P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

The majority of these Rabbinic references
refer, as one would obviously expect, to a future
event.
But at least in the Targum, which applied
the whole psalm to David, the view expressed is quite
different.
The messianic figure is seen as a figure
from past history who has authority in relation to
the world in the present age.
The same theological
.approach is present in Seder Elijahu R.lS.
This
theological development is obviously related to the
dwindling expectation of an earthly messianic fig".lre
and instead an expectation that was of the shape 'we,
the Jewish people, are powerless, but God will bring
about his messianic Kingdom in his own time and by
hi s own method'.
This approach was still futuristic
but at the same time, contained an elem9nt of what
we have described as 'realised eschatclogy' 8
though
of course this element played no major role in
R a bb lnlC "" ln "t erpre t a t" lon. 115
Our examination of the NT psalm texts
has shown a similar but more complex development.
There is firstly the explicit claim that Jesus is the
Messiah.
This claim was first made, (according to
Mk 12:35-37 and pars.) albeit in somewhat veiled
terms, by Jesus himself.
This theme was then taken
up by the Church with their use of the Son of Man
designation and the futuristic 'coming with glory'
motif (Mk 14:62; Mt 26:64).
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But this futuristic