This paper will compare the concept of the Messiah within Judaism and the development of the messianic tradition within Christianity. Consideration will be given to Judaic thought on how this religion understands the concept of the Messiah. Defining how throughout history it shaped the foundation of this religion to distinguish its own individual identity. Analysis will focus on the abstraction of the Messiah and how Jewish believers interpret the coming of the Mashiach in connection with the prophecy of Isaiah. Discussing how eschatology is understood in this religion compared to Christianity, and how different Jewish groups define the Messiah prophecy from early history up until the modern day era. The paper will also discuss the development of the Messianic tradition within Christianity, focusing on the prophets, Jesus and how the messianic period is defined in Christian theology; in order to establish if the son of God has arrived in this world and fulfilled his promise through death and resurrection, or if the messiah and the messianic age is still yet to come as understood in Judaism.
To begin it is only right to give a brief history of Judaism in order to understand the concept of the Messiah in Judaic belief. The people of one god were established with the covenant of Abraham who is known to be the founder of this religion. This unbroken lineage can be traced directly through the scriptures and is the basis for the most prominent world religions today. Jewish history is contained in the Torah and consists of the first five books of the bible. The lineage passed through Isaac, Esau and Jacob where all significant figures in Jewish history. “Over time in the era of 15th century BC Egyptian dynasty took over the land and bui...
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The first search for a messiah started in the sixth century BC when the Jews of Babylonia were exiled, they called for an anointed one that would bring them back to their home. The second time was when Alexander the Great brought down the Achaemenid Empire and left it to his Macedonian generals. The Jews were peaceful and tried to fit in more with the Greeks to avoid confrontation through this time. Ultimately when the Greeks pushed it too far and destroyed the temple the Hasmonean family led a revolt that bought independence back to the Jews. This period is referred to as the Hasmonean Dynasty. In response to this change of priesthood, the Jewish people reorganized themselves into three major philosophies; the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and the Essenes. When the shift went to Roman, the Jews lost their sense of freedom. They were then ruled by King Herod the Great which didn’t improve. Herod the great was a powerful, brutal and ruthless leader, who accomplished a large amount, however under his rule Jewish people were extremely poor and highly taxe...
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It is believed that in Messianic Judaism’s doctrine, Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, the savior of the world, and the Son of God (Loren), also known as Yeshua. The background history of Yeshua is that he was of Jewish descent, w...
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Matthew characterizes Jesus as the prophesized Messiah that has finally arrived. Every time a significant event, Matthew highlights that these events fulfill a certain specific prophecy. One example is the revelation that the power of the Holy Spirit caused the Virgin Mary to conceive. Matthew 1:22-23 says, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel.” Later on, Matthew 2:18 quotes a prophecy in Jeremiah that foretold the Herod’s actions, and Matthew again quotes another prophecy in Matthew 2:15 where “the Lord had spoken by the prophet, ‘out of Egypt I called my son.’” This was when Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had fled to Egypt to avoid the wrath of Herod. Other important details that fulfilled prophecies are Joseph’s lineage of the House of David and Jesus’ childhood in Nazareth (which makes him a Nazarene). (Matt. 2:23) The very end picture that Matthew intends to portray is that Jesus fulfills so many specific prophecies in the Old Testament, that surely, without a doubt, Jesus was the Messiah the Jews were waiting
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God’s goodness and mercy far transcends the comprehension of the most brilliant human mind! He “who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth”(Psalm 113:6).Yet in His infinite love for us He stoops down to reveal Himself to us by a multitude of illustration, types, and shadows, so that we may learn to know him. This paper will describe what is meant by the Kingdom of God; examine the religious philosophy of the various sects of Judaism during the Second Temple period: Pharisee, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots, describe the religious philosophy and political philosophy of each sects, it will also describe how the Messianic expectation differ from the Messianic role that Jesus presented, and include an exegesis of the temptation of Jesus and how other sects defined the Messiah.
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