
The concept of a messiah is a saviour or liberator figure in Jewish eschatology, believed to be the future redeemer of the Jews. The Messiah is a central tenet of Judaism, with the belief in a future Jewish king from the Davidic line stretching back to pre-exile prophets, including Isaiah and Jeremiah.
The Messiah is expected to be anointed with holy anointing oil and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age, a new era of peace. The Messiah will be a descendant of King David, a perfect teacher of God's law, a great political leader, and will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
However, the concept of messianism is not exclusive to Judaism, and the term Messiah does not always refer specifically to the Jewish Messiah.
Characteristics | Values | |
---|---|---|
--- | --- | --- |
Definition | 'Anointed one' or someone chosen to rule | Hebrew: 'Mashiach' |
Nature | Human | Male descendant of King David |
Birth | Human birth and human parents | N/A |
Role | Perfect teacher of God's law | Prophet |
Great political leader | Priest | |
Inspirational and good judge | King | |
Able to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem | N/A | |
Ruler over humanity | N/A | |
Bringer of peace to the world | N/A | |
Able to unite humanity | N/A |
What You'll Learn
The Messiah is a saviour and liberator figure in Jewish eschatology
The Messiah is expected to be a descendant of the Davidic line, a king from the House of David, and will be anointed with holy anointing oil to rule the Jewish people during the Messianic Age and the world to come. The Messiah is often referred to as "King Messiah". The Messiah will bring about the Messianic Age, a new era of peace, and will be a perfect teacher of God's law, a great political leader, and a ruler over humanity, ruling with kindness.
The Messiah will also rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and bring about the ingathering of Jews to their homeland. He will be a military leader, fighting God's wars, and will bring about an era of peace and understanding, where "the knowledge of God" fills the earth. The Messiah will unite humanity, and all nations will recognise God as the one true God.
The Messiah is also referred to as the "suffering servant", or Messiah ben Joseph, who will die in battle against the enemies of Israel, preparing the way for the second Messiah, or Messiah ben David.
The idea of the Messiah as a saviour and liberator is a central tenet of Jewish faith. Belief in the future advent of the Messiah was first recorded in the Talmud and later codified in halakha by Maimonides in the Mishneh Torah as one of the fundamental requisites of the Jewish faith.
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The Messiah will be a descendant of King David
The Messiah in Judaism is believed to be a descendant of King David. The Hebrew Bible, in the book of Isaiah, states that "a shoot shall spring forth from the stem of Jesse [David’s father], and a twig shall sprout from his roots". In Jeremiah, God says: "Behold, the days are coming, [when] I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land".
The Messiah's lineage is also tied to the concept of kingship. Once David was anointed king by the prophet Samuel, he acquired the kingship not only for himself but also for his descendants forever. This acquisition was conditional, applying only to his righteous descendants.
The New Testament presents Jesus as the fulfilment of the requirement for the Messiah to be descended from King David. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is introduced as "the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham". In the Gospel of Luke, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is described as being of the lineage of David.
The Messiah's descent from King David is a core principle in Orthodox Judaism.
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The Messiah will be a human
The Messiah will be a leader and a king. He will be a perfect teacher of God's law, a great political leader, inspirational, and a good judge. He will be a ruler over humanity but will rule with kindness. He will be a military leader, fighting the wars of God. He will be a successful philosopher-king-general. He will be a true Jewish king, a person who leads the way in the service of God, totally humble yet enormously inspiring.
The Messiah will be a unifier. He will unite humanity and bring peace to the world. He will bring about the Messianic Age, a new era of peace and prosperity, and all nations will turn to the Jewish God as the one true God. He will rebuild the Third Temple in Jerusalem, and gather the Jews from all over the world and bring them back to the Land of Israel.
The Messiah will be a healer. He will be a saviour and a redeemer, bringing redemption to the Jewish people. He will be a restorer, restoring the House of David and the Temple in Jerusalem. He will be a fulfiller of prophecy, fulfilling the messianic prophecies of the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel.
The Messiah will be a preparer. He will prepare the way for the Messiah King. He will be a restorer of breaches in observance. He will be a builder, rebuilding the Temple on its historical site. He will be a gatherer, gathering in the dispersed exiles of Israel. He will be a restorer of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish law court of 71 sages.
The Messiah will be a worker of miracles. He will be endowed with the power of God. He will be a performer of supernatural acts. He will be a fulfiller of the law, fulfilling the messianic prophecies. He will be a performer of signs, sending Elijah the Prophet to announce his imminent arrival.
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The Messiah will be a perfect teacher of God's law
The Messiah, as described in the Torah, will be a perfect teacher of God's law. The Messiah will be a descendant of King David, born to human parents, and will be a great political leader and an inspirational and good judge.
The Messiah will be a ruler over humanity, ruling with kindness, and will bring about a Messianic Age of perfect peace and prosperity. He will unite humanity, and establish God's kingdom on Earth.
The concept of the Messiah as a teacher of God's law is further supported by the fact that the Messiah is often referred to as "King Messiah", indicating a role as a ruler and leader. The Messiah is also referred to as "Interpreter of the Law" in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The idea of the Messiah as a teacher is also reflected in the belief that the Messiah will not come until humanity has proved itself worthy, by improving its actions and behaviour. This suggests that the Messiah will teach humanity to act in accordance with God's law, and that the arrival of the Messianic Age depends on humanity's willingness to learn and follow God's law.
The Messiah will also be a saviour and liberator figure, who will redeem the Jewish people. This idea of redemption is closely tied to the concept of teaching and upholding God's law. By teaching and upholding God's law, the Messiah will bring about a new era of peace and prosperity, and ultimately establish God's kingdom on Earth.
The Messiah's role as a teacher of God's law is further emphasised by the belief that the Messiah will be sinless and will keep God's law perfectly. This is in contrast to the scribes and Pharisees, who are criticised in the New Testament for their external focus on the law, while neglecting the more important spiritual aspects. The Messiah, on the other hand, will focus on the spiritual intent and application of God's law, and will obey it perfectly in thought and deed.
The Messiah's teaching will not contradict the Old Testament Scriptures but will instead fulfil them, by demonstrating their true spiritual intent. This is reflected in the New Testament, where Jesus states: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil" (Matthew 5:17).
Therefore, the idea of the Messiah as a perfect teacher of God's law is a central aspect of Messianic beliefs in Judaism. The Messiah will bring about a new era of peace and prosperity by teaching and upholding God's law, ultimately establishing God's kingdom on Earth.
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The Messiah will be a great political leader
The Messiah will be a ruler over humanity, but he will rule with kindness, bringing peace to the world and uniting humanity. He will be a dynamic Jewish leader, a descendant of the Davidic dynasty, who will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and gather Jews from all over the world to bring them back to the Land of Israel.
The Messiah will be a man of extraordinary qualities, proficient in both the written and oral Torah traditions, and will incessantly campaign for Torah observance among Jews. He will be scrupulously observant and encourage the highest standards from others. He will defend religious principles and repair breaches in their observance. Above all, the Messiah will be heralded as a true Jewish king, a person who leads the way in the service of God, totally humble yet enormously inspiring.
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Frequently asked questions
The Messiah is a saviour and liberator figure in Jewish eschatology who is believed to be the future redeemer of the Jews. The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word 'mashiach', meaning 'anointed one' or someone chosen to rule.
According to the Torah, the Messiah will be a male descendant of King David, born to human parents, a perfect teacher of God's law, a great political leader, ruler over humanity, and the bringer of peace to the world.
Some Jews believe that God has already decided when the Messiah will appear on Earth but that the exact date is unknown to humans. Others believe that the Messiah will come when humanity has proven itself worthy, and some think that the Messiah will appear when humanity needs it most.
The Messiah will bring about the Messianic Age, a new era of peace and prosperity. The Messiah will also rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, gather Jews from around the world and bring them back to the Land of Israel, and establish God's kingdom on Earth.
Adherents of Judaism do not believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, nor do they believe he was the Son of God. Judaism's rejection of Jesus as the Messiah is based on Jewish eschatology, which holds that the coming of the true Messiah will be associated with events that have not yet occurred.