The Messianic Hope - Is the Hebrew Bible Really Messianic?

InThe Messianic Hope, Jewish studies professor Michael Rydelnik argues against the view -- growing even among evangelicals -- that Old Testament tests traditionally interpreted as direct predictions of the Messiah were not really Messianic in their original intent . . . But without direct Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament, one of the essential arrows that Jesus and the apostles . . . used to identify Jesus as the Messiah is removed from the quiver of biblical theology and effective apologetics.  Furthermore, rejecting direct messianic prophecy drains of authority the many New Testament texts that show Jesus of Nazareth to be the perfect fulfillment of the Messianic profile that the Old Testament writers built text by text.