Why do Christians beleive Jesus was the Messiah when he didn't fulfil the Jewish prophecies?

Question

Firstly, this isn't a dig before anyone starts baiting me, I don't understand.

I asked a question last week about Jesus being Jewish, a few answers said that Christians and Jews follow the same god but Christians believe Jesus was the prophesised Messiah, wheras Jews do not.

Now, some people stated that Jesus DIDN'T do the things that were prophesised, therefore he wasn't the Messiah.

So who is right? Did he meet the criteria or didn't he?

If he DID, then why do Jews say he didn't?
If he DIDN'T, then why do Chrisitians say he did?

Again, not a dig, I just don't understand how he can and cannot fulfil the prophesies.

I know I spelt 'believe' wrong, so don't just ignore the question by saying 'why don't you learn to spell?' or some other crap

Ok, thanks so far, but there are a few numb-brained people who either don't erad what I say or just choose to answer whatever question they see fit.

and i quote:

"He DID fulfil the Old Test. prophecies....you REALLY need to educate yourself."

To be honest mate, I don't believe in religions one bit. But the question isn't about whether he DID or DIDN'T, its about how two separate groups of people can get two completely different answers from one text.

Seriously, don't bother answering if you are just going to make my question up as you see fit

iron maiden - "PLEASE!!! Read your Bible! You need to study Gods word rather than listen to other peoples opinions"

No, I don't need to study God's word. Read my question. I'm asking how two different groups of people can get two different answers from one text.

I'm not religious in any way, shape or form. I DON'T need to study the Bible in order for people to answer this question

American beauty - you are clearly simple minded. If you read my question you will see that reading the Bible would not answer it.

Clearly both Cristians and Jews have read the Bible, yet reached two different conclusions. That is what my question is based on.

Please, please, please read questions as they are written instead of just reading them to suit you

iron serpent - "Also, only Christians read the Bible, Jews only read the Old Testament".

Why do you presume this? Do you presume that people don't read literature simply because they don't believe it?

Jamiedodger - oh how typical! you PRESUME that because I don't follow a religion that I subscribe to the 'big bang' theory. That's very clever of you isn't it?

I will point out that not believing in a religious deity does NOT mean that I don't believe a higher power created us, ust not one of the religious ones.

I get aggitated by answers when they don't answer my question, they just answer something which they PRESUME I am getting at, without taking on board what I say.

So, can you answer it now we've cleared that up?

Answer 1

What is the Messiah supposed to accomplish? The Bible says that he will:

A. Build the Third Temple (Ezekiel 37:26-28).

B. Gather all Jews back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:5-6).

C. Usher in an era of world peace, and end all hatred, oppression, suffering and disease. As it says: "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall man learn war anymore." (Isaiah 2:4)

D. Spread universal knowledge of the God of Israel, which will unite humanity as one. As it says: "God will be King over all the world -- on that day, God will be One and His Name will be One" (Zechariah 14:9).

The historical fact is that Jesus fulfilled none of these messianic prophecies.

Answer 2

The truth to the matter is that Jesus did not fulfill the Hebrew prophecies. As many Jews will tell you, The Messiah was not only supposed to be a human with a human mother and father in the line of King David, but he was also supposed to DO certain things during his lifetime, a few of which are so critical that if they are not performed then it is a foregone conclusion that who ever it was could not be The Messiah. Here are three:

1. Rebuild the third Temple.
2. End all other religions.
3. Establish world peace.

In addition to these three, after The Messiah came there would be no need to preach anymore, because everyone would have God's word in their heart and there would be no confusion about who or what God was and expected. As you can see, these things have not come to pass.

As for the reason christians have a totally different perspective, they never looked to Judaism for answers about what scriptures meant, and never verified if the OT came to them the same way it is written in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible). They take the word of the Greeks and Romans that put their bible together that it is all true and consistent with Hebrew scripture and prophecy, assuming that their bible is true because it says it's true. Without ever going to the source, they'll never understand. It's actually quite arrogant, if you ask me, christians telling Jews that someone fulfilled Jewish prophecy, even though they don't know or understand the Hebrew prophecies. If they did, they would not be christians. I'm not a believer, but I have taken a step that most people simply will not take, going to the source and learning what Jews truly believe. There never was a need for a 'savior' Messiah, that is simply not Biblical. It's definitely in line with what the Greeks and Romans practiced at the time, but it isn't in line with Judaism.

One last note, the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament are not the same. The OT is a re-ordered, re-worded, Greek and Roman edited version of the Tanakh. It is missing some books, and has done some creative translation and reinterpretation in others. Again, christians would never know, since they never look to the source. They come to different conclusions because they are NOT studying the same text.

Answer 3

Oh man, there is so much evidence that Jesus is the Messiah. You say that he did not bring peace? He made God's peace available to men through His vicarious atonement at the cross. His second coming starts the 1000 years of peace on this earth over which He will reign. You also said that scholars debate whether or not he was born of a virgin? The new testament is very clear that the mother Mary was a virgin, not only when Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, but also when he was born. The text is too specific to believe otherwise (it considers the shame of sexual impurity and the penalty of fornication, i.e. sex before marriage. Mary could not prove her innocence to Joseph.. it took an angel of God to persuade him of the truth of her purity. Joseph did not "know" Mary, i.e. have sex with her - ever - until after Jesus was born). Read the text. And where is it said that the Messiah could not perform miracles? I can really get specific from a biblical standpoint to prove Jesus is the Messiah.

Answer 4

The entire question is as problematic now as when He was on Earth. The first Christians were Jews as were the Apostles. There were disagreements regarding the necessity of Gentiles to become Jewish prior to baptism. In fact, there were even violent discussions :) over the very divinity of Jesus at the Nicene Council.

While I can't at this moment recall the proofs offered by the early Christian fathers, I can direct you to www.newadvent.com which is a pretty good encyclopedia of Christian theology & history from the Roman Catholic Church.

While many denominations tend to attack the Catholic Church, we must remember that the two oldest Christian churches are the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches which were once united under the title of "Catholic" which literally means universal.

The dogma of both Catholic and Protestant churches goes back to the Nicene Council and both groups agree with Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica" regarding both the existence of God and Christ's divinity. The complete "Summa Theologica" is available for free online at New Advent. It is a must read for any serious theologian whether Catholic or Protestant.

Answer 5

Christians cannot admit Jews are right. If they did, they would no longer be Christian.

Prophesy was for the immediate future -- not for centuries down the road. There were many prophets, but only a few whose prophesies materialized. Only those prophets whose prophesies were realized were included in the Bible. Why would the Bible include false prophets? The prophespy about a leader being born to a young woman (not virgin) refers to a woman who is already with child. The child was King Hezekiah.

Jews do not need Christianity to explain their existence or their origin, but Christians cannot explain their existence without Judaism.

Our Bible is a book of life not a guide to an afterlife.
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Answer 6

In a way, you've answered your own question - you requested that we all please read the question as it is written, not as we'd like it to read. This happens with the Holy Scripture as well. We are all biased in some way, with almost every topic. That's just how people are. Some folks read the scriptures and have one view, and others, another view.

My view, regarding Jesus fulfilling the prophecies is that He did. The apostles and Paul, all spent a good deal of time and effort justifying why He did fulfil them. They also specify which prophecies were fulfilled in HIm. One issue that was a point of contention between Jews before and during Jesus time was if there would be two Messiah's, or only one. Through-out the OT there are references to both a 'Suffering Servent' and to the 'Conquering King,' both seemingly opposite Messiah's. Jesus has fulfilled the first, the 'Suffering Servant', and has promised to fulfil the second in the Second Coming.

After Jesus ascended into Heaven, almost all of the Christians were Jews. Paul and many of the apostles still worshipped at the temple, and were still observant of all of the Jewish traditions until the day they died.

Over time, the observations and traditions of the Jews were pushed out of the church. There were more than a few anti-semites within the church. I don't believe this was God's intention, and I don't think it was, or is, correct. There are many areas that man has spoiled or corrupted withing God's church, and this is one. It is still God's church however, and He is restoring it, in my opinion.

There are Jews who believe that Jesus was, and is, the Messiah - we call these folks 'Messianic Jews.'

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all go into detail regarding Jesus being prophesied about. Hebrews is probably the clearest book regarding Jesus fulfilling the OT prophesies, at least for me. This was, and is, of critical importance to my faith today, as well as for the first believers. It was closely scrutinized in those days, as it is today.

Jesus always said that there will be non-believers. He constantly challenged the Pharisees and Saducees. He also, in my view, fulfilled the Messianic prophesies concerning the 'Suffering Servant,' and is and will complete the prophesies with the 'Second Coming.'

Answer 7

The whole point of being a Christian...a follower of Christ...is based on His life, His word and His promises. How many Christians have you heard saying "I have a real relationship with Jesus" as if they mean it? Well I have that real relationship with Jesus.....I know the depth of it can depend on my decisions nevertheless I do have it. Proving it to someone is a different story, especially since so many non-believers and believers in God have a great degree of scepticism.
What the prophesies were may be important to some...as far as I am concerned the prophesies made in Isaiah have been fulfilled. Whether the Jews believce it or not is their choice.
I know many "Messianic" Jews,,,who avidly believe in Jesus and have the relationship I have with Him too.
Best wishes, Mike.

Answer 8

Well, if Jews admit that Jesus was the Messiah, then they also admit that their forefathers delivered him up to the Romans on trumped up charges and were therefore instrumental in his death.

The fact is, Jews know from the Hebrew scriptures that the Messiah was due to appear in 29 C.E. (the year Jesus was baptized, became the Messiah and began his ministry). They also know that 29 C.E. is long gone, but are still waiting for the Messiah to appear.

Also, only Christians read the Bible, Jews only read the Old Testament.

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I don't presume anything. Jews don't believe the New Testament is inspired. I know there are some Messianic Jews who believe in Jesus and will read the New Testament as well. But for the most part they only read the Old Testament because that is all their Bible contains. Look it up.

Answer 9

I think what you are looking for is for someone to say, look, this is it in black and white and that's it, end of story, proof positive, one way or the other. But you are dealing with people, who are all reading the same book, but have different INTERPRETATIONS (I wish I could do italics instead of capitals, it looks like I'm shouting, sorry)

How many times have you watched a movie or read a book that someone had raved about and wondered what all the fuss was about? It's the same movie, or book, but you will see it differently. And sometimes you will pick up things others have missed, and appreciate them more.

Jesus did fulfill some prophecies but not others. Today's Jews interpret this as not fulfilling the requirements of being the Messiah. Christians believe there needed to be some Jews that did not believe to fulfil other prophecies in the Bible and allow Gentiles into the inclusive faith of the Messiah rather than the exclusive Jewish faith, which demanded all male converts to be circumised before they could be included.

A number of early Jewish converts to Christianity were creating problems by distancing themselves from other races and holding on to their old traditions and practices. Paul was very keen to point out it was a man's attitude to God, His Son, and the love he had for humanity that would decide his right to eternal life in Christ, and that a piece of skin or a person's diet would not bar that person's right to salvation.

Jesus promised to come back and fulfill all the prophecies made about Him. I hope He comes soon, because every Christian knows the Kingdom of God cannot come until the Jews have a homeland, and every Christian I know craves for peace in the Middle East. ( If only the British had had the gumption to fulfill the promise they made in the Balfour Declaration, years of conflict could have been avoided. Of course you could look at the Declaration, and see many different interpretations of that.)

Christianity itself has been subject to different interpretations, and you will no more get a Catholic to accept they don't need a priest for the forgivness of sins any more than you can get a dyed in the wool Jew to eat pork. In my church, you are not 'in' or 'out', we are all travellers at different stages of our walk to salvation. We all hope to help each other on the journey home.

Answer 10

There are many prophecies about the Messiah that were fulfilled by Jesus. For an example, look at Psalms 22 and you will see over 2 dozen details of the crucufixion of Jesus recorded hundreds of years before they happened. The prophecies that Jesus fulfilled have to do with his bringing salvation to the Gentile nations.

But there are also some prophecies about the Messiah and what he will do for the Jewish people. Such as the promise to gather them all together, or to present them with a new temple and kingdom. These prophecies have not been fulfilled by Jesus.

Paul deals with this issue in Romans chapter 10 and 11. He talks about how for a time the Jews have been set aside so that the salvation of Christ could be extended to the rest of the world. It would not be limited to just a single nation or bloodline as it was in the Old Testament.

Once the gospel has reached the entire Gentile world, then God will turn is attention back to the Jewish people. Jesus will return and fulfill the remaining prophecies for the Jewish people.

In the end, all the prophecies will be fulfilled, and all of the world will be offered God's salvation. We are just in a valley between the two great moments of prophetic fulfillments given in the scriptures.

Answer 11

Christians use different criteria than we do in evaluating whether he was the Messiah. I'm not offended by it, but then again I don't see any closer connection between Judaism and Christianity and say, Judaism and Islam. They're just two completely different belief systems. I don't think I worship the same God as many Christians--how can we when some think that Jesus is God, or believe in a Trinity, etc.? It's not that I think any less of Christianity, I just don't see what it has to do with me.