The Coming of the Mashiach in Jewish Prophecies

The Concept of Mashiach

• The Jewish prophets foretold the coming of a Mashiach, a great Jewish leader who would bring about world peace.
• The Mashiach would be a descendant of King David.
• G-d would establish a permanent Beit Hamikdash and the Jewish nation would live securely in the Land of Israel.

The Hope for Mashiach Under Roman Rule

• The hope for Mashiach was strong under Roman rule, as the Romans stopped Jews from practicing their religion and made life difficult for them.
• Several Jewish men claimed to be the Mashiach, but most had few followers.

John the Baptist and Jesus

• John the Baptist was born over 2000 years ago and was a charismatic leader.
• Jesus' teachings focused on the ethical aspects of Judaism, emphasizing how we treat one another over specific commandments for God.
• Jesus did not intend to start a separate religion from Judaism.

The Rise of Jesus and His Followers

• Jesus gained many followers seeking hope in a time of great difficulty.
• His followers considered him to be the Mashiach.
• The Romans had Jesus crucified to prevent an uprising against their rule.

The Significance of the Term "Christ"

• "Christ" is not Jesus' surname, but rather the Greek-derived term for "Anointed One" or "Messiah".
• Jesus' followers referred to him as the Messiah.

The Spread of Christianity

• About 30 years after Jesus' death, Paul (originally Shaul) of Tarsus became a leader of Jesus' followers.
• Paul was originally from Southern Turkey, but had come to Jerusalem to study Torah.
• He opposed Jesus' followers at first, but later became a key figure and supporter.
• Paul travelled the Roman Empire, teaching people about Christian ideas and the teachings of Jesus.
• He wrote letters about Christianity, which were later gathered together and became part of the New Testament.

The New Testament and the Christian Bible

• The New Testament consists of the Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and Paul's letters.
• The New Testament, together with the Old Testament (Tenach), forms the Christian Bible.

The Parting of the Ways

• At one point, you couldn't be a Christian unless you were first a Jew.

• Over time, Christianity and Judaism separated into different religions.

• The two important processes for the division were:

  The Philosophy, Activities, and Doctrines of Paul

  • Paul's rejection of the Torah allowed later Christian leaders to develop practices and customs different from Jewish ones.
  • Paul allowed non-Jewish people to join Christianity without having to first convert to Judaism.

  The Conversion of Constantine

  • The Roman emperor, Constantine, converted to Christianity and declared Christianity as the religion of the Roman Empire.
  • This pushed Christianity to become the largest religion in the world.