The Question of the “Divine Status” of the Davidic Messiah

Abstract

Abstract This article addresses the question whether there are compelling reasons that suggest that the Davidic messiah in the Hebrew Bible must be a divine being, as opposed to having merely a human-heroic status. It presents a number of arguments that support a divine understanding in some of the texts that can be related to the expectation of a future Davidic messiah. It also draws attention to the fact that in many instances the divine interpretation of the relevant texts is possible or likely rather than necessary and that it is only the combination of a number of suggestive passages that allow the reader to discern the divine character of the Davidic messiah. The investigation is located in the broader context of the question of monotheism in the Hebrew Bible and draws some conclusions concerning the theological consequences of the affirmation of the divinity of the Davidic messiah.