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Who Is The The
common 20th century view of Messiah amongst religiously oriented Jews is
someone who will usher in the coveted peace on earth that mankind has longed
for since ancient times. Many
religious Jews agree that when the Messiah comes, "the lion will lie
down with the lamb" and peace will rule. Yet, since that day seems no
nearer today than it did 4,000 years ago at the time of Abraham, many Jews
have abandoned all hope of a coming Messiah, or of the rule of peace on
earth. What the majority of Jewish
people do not realize, however,
The 20th century religious Jewish view of Messiah-as-King
who will establish peace on earth now, while it reflects an important part of
the traditional view, overlooks an equally important part - the role of
Messiah-as-Servant. This "oversight" was largely a backlash to the
growing number of Jews and Gentiles who had concluded that the Suffering
Servant spoken of in the Hebrew Scriptures was Yeshua (Jesus), the Jew who
suffered a humiliating death after claiming to be Messiah.
Ignoring the servant-atoning role of Messiah
was then a Medieval reaction to those masses of people who were proclaiming
that Yeshua was the fulfillment of Scripture. In all fairness, it must be
pointed out that rabbinic motivation for adopting the newer view was
reasonable. Anti-semitism posed a constant threat
to the nation of Israel, especially following the destruction of the Second
Temple in 70 A.D. Jewish leaders, therefore, needed to find ways of keeping
Diaspora Jews unified. One way was to reinforce the belief that Yeshua was
the "Christian Messiah," not the Jewish one. To do this they often
overreacted and distorted the picture of the Messiah in a way that was
inconsistent with the picture of the Messiah presented by the the biblical
prophets.
Ironically, the majority of rabbis have done a great disservice to the very
people whom they wished to preserve. By eliminating a cornerstone of
Jewish thought - the Servant Messiah - they have not helped the many Jewish
people today who are disillusioned, secularized or otherwise alienated from
the very spiritual beliefs that the nation of Israel held for more than 2,000
years. By removing the concept of the Suffering Messiah who brings personal
peace to those who embrace Him, they have helped blind them to the hope that
lies in Messiah Yeshua.
In addition to overlooking an important aspect of the Messiah's atoning role
on earth, most in modern Jewish rabbinical studies overlook the genealogy
factor. Biblical Judaism teaches that Messiah's lineage will be a key
criterion for his identification. Modern Judaism downplays this, perhaps
because Jewish records were destroyed in 70 A.D. along with the Second
Temple. Therefore, one must conclude that either Messiah came before the
Temple was destroyed or else physical proof of his genealogy is unnecessary
because he will be recognizable in other ways; or, worse still, that He will
not come.
Most rabbis, if they still believe in the biblical concept of Messiah, opt
for the explanation that the genealogical proof is unnecessary since the
Messiah will be identified in other ways. Believers, on the other hand,
place great importance upon the royal lineage that the Messiah is to possess,
and the evidence of such. Not only is the genealogical evidence necessary to
identify the Messiah, but it exists biblically. By tracing the Messiah's
lineage and the key roles assigned to him by God What The Rabbis Know About The
Messiah For
further information contact
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