 Presentation :
Where does the Jewish concept of Messiah come from?
One of the central themes of Biblical prophecy is the promise of a future age of perfection characterized by universal peace and recognition of God. (Isaiah 2:1-4; Zephaniah 3:9; Hosea 2:20-22; Amos 9:13-15; Isaiah 32:15-18, 60:15-18; Micah 4:1-4; Zechariah 8:23, 14:9; Jeremiah 31:33-34)
Many of these prophetic passages speak of a descendant of King David who will rule Israel during the age of perfection. (Isaiah 11:1-9; Jeremiah 23:5-6, 30:7-10, 33:14-16; Ezekiel 34:11-31, 37:21-28; Hosea 3:4-5.
The Hebrew word mâšîah"- (Mashiach), which means "Anointed.", and may indicate Jewish priests, prophets and kings. During the sixth century BCE, the exiled Jews in Babylonia started to hope for a special Anointed One who was to bring them home; several written prophecies were fulfilled when the Persian king Cyrus the Great did in fact allow their return (539). In the second century BCE, the Jews were again suffering from repression, and the old prophecies became relevant again. Some people were looking forward to a military leader who would defeat the Seleucid or Roman enemies and establish an independent Jewish kingdom; others, like the author of the Psalms of Salomo, stated that the Messiah was a charismatic teacher who gave the correct interpretation of Mosaic law, was to restore Israel and would judge mankind. Jesus of Nazareth was considered a Messiah; a century later, Simon bar Kochba. The idea of an eschatological king has been present in Judaism ever since.
Our Messiah was named “Yeshua” for the very thing he was sent to do: to “save [Hebrew: yeshu"ah] his people from their sins.” “He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquity...” Yeshua died for our sins; he takes sin, becoming sin itself. God reconciles the world to himself in Messiah, not counting men"s sins against them. (Isaiah 53:5, 1 Corinthians 15:3, John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 2 Corinthians 5:19)
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