The Jews believed in different Messianic teachings, all pointing to the anointed one mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures. [1]
The Jews entertained many ideas about the Messiah, evolving from the servant of the Lord to the Son of God, but failed to recognize Jesus as the inaugurator of a new dispensation of mercy and salvation for all nations. [2] They believed Messiah, son of David, would bring a new kingdom to Earth, whether seen as a human king or a heavenly ruler. [3] The Messiah, as the rightful ruler of all the world, would deliver Israel from its enemies. [4]
Jesus rejected the notion of establishing Jews as world rulers through miraculous power, instead focusing on the spiritual kingdom within the hearts of men. [5]
The followers of Jesus thought the destruction of the temple would signal the end of the world and the establishment of New Jerusalem as the world capital. [6]
The people wondered if the Messiah, when he comes, will do anything more wonderful than Jesus of Nazareth, who some believed to be the Messiah, even though he did not come from Galilee. [7] The Messiah will reign over the world as the Prince of Peace, guiding all peoples towards spiritual leadership through the truth of the one God. [8] The Messiah will restore the Shekinah to the temple and remove the curse of Adam. [9]
Jesus chose to follow the prophecy of Book of Zechariah for his entrance into Jerusalem, riding upon an ass as the humble and just king bringing salvation. [10]
The Jews' expectation of a Messiah ushering in an era of miraculous plenty led to conflicting views on the nature of Jesus' divine powers and his ultimate mission. [11] Pilate feared the Jews and sacrificed Jesus, leading to his downfall after the false Messiah debacle at Mount Gerizim. [12]
The Jews, focused on national glory and earthly exaltation, lost sight of the true personality of the Messiah as a bringer of salvation for all nations. [13]
Rejecting the spiritual concept of the Messiah led to the Jewish nation's destruction as they clung to a material mission, causing conflict with Roman armies and sealing their doom as an independent people with a special spiritual mission. [14] The delay in the arrival of the Messiah was attributed to the Jews' lack of sincere repentance. [15]
Peter's confession of Jesus as the Son of God marked a new and vital recognition of his unquestioned divinity, a concept not traditionally included in the Jewish understanding of the Messiah. [16]
Jesus boldly attacked the concept of the material Messiah, choosing to focus on winning lasting spiritual converts for the truly religious brotherhood of mankind. [17] Jesus was not the anticipated Jewish Messiah, but the world's deliverer. [18]
Joseph and Mary’s views on the Messiah differed, with Joseph's family largely becoming believers in Jesus' teachings while very few of Mary's family believed in him until after his departure. [19]
Jesus endeavored to partially meet his followers’ Messianic expectations by openly proclaiming his divinity and preparing to perform one more mighty work for them. [20]
The idea of the Messiah as a nationalist miracle worker prevented Jesus from fulfilling the Jewish expectation of a materialistic restoration of Jewish national glory. [21] Jesus, in the end, never denied that he was the Messiah, leaving the resolution of the situation to the will of the Father. [22] Jesus told Andrew that he, as the Son of God, would not fulfill the traditional Jewish expectations of a Messiah sitting on a throne in Jerusalem. [23] The apostles' long-nourished ideas of Messiah hindered their full understanding of Jesus' teachings. [24]
The Jewish people, expecting the immediate appearance of the Messiah, built a rigid wall of separation between themselves and the gentile world, worshiped the letter of the law, and held preconceived notions regarding the promised deliverer. [25] The Messiah of the kingdom transformed into the Redeemer of the church, bridging Jewish and gentile beliefs. [26] Distorted prophecies long after Jesus' life made to fit the Messiah. [27] Quoted Scripture regarding Messiah, Jesus proclaimed the great salvation and eternal life for all who believe. [28]
The Jews invoked Scriptures to support their different views of the Messiah, from the servant of the Lord to the Son of God, culminating in the anointed one riding on a donkey into Jerusalem. [29]