The Sword of the Messiah 37 I. The Sword of the Messiah in Palestinian Jewish Apocalypticism This section will examine the main apocalyptic writings that envisage the liberation of “Israel” by God’s messiah as a “quietist” reaction against oppression (7). The agenda consists of two leading questions. Whom and from whom will the messiah liberate? How will the messiah liberate? Although Psalms of Solomon and the non- biblical Qumranic writings are not strictly apocalypses, they reflect apocalyptically informed expectations and have been considered since apocalypticism is broader than the literary genre of apocalypse. We also need to account for our comparison of messianic apocalypticism with the Fourth Gospel. First, Palestinian apocalyptic literature is about the only source available as evidence for the orientation and motivation of Jewish resistance to Roman rule (8). Second, messianic ideas seem to have been developed primarily within Palestinian Jewish apocalypticism. Third, both messianic apocalyptic literature and the Fourth Gospel reflect a non-violent reaction (at least on behalf of the people); instead, they awaited God’s end-time intervention through his messiah. Fourth, in the Fourth Gospel, Jesus is given the title of and confessed as (oJ) Cristov" (1,17.41; 9,22; 11,27; 17,3; 20,31), and Jesus also identifies himself as such (4,25-26; cf. 10,24-25). More particularly, the language of the Spirit descending on Jesus and “resting” or “remaining” on him (1,32- 33) probably alludes to Isa 11,2, which presents the Davidic messiah on whom the Spirit of wisdom, knowledge and liberating power rests (Isa 42,1 may also be in view if we accept the more difficult reading of oJ ejklektov" in 1,34) (9). The portrayal of Jesus as the Davidic messiah may also be confirmed by the various references to Jesus’ kingship (1,49; 6,15; 12,13.15; chaps. 18–19), many of which have messianic connotations. In sum, this invites an investigation of the messianic traditions in Palestinian Jewish apocalypticism, especially of those texts that are rooted in Isaiah 11 (and 42). Due to the plurality of messianic expectations in Judaism, we shall (7) “Israel” may refer to the whole nation or to a remnant, dependent on the author’s theology. (8) HORSLEY, Jesus, 129-131. (9) Cf. G.M. BURGE, The Anointed Community. The Holy Spirit in the Johannine Tradition (Grand Rapids 1987) 54-62; M. TURNER, The Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts — Then and Now (Carlisle 1999) 58-59.