Exactly what point in time did it change from meaning a warrior/king who would conquer enemies of Israel and cause world peace; to a homeless preacher who was executed like a common criminal?
2007-09-04 05:49:14 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
When the Christians hijacked the concept, confused it with the Greek mystical concept of the "Christ," and ran with it.
The Hebrews had no conception of anything like a "god incarnate in flesh" - that's a hallmark of "paganism." They simply expected a priest-king of the line of David who would free them from the Roman (Babylonian, Egyptian, etc) yoke and restore the legendary glories of their race.
"Messiah" in Hebrew means "anointed," as does "Christ" in Greek. The two ideas couldn't have been less alike in their respective applications; yet owing to the etymological similarity, they were identified with each other by the "Christians." (I've always found it hilarious when, in the Gospels, you have two Jews talking to each other, and one tells the other "We have found the Messiah, which, being interpreted, is the Christ." It's as if I offered to render this answer into Coptic so you could understand me better.)
In short, the whole thing is an accident of circumstance, like so much in Christianity.
2007-09-04 06:00:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 0⤋
About 60 days after the execution.
It was then clarified using theology when Paul decided that Christianity had the potential to ruin Judaism, and infiltrated the young group with conversion story. He then made the case for Gentile inclusion which effectively sealed Christianity off from a majority of Jews, who would never dream of being associated with Gentiles.
Afterall, God had spent the last 4000 years trying to keep the Jews separate from Gentiles and pagan Gentile influence.
If you look at Christianity today, it appears as if He may have been right seeing as many of the Christian rituals were actually derived from pagan practices.
2007-09-04 06:27:33 · answer #2 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I guess seeing that Israel was conquered and controlled by every one other than Israelites and not even an autonomous state until nearly 2000 years after his execution, and that the state of Israel does not recognize him as their "Messiah" pretty much led Christians to redefine the word.
2007-09-04 07:24:39 · answer #3 · answered by Runedog 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why would we want to change the definition of marriage? "Marriage is a social, religious, spiritual, emotional and/or legal union of individuals that creates kinship." Marital practices have included forced marriages, plural marriages of various types, marriages between what we would now consider adults and children, heterosexual, homosexual, groups - I doubt there is much that hasn't been tried. Maybe I am totally missing the point, but I have to say: your question makes absolutely no sense to me. Do you mind rephrasing it a bit?
2016-05-21 02:06:24 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you read Isaiah 53, which begins in prev. para, 52, you see the entire scenario spelled out. In Daniel, the prediction of the nine weeks, in which Messiah appears, is "cut off" (but not "for himself"), and then the Temple is destroyed. And more time passes and "righteousness is brought in, and fills the earth" and sin is no more. From these 2 sources alone (and there are enormously more) you see it was ALL planned in advance. Who exactly "figured it out"? You tell me.
2007-09-04 09:25:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Read the Sins of Scripture, according to Rev. Bob Sponge it changed from the messiach to the messiah during the rise of the Christian church.
Not sure of the date, but well after the death of Christ.
2007-09-04 05:55:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
He was supposed to be a lot of things. He turned out to be none of them. The jews laughed at the thought that this common criminal was in fact their messiah. Once that failed they sold him to the gentiles who just assumed they were accepting one more good. Too bad in the end it backfired and the pagans took over christianity.
2007-09-04 05:55:27 · answer #7 · answered by Gawdless Heathen 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
If you study the Old Testament, particularly Isaiah, you'll find that the definition has never changed. Christ(Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean "The Anointed One".
2007-09-04 06:01:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
When the Greeks and Romans got their hands on the Jewish Bible.
2007-09-04 06:10:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Oh er, grief, sighs, sighs again
er em Horus
2007-09-04 06:01:52 · answer #10 · answered by Zappster (Deep Thunker) 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋