Genesis 49:24 That the Shepherd Rock that is promised to Joseph is going to come from Shaddai (God).

Most all Christians when they read Jesus (Yeshua) the son of Joseph. They assume it is speaking about Mariam’s (Mary's) husband Joseph. This is used as a title. A double entendre (A word or phrase that is open to two interpretations). So, his earthly father is Joseph. John is trying to signal to his audience.

Galileans were not simply Jews. Jews in the sense of Judeans. They were not Judeans they were mostly of Ephraimite descent. Mostly from the tribes of Joseph. Although the Assyrians carried them off into captivity. Josiah brought many of them back and settled them in Galilee and afterwards the Maccabees brought more back and settled them in Galilee. So, most people in Galilee had some kind of allegiance to the tribes of Joseph. They had very mixed feelings about the Jerusalem establishment. They did not follow the Jerusalem feasts. They did not follow the feast of Purim. We can see this in the book of John 5. Where there is a feast of the Jews, and the implication is that Jesus Yeshua is there, but they are not going to that feast. Jesus Yeshua and his disciples are doing something else.

There are big Calendar differences between the Galileans and the Judeans Calendar. This is why in the book of John Yeshua (Jesus) dies on the day of the sacrifice of the Passover lamb. But in the synoptics, he dies the day before. These differences indicate the tension between the Galilean Ephraimite's and the Judean Jews.

The conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. The well is a sign for genealogical descent. It follows that this well at the heart of this Samaritan community, Jacobs well represents for John the Samaritans descent from Jacob and Joseph. Because the Samaritan’s are of course descended from Joseph. The Talmud rejects this. They are of mixed blood. But they claim they are descended from Joseph. Indeed, we might say the well of the Samaritans go for life sustaining water. It represents their hope in one descendant of Jacob and Joseph. That is the taeb (to long for). The messiah promised to Joseph from Moses. The taeb is the restorer. This is the Samaritan title for messiah. The well represents the descent from Joseph and Jacob the taeb the living water they are all waiting for.

Yeshua (Jesus) comes to this woman and says, ‘I am the one you are waiting for, I am the messiah I am the taeb. I am the promised messiah from Joseph, the one all the Samaritans are waiting for. I am the one to give you living water.’

To this day the Samaritans believe that the taeb (messiah) will come from Joseph. And Jesus Yeshua does not deny it to the Samaritan woman. He affirms it. And she runs to tell the other Samaritans that the taeb the restorer the messiah is here.

This is not to say that Yeshua (Jesus) is not descended from King David. He is also descended from David. But he is also descended from Joseph. He can tell her I am your messiah, and he can tell the people in Jerusalem I am your messiah.

John is not trying to deny that Yeshua Jesus is from Galilee and the son of Joseph, and he is the messiah of the Samaritans. And many of the Samaritans believed in Yeshua (Jesus). The Samaritans would not accept a Jewish messiah. So, Yeshua (Jesus) being a descendant of David and Joseph means he will bring Israel and Judah back together again.

Yeshua’s (Jesus') description of himself as the true vine is another connection to Joseph. The vine represents Joseph. Genesis 49:22 Joseph is a fruitful branch, a fruitful branch by a spring; Its branches hang over the wall.” Throughout the Tanakh (Old Testament) Joseph is represented as the vine. A key passage would be Isaiah 5:7 “For the vineyard of the Lord of armies is the house of Israel (The northern kingdom) and the people of Judah are his delightful plant.” And his pleasant garden are the men of Judah.

So, Joseph is the vine. The watchtower is Judah. But Joseph is Psalm 80:8 “You removed a vine from Egypt; (It's about the Josephites, Ephraim and Manasseh) You drove the nations and planted it.”

So, when Yeshua (Jesus) says he is the true vine. He is saying he is the son of Joseph.
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman, every branch (Tribe) in me that bears no fruit he takes away. And every branch (Tribe) that bears fruit. He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the words I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you.

Also, John is the only New Testament author that alludes to Zachariah 12:10 ‘ And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication; Then they will look on me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for him, as one grieves for a firstborn.

John does this at the cross he is citing Zachariah 12:10 This is a key verse in Rabbinic Literature for messiah son of Joseph. It is referred by name to messiah ben Yoseph (son of Joseph). From the Targum Tosefta to Zachariah 12. It is referred by name to messiah ben Yoseph in the Talmud and sukkah 52a and the Rabbis often use this to refer to messiah ben Yoseph and this is the verse that John takes not once but twice. Once in his Gospel and once again in the book of Revelation 1:7. The one who is pierced and looked upon is messiah son of Joseph who is Yeshua (Jesus).

In Rabbinic writings Zachariah 12:10 is ALWAYS referred to messiah son of Joseph.
It is never agreed with messiah son of David.

In Acts 7 Stephen is talking about how the rulers of Judah always rejected the saviors whom God has sent to them. Stephen starts with Joseph and how he was rejected, and they sold him. And he goes on and tells how they rejected Moses. So, Stephen is certainly saying that Joseph is a prefiguration of Yeshua Jesus.

What is interesting is that in Acts chapter 8 Phillip ends up going to the Samaritans. Right after this comparison of Yeshua and Joseph in Acts 7 chapter 8 back to the Samaritans. And Phillip is the one that said we have found the one Moses and the prophets spoke of Yeshua Jesus' son of Joseph.

Now, let us confront the elephant in the room. How can Jesus Yeshua receive the DNA of Joseph and of David. Through his mother he can receive the DNA of Joseph and David and of Aaron.

The New Testament presents Mary as a descendant of David. And Luke makes her a descendant of Aaron. But how can Jesus (Yeshua) be a descendant of Joseph.

Mary is a descendant of Aaron. Luke 1:5 There was a priest named Zachariah, of the division of Abiyah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Mary was a relative of Elizabeth.

The genealogy of Joseph to Yeshua (Jesus): Omri who was King of the northern kingdom was a descendant of Joseph. So Omri from the house of Joseph begets Ahav and Ahav begets Ataliah and Ataliah marries Yahoram from the house of David and through their son Ahaziah the seed of Joseph enters the house of David. So, Mary, a descendant of David, is also a descendant of Joseph.

One of the objections constantly to Yeshua being the messiah is the fact that tribal identity comes through the father. So how Yeshua be a true son of David because he was born of a virgin and his father is not from the house of David. Therefore, he cannot be the messiah. Because he is not from the house of David.

So, the notion of a virgin birth has been used as a refutation of Yeshua’s (Jesus') Davidic lineage. So, what is being said here is that ONLY through a matrilineal messiah can all the promises of a messiah from the house of Joseph a messiah from the house of Aaron a messiah from the house of David. This can ONLY be resolved through matrilineal descent. In other words, the notion of a virgin birth cannot fulfill the matrilineal descent.

Yeshua (Jesus) receives the DNA from Joseph through his mother, but he receives the royal title through his father Joseph because he was first in line to the throne of David in his day.

Yeshua (Jesus) in this sense ties all the loose ends together with the prophecies. Yeshua  (Jesus) contains all the necessary DNA to be the ultimate Messiah of the Hebrew Bible.

Yeshua also contains gentile DNA from Babylonian and Persian Princess He also receives through Joseph through Ephraim Egyptian DNA through Ephraim's mother. He is qualified to be the savior of the Japhathites the Hamites Yeshua is qualified to be the Savior of the entire world.

Yeshua (Jesus) is therefore the Messiah Son of Aaron, and the Messiah Son of David, and the Messiah Son of Joseph.

Yeshua (Jesus) said you are children of the “light” so, let your light shine before men. The word “light” in Hebrew is orh and is defined as (wisdom and knowledge)

You are children of wisdom and knowledge so let your wisdom and knowledge be seen by others.

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