messianic prophecy and judaism

8/6/2019 Messianic Prophecy and Judaism

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Prophesy and Judaism 1

Messianic Prophesy and Judaism

By:

Yosef F. J. Vargas

6/2/2010

Figure 1: 1QIS4 The book of Isaiah (Dead Sea Scrolls)

The question of the relevance of prophetic foreseeing as it applies to our

own times is a crucial subject when it comes to Judeo-Christian dialog. Many

Christians see in the writings of the Prophets (as well as some of the Psalms and

Daniel), predictions pertaining to the life of Jesus. To these Christians, such

scriptural passages stand as proof texts which give authenticity to the claims of

the Gospels about Jesus mission. But did these passages foretell the advent of a

future savior? Or, do they speak about something else? And if they do, about

what do they speak? To understand this riddle it is important to define first the

role of prophesy and the Hebrew prophet.

Dictionary .com (Random House, Inc., 2010) defines prophesy as follows:

1.

To foretell or predict.2. To indicate beforehand.

3. To declare or foretell by or as by divine inspiration.

4. To utter in prophesy or as a prophet.


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However, in Hebrew the word for prophet (= navi) does not carry the

connotation of one who tells the future. The Hebrew word navimeans

spokesman for G-d (Telushkin, 1991, p. 24). Consequently, the job of a prophet

is to preach G-ds message to a specific audience and not to practice divination

(Berlin & Brettler, 2004, pp. 457-458). Nevertheless, many contemporaries insist

on looking for future messianic predictions within the biblical text. In spite of this,

the more one analyses the writings of the prophets, the more it becomes evident

that the main thrust behind the prophets mission was the fight for the

eradication of idolatry and immorality within the population of ancient Judah and

Israel (Podhoretz, 2002, p. 2). Yet the impulse to find messianic validation in the

Scriptures is still part of Judaism and Christianity alike.

One example is the Christian interpretation of Isaiah chapter 53. According

to Christian apologetics, this passage refers to a person as suffering servant (i.e.

Jesus). However, when studied within its context, it becomes evident that Isaiah is

not talking about an individual, but about the nation of Israel and their roll in the

unfolding of their lot and its effect on world history. Most noticeable, is the

constant mention of the phrase Jacob, my servant Israel throughout that

particular prophesy which begins on chapter 401. It must be remembered that

the Hebrew Scriptures were not originally divided into chapters and verses likemodern Bibles are; but were rather written in scroll form, just the same way that

the Torah is laid-out on parchment still to this day. This means that when the

ancients read the text, they read it as an undivided literary unit. This fact

Figure 2: Scribe writing a Torah scroll.

1Isaiah 40:27; 41:8- 10, 14; 42:1-6, 18-22; 43:1, 22-25,; 44:1-2, 21, 26; 45:4; 46:3; 48:1, 12; 49:6.


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also carries theological significance- it means that the entire unit should be

interpreted to be theologically consistent. Placed in its historical context, Isaiah

40-66 was uttered during the Babylonian exile; and its content makes this evident.

This prophecy describes the nation of Israel as a suffering servant, mainly

because according to traditional interpretations, Israel was exiled as a

consequence to their sins- a theme found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures2.

Isaiah 43:22-25 blames Israel for putting themselves in a position where it was

impossible for them to worship G-d properly (through the obligatory sacrifices as

ordained by Torah law3) by causing G-d to bring in their own destruction as a

consequence of sin. This fact explains why the nation of Israel was assigned a

period of suffering which, in the end, was to culminate with their redemption and

their reinstatement as light unto the nations4. As shown by this analysis, all

Christian claims to messianic validation can be dismissed as apologetic

rationalizations, when carefully studied against each passages historical and

literary context (Pshat- plain meaning of the text).

All Christian claims to messianic validation drawn from the Hebrew

Scriptures arise from the application of Hindsight. Hindsight takes place when an

individual or a group formulates illusory correlations which seem toauthenticate a specific present claim (Mayers, 2007, pp. 103-104). That is to say

that Hindsight is the product of retrospection (104-105). After the occurrence of

an event, it is characteristic for people to look back at the information available

related to the occurrence and find predicting factors which explain the outcome.

Hence the expression: I should have known (104). Similarly, when it comes to

the messianic interpretation of prophesy, primitive Christians sought scriptural

confirmation within the prophetic writings, the Psalms and Daniel5.

2Jeremiah: chapter 2; Isaiah 42:18-25 {this idea is also found in traditional Jewish prayer books (Pool, 1941, pp. 14-

15; Scherman, 1984, pp. 41, 43, Mangel, 1992, pp. 22-23)}.3

Sacrifices could only be offered in the Jerusalem Temple. Being the fact that they were in exile, sacrifices could

not be offered (Berlin & Brettler, 2004, p. 871 [commentary on verses 22-24]).4

Isaiah 49:3-6, 14-18; 52:5-6.5

For example: Mark 1:2-6 Matthew 1:22-23; 21:4-5, 23: 29-31 [Consider that this Gospel was written in 90 C.E.; 20

years after the destruction of the second Temple; Psalm 31:5; Luke 21:27 comp. Daniel 7:13.


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In the same way, messianic predictions are also found within the rabbinic

tradition. However the style employed to arrive at such predictions, is not entirely

congruent with its Christian counterpart. In Christianity, the use of prophetic

scripture is twofold: (1) It is used to substantiate Christian claims about Jesus

alleged divinity and mission, (2) and also to find support for Christian Apocalyptic

assumptions. Following a similar style to this second motive in Christian

messianism (i.e. apocalyptic assumption), the Rabbis made predictions about the

messianic era by the use of perceived clues found within the biblical text.

However, these assumptions were the result of personal textual interpretation

and not of explicit predictions uttered by the Prophets6. As a result, rabbinic

messianism holds a wide range of opinions which are by no means harmonious

with each other. Compare the following Talmudic quotes:

The son of David will not come until the generation will

be all righteous or all wicked.(Newman & Spitz, 1945, p. 277)

Sanhedrin 98a

The son of David will not come until the arrogant cease

out from Israel.(Newman & Spitz, 1945, p. 278)

Sanhedrin 98a

Rab said: The world-to-come is not like this age. In the

world-to-come there is no eating or drinking, no begetting of

children, no trading, no jealousy, no hearted and no strife.

(Newman & Spitz, 1945, p. 281)

Berachot 17a

Mar Samuel said: There is no difference between the

present time and the days of the Messiah, except our

subjection to the dominion of the empires.(Newman & Spitz,

1945, p. 278)

Sanhedrin 99a

6See: Talmud Sanhedrin 98a-b for an example of a rabbinic discussion on the conditions which are to usher the

advent of the Messiah.


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Elijah said to Rab Judah, the brother of R. Salla the pious;

The world shall exist not less than eighty five jubilees, and in

the last jubilee the son of David will come. (Shacter,

Freedman, & Epstein, 1969)

Sanhedrin 97b

A sage said: May the curse from Heaven fall upon

those who calculate the date of the advent of the Messiah,

and thus create political and social unrest among the

people. (Newman & Spitz, 1945, p. 277)

Sanhedrin 97b

In contrast to the rabbinic style of messianic interpretations, Christians seem to

look for scriptural passages which may give the illusion of describing Jesus

directly. On the other hand, within the style of the Rabbis, sometimes the

conection between a particular passage and a given messianic assumption may be

an implicit concept found in the passage and it is seldom based on an explicit

description. Needless to say is the fact that many of these passages, as used by

the Rabbis, also seem to be taken out of context just like their Christian

counterparts7.

One aspect of Oral Tradition tha must be taken in consideration when

interpreting rabbinic messianic expectations is the conflict between Halakhah

and Aggadah8. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel discribes this tention with the

following words:

Halakhah speaks in precise terms, while Aggadah

speaks poetry. Halakhah is rooted in tradition, while Aggadah

is the flourishing of the heart. In Aggadah, a person can easily

reveal non-normative views (A delightful play of words. non-

7

See: Sanhedrin 97a-b.8

Halakhah: The legal material found in the Oral tradition pertinent to the commandments of the written Torah.

Aggadah: The non-legal material found in oral tradition.


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normative here translates shelo kahalakhah which literally

means unlike Halakhah!). (Heschel, 2007, p. 2)

Halakhah is usualy deduced from the biblical text directy. In contrast,

Aggadah is formulated from Gematria9, worplays or from any other devise

utilized by the Rabbis to find nuances or clues within the text which mayyield

additional interpretations other than the one contain in the Pshat of a

particular passage (Neusner, 1994, pp. 283-289). The use of such methods,

allowed the Rabbis to formulate speculations about the future which could be

deduced from the texts but which are not found explicitlly in them. Consequently,

because of the wide range of interpretative license that such methods allow,

Rabbi Hillel is recorded in the Talmud as holding the belief that the Messiah had

already come long before the first century of the Common Era10

. Also troubling is

the fact that some Rabbis thought that the Messiah would appear within their

own lifetime, and along with him the downfall of Rome11

(an event which never

took place). Ironically, Jesus is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew as instructing

his audience that the Messianic Era would be established during their lifetime

also12

. On a different note however, the 12th

Century scholar, Rabbi Moses ben-

Maimon (Maimonides/Rambam) approaches the messianic dillema from a difrent

standpoin. Rather than making massianic speculations, Maimonides suggests thatthe identity of the Messiah will become evident after the fact (I.e. after the

Messianic Era is already established)13

. This view seems more plausible

considering the many speculations expresed by the rabbinic texts.

In reference to the prophetic texts of the Bible, and to the way that they

are to be understood today, it seems difficult to assume that when the prophets

uttered (or wrote) their oracles, they had anything on their minds other than the

present situation and the impending redemption of their audience. Througouthistory, many have tried to look for textual clues which could facilitate or even

9Gematria: An interpretative device which employs the numerical value of Hebrew words.

10See: Sanhedrin 98b.

11See: Sanhedrin 98b; Baba Batra 123b.

12See: Matthew 24: 27-34.

13See: Mishneh Torah ch. 11.


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authenticate the speculative messianic predictions. However, out of the many

views that have been suggested, Maimonides advise seems to be the most

reasonable. Can we attribute double meaning to the writings of the Prophets?

Many have and many will. Nevertheless, theological pre-conceived conjecture

will remain within the realm of speculation until the Messiah finally arrives. Only

then will we come to know for sure. May we all merit to see his arrival in our

daysbut in the meantime we will continue to wait.


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Works Cited

Berlin, A., & Brettler, M. Z. (2004). The Jewish study Bible. New York: Oxford University Press.

Heschel, A. j. (2007). HeavenlyTorah:As Refracted through the Generations. New York: The Continnum

International Publishing Group, Inc.

Mangel, R. N. (1992). SiddurTehilatHashem (Nusach Ha-Ari Zal). New York: Merkos L'inyonei Chinuch,

Inc.

Mayers, D. G. (2007). Exploring Social Psychology (4th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Neusner, J. (1994). Rabbinic Judaism: The DocumentaryHistory of its formativeAge (70-600 C.E.).

Bethesda: CDL Press.

Newman, L. I., & Spitz, S. (1945). The Talmudic Antholog: Tales andTeachings of the Rabbis. New Jersey:

Behrman House, Inc.

Podhoretz, N. (2002). The Prophets: Who they where, What they are. New York: The Free Press.

Pool, D. D. (1941). Book of Prayers: Daily\ Sabbath (According to the Custom of the Spanish and

Portuguese Jews). New York: Union of Sephardic Congregations.

Random House, Inc. (2010). Prophesy. Retrieved 6 29, 2010, from Dictionary.com:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prophesy

Scherman, R. N. (1984). The CompleteArtScroll Siddur: Weekday/ Sabbath/ Festival (Nusach Ashkenaz).

New York: Mesorah Publications, Ltd.

Shacter, J., Freedman, H., & Epstein, R. I. (1969).Hebrew-English Edition of the Babylonian Talmud:

Tractate Sanhedrin. London: The Soncino Press.

Telushkin, R. J. (1991).Jewish Literacy. New York: William Morrow and Co., Inc.

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