Nature & Importance of the Messiah (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Messiahship in the Jewish scriptures

The nature and purpose of the Messiah

• The word Messiah comes from the Hebrew word Mashiach, which means ‘anointed one’ or someone who is chosen to rule

• The term Messiah was used to describe the kings of Israel who were anointed 

• Over time, the Messiah came to refer to the one who would arrive to be anointed as the king of Israel in the Messianic Age

• The Messiah was the one who would return the Jewish people to Israel, because they had been forced into exile

• The Messiah would:

  • restore their place and establish God’s kingdom

  • rebuild the temple in Jerusalem

  • unite all the people in the world

  • make everyone aware of God’s presence

  • bring in the Messianic Age

• The nature of the Messiah is believed by most Jews to be:

  • a great political leader descended from King David

  • a learned person who is well-versed in Jewish law and who will follow all its commandments

  • a holy person who is close to God

  • a great judge, who makes wise decisions

  • a great leader who can inspire others

  • a human, not a divine being

Messiahship in the scriptures

• There are no references to the Messiah in the Torah

• The Nevi’im say that the Messiah will be a son of David who will be a wise and righteous ruler, who will bring safety and restore Israel 

• The Nevi’im also state that the Messiah will be inspired by God

• He will bring righteousness and will rule wisely

• The Messianic Age (referred to as Olam Ha-Ba) is described in the Nevi’im as:

  • a time of peace, justice and prosperity for all nations (Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9)

  • a time when all the Jewish people will return to Israel from exile (Jeremiah 23:8)

  • a time when the Temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 37:26-27)

  • a time when the whole world will accept the Jewish faith (Isaiah 2:3)

  • a time when the commandments will be obeyed by everyone and there will be no more evil or sin (Zephaniah 3:13)

Divergent understandings of the Messiah

• Maimonides refers to a belief in the Messiah as the twelfth of the Thirteen Principles of Faith

• However because there are no direct quotes in the Torah, there have been several different beliefs and interpretations about the nature and purpose of the Messiah within Judaism

• Some rabbis think that the Messiah will come once all Jewish people observe the mitzvot fully

  • Other rabbis think that it will happen after all of the souls God has intended to enter the world have done so

  • After all the finite number of destined souls have lived within human bodies, the Messiah will arrive

• Some believe that there is a pre-destined time when the Messianic Age will arrive

  • Others think that it will be at the point where humanity most needs or deserves a Messiah

• Some Kabbalistic Jews believe that a series of events will happen in a certain order to herald the Messianic Age

  • The Messiah will be preceded by a figure, Messiah ben Joseph, who will:

    • lead the Israelites back to Jerusalem

    • re-establish Temple worship

    • set up his own dominion

  • Evil forces will wage war against him and kill him

  • This will herald the coming of the Messiah ben David, who will defeat the forces of evil and establish the Messianic Age

• Some Orthodox Jews interpret the Messianic Age as an age very similar to this, but in which the Messiah has restored the Jewish people to Jerusalem and Temple worship has returned

• Reform and Liberal Jews see the Messianic Age as a better time of peace and harmony with no more war, hatred or intolerance

• Orthodox Jews believe that the Messianic Age can only begin when the Messiah has come to earth

  • Some Reform and Liberal Jews reject the idea of a personal Messiah and instead see the Messianic Age as a time of peace and harmony where all humans join together to make a better world 

  • This need not be started by one particular man

Importance of ideas about the Messiah for Jews today

• Belief in the Messiah is still of great importance to Jews today because it is one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith that they are required to believe

• It gives the Jewish people hope and enables them to believe in a better future

  • It has been a powerful motivating force for them during times of great difficulty in the history of the religion 

• Jews show the importance of this belief in the prayer they recite three times a day which calls for:

  • the coming of the Messiah

  • the rebuilding of Jerusalem

  • the restoration of the Temple

  • the restoration of the line of King David

  • reward for the righteous

• The idea of ushering in the Messianic Age has led many Jewish people to live in a way that ensures they are active in seeking to bring it about

  • They will become involved in projects and schemes that work to improve the world, known as Tikkan Olam

  • These may be political, social or environmental works