1.3 : Messiah

Question 1

What does Jews believe about the purpose of the Messiah?

Answer 1

• He will restore the Temple in Jerusalem
• He will untie the peoples of the world
• He will make the peoples of the world aware of God’s prescence
• He will bring in the Messianic Age, when all will live at peace

Question 2

What do Jews believe about the nature of the Messiah?

Answer 2

• He will be a descendant of King David
• He will be a man of great piety and close to God
• He will be human, and not a divine being

Question 3

What does the Nevi’im say about the Messiah?

Answer 3

• The Messiah will be a descendant of King David
• He will rule wisely and justly
• He will ensure the poor are treated fairly
• He will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem

Question 4

What do Jews believe about the Messianic Age, and what does the Nevi’im say about this period?

Answer 4

• The Messianic Age is Olam Ha-Ba meaning ‘The World to Come”
• The Nevi’im say that during this time there will be peace among all nations, all Jewish people will return to Israel, the Temple will be rebuilt, and the whole world will accept God and Judaism.

Question 5

What are some of the different understanding of the Messiah?

Answer 5

• Some Orthodox rabbis taught that the Messiah will not come until all Jews observe all the Mitzvot fully.
• Some Jewish rabbis have believed they know when the Messiah will arrive. This particularly so in Ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups, such as Hasidic Jews.
• Most Orthodox rabbis have followed the teaching of Maimonides that no one knows who the Messiah will be, other than God.
• Many Reform Jews no longer believe in the idea that an individual Messiah will make the world perfect. They believe that it is up to an individual Jewish person to change the world, bringing the nations together, establishing peace and justice, just as the Tenakh predicts.

Question 6

Why is the Messiah important for Jews?

Answer 6

• The coming of the Messiah is the 12th Principles of Faith.** “I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah. However long it takes, I will await his coming every day.”**
• Jews pray for the coming of the Messiah and the return of all those who were forced to leave at the Exile, the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the restoration of the Temple service three times a day.

Question 7

Why do Jews not believe Jesus is their Messiah?

Answer 7

The Messiah will be human, not divine. Jesus was fully human and divine.