Hebrew Bible: Messianic Expectations

The Messiah

11/07/2011

"Messiah" means "anointed one" in Hebrew.  The idea originated with King David and intensified with the Roman oppression during the 1 century BCE.  

The Past and Future Davidic King

• Many Psalms are about the Davidic king (and they probably weren't written by David himself but rather people of his court)
• In the past, the Davidic King referred to David and Solomon
• The Davidic King...
• builds the temple
• unifies the nation
• is righteous and powerful
• is considered the "son of God"
• The longed-for Messiah is to have the same attributes

Timeline of Messianic Expectations, BCE

• 922 -- the kingdom split; a longing for a future Davidic King that would unify the divided kingdoms
• 586 -- the Babylonian exile stirred longing for a Messiah who would bring the Jews back to their land
• 536 -- King Cyrus of Persia, now in power over the region, allows the Jews to return to their homeland and build the temple 
• *515 -- the temple is finished, ushering in the Second Temple Period of Ancient Judaism
• initially no overt desire for a Messiah
• ~330 -- Alexander the Great conquered the area inhabited by the Jews
• he instilled hellenization, which was an effort to conformed subjugate peoples into Greek culture, such as language, religion, and new ideas
• he attempted to strip away monotheism
• many of the Jews submitted to hellenization, even reversing their circumcision...
• **Antiochus IV held a celebration in the temple with pigs and merriment.  This led to a massive revolt by the Maccabees, sparking messianic longing!

From the Hasmonean Period to Roman rule

The Maccabees, led by the "Hammer," established a self-governed state that lasted from ~140 BCE to 63 BCE.  This era was called the Hasmonean Period.

In 63 BCE, the Romans conqured the Jews/Israelites, and, like the Greeks, the Romans wanted all their subjugates to accept the Roman culture.

Most importantly, Judaism developed during the Roman rule:

• cannonization of Scripture
• new ideas--afterlife, rewards, the soul
• the idea of an afterlife shifted from Sheol (a grave or shadowy netherworld) to place of rewards and punishments based on actions on earth

Competing Groups of Jews Attempt to Establish Judaism

1. The Jews at Qumran
1. they live away from the Romans and Greeks, to retain holiness
2. the Dead Sea scrolls were preserved by them
2. The Zealots--guerilla warriors who opposed foreign authorities
3. The Sadducees
1. also called the Zadokite priests
2. they were associated with the temple
4. The Pharisees
1. in Hebrew, called "Peyrushim"
2. they used the Torah as a guideline without the temple

All these groups were looking forward to a Messiah!  Meanwhile, Christianity is born and spreads rapidly.  

From 66 to 73 CE, the Jews led the Great Revolt against the Romans, but the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple (once again) in 70 CE under Titus' reign.

In 72 CE, Jews committed suicide rather than giving in to the Romans at their last defense.

Bar Kokhba (see reading for today)

• desperation for the Messiah!
• Bar Kokhba was leader (or attributed leader) of a revolt
• his real name was Bar Kosiba
• at this point, the Pharisees were the sole rabbis
• the Jews were restricted from Jerusalem

Rabbis Seek to Set Restrictions on who the Messiah will be

• Jesus
• invalid, because he did not bring peace on earth, unification of Jews, or centralization of worship
• for Christians, Jesus can be the Messiah because he will come again (Second Coming) and fulfill the messianic expectations.  For now, he provides a way for people to get to God spiritually
• Bar Kokhba was renamed "Bar Koshirah," meaning "son of a liar"
• no one else can proclaim to be the Messiah!
• the final real claim to be the Messiah was a man in the 17th century from Poland (?), but he converted to Islam...
• final consensus:  the Jews must first make the world peaceful for the Messiah to come