# What is the Jewish Messiah Supposed to Do Exactly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 13, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771 "2018-02-13T17:00:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/1 "2018-02-13T17:00:37Z")
I’m reading the excellent book _The Year of Living Biblically_ by A.J. Jacobs, and in it he mentions an odd alliance between Ultra-Fundamentalist Christians and Ultra-Orthodox Jews to breed a completely red heifer to use in a spiritual purification ritual. This ritual has a different purpose between the groups. For the Ultra-Orthodox, it means the Third Temple can be built in Israel in order to usher in the Jewish Messiah. For the Ultra-Fundamentalists, it has the further purpose of ushering in the Jewish Messiah who will be the Antichrist who battles the Original Christ to bring on Armaggedon and the end of the world. According to the Fundamentalists, Jews will convert to Christianity, or die in the upheaval. Growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness, I’m familiar with the Christian lore, although the Witnesses didn’t bring Third Temples and Jewish Messiahs into it. But I’m wondering, what is the Jewish Messiah supposed to do according to the Jewish side of things? I’m sure converting Jews to Christianity isn’t on the agenda. Freeing Jews from Roman oppression is not a pressing matter anymore. I have a feeling this question could get ugly, but I’d like to have my ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/2 "2018-02-13T17:33:05Z")
Here are the basics: [Mashiach: The Messiah - Judaism 101 (JewFAQ)](http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm) > [@](#): > > Before the time of the mashiach, there shall be war and suffering (Ezekiel 38:16) > > The mashiach will bring about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people by bringing us back to Israel and restoring Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). He will establish a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:10; 42:1). He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish its worship (Jeremiah 33:18). He will restore the religious court system of Israel and establish Jewish law as the law of the land (Jeremiah 33:15). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/3 "2018-02-13T17:46:58Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Here are the basics: [Mashiach: The Messiah - Judaism 101 (JewFAQ)](http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm) Anything in there about his dad being God? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/4 "2018-02-13T17:52:18Z")
That’s getting you a warning for threadshitting, Czarcasm. Keep your hobbyhorses confined to threads where they’re relevant. ---
**Author:** ![proudfootz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9e5f3/32.png) [@proudfootz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/proudfootz)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/5 "2018-02-13T18:05:49Z")
So far as I understand it, there have been many messiahs in Judaism as it seems to as a general term denote a person anointed by G\_d for some special purpose. > [@](#): > > The word “Messiah” is an English rendering of the Hebrew word “Mashiach”, whose translation is “Anointed”. It usually refers to a person initiated into G-d’s service by being anointed with oil. (Having oil poured on his head. Cf. Exodus 29:7, I Kings 1:39, II Kings 9:3). > > There are many Messiahs in the Bible. Since every King and High Priest was anointed with oil, each may be referred to as “an anointed one” (a Mashiach or a Messiah). For example: “G-d forbid that I [David] should stretch out my hand against the L-rd’s Messiah [Saul]…” I Samuel 26:11. Cf. II Samuel 23:1, Isaiah 45:1, Psalms 20:6. > > The Hebrew word “HaMashiach” (lit. the Messiah) describing a future anointed person to come does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Since the Bible makes no explicit reference to the Messiah, it is unlikely that it could be considered the most important concept in the Bible. Indeed, in Jewish thought, the Messianic idea is not the most crucial. However, in Christian thought, the Messiah is paramount- a difficulty in light of its conspicuous absence from scripture. > > [Jews for Judaism | The Jewish Concept of Messiah and the Jewish](https://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/the-jewish-concept-of-messiah-and-the-jewish-response-to-christian-claims/) (Not that any one source is going to be authoritative for a religious movement as diverse as Judaism) I don’t doubt some segments have developed these concepts in the centuries since Biblical times. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/6 "2018-02-13T18:49:15Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Here are the basics: [Mashiach: The Messiah - Judaism 101 (JewFAQ)](http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm) 1. Is there any sort of time-line as to when this might take place? 2. Is this event talked about much in the general Jewish community, outside of it being brought up by outsiders? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/7 "2018-02-13T20:37:38Z")
From my experiences, and I’m not a practicing Jew: > [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. Is there any sort of time-line as to when this might take place? _Nope, it’ll happen when it happens._ > [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. Is this event talked about much in the general Jewish community, outside of it being brought up by outsiders? _It’s a central tenet of Judaism, but since it’s completely out of our control most Jews don’t think much about it on a day-to-day basis._ ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/8 "2018-02-13T20:45:34Z")
> [@proudfootz](#): > > I don’t doubt some segments have developed these concepts in the centuries since Biblical times. From the earlier link: > [@](#): > > Modern scholars suggest that the messianic concept was introduced later in the history of Judaism, during the age of the prophets. They note that the messianic concept is not explicitly mentioned anywhere in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible). > > However, traditional Judaism maintains that the messianic idea has always been a part of Judaism. The mashiach is not mentioned explicitly in the Torah, because the Torah was written in terms that all people could understand, and the abstract concept of a distant, spiritual, future reward was beyond the comprehension of some people. However, the Torah contains several references to “the End of Days” (acharit ha-yamim), which is the time of the mashiach; thus, the concept of mashiach was known in the most ancient times. Judaism is more than the written Torah, but it is interesting that what most religious Jews agree is one of the fundamental parts of the religion isn’t explicitly mentioned in it. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/9 "2018-02-13T21:36:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Anything in there about his dad being God? To clarify, I was referring to a part of the same site that **Telemark** used([jewfaq.org](http://jewfaq.org)), a site that I have used in other threads on this subject: > [@](#): > > The mashiach will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). The mashiach is often referred to as “mashiach ben David” (mashiach, son of David). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments (Isaiah 11:2-5). He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being. My apologies if my first post was taken as “atheistic”. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/10 "2018-02-13T21:43:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > To clarify, I was referring to a part of the same site that **Telemark** used([jewfaq.org](http://jewfaq.org)), a site that I have used in other threads on this subject: > > My apologies if my first post was taken as “atheistic”. I think the idea of the messiah being biologically (:dubious:😕) related to G-d is strictly a Christianity thing. Asking about it in a thread about Judaism apropos of nothing is like asking whether the Christian god is going to lovingly embrace us with his noodly appendages. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/11 "2018-02-13T22:09:48Z")
He’s not descended from God, he’s decended from David. Messiah means, like the link says, annointed. You know who gets annoonted? Kings. The concept actually started around the time of the BabylonIan conquest. “Sure, Jerusalem had been conquered and the Kingdom of Judah is no more, but someday a new king in the royal line will take us back, conquer both Judea and Samaria to restore the kingdom of David and Solomon, rebuild the Temple, defeat the enemies of the Jews and make them do homage to him, and rule justly and make sure people follow God’s commandments .” It’s a restoration, in other words, of the kingdom of David and Solomon . ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2018, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/12 "2018-02-13T22:28:32Z")
Which term is preferred-“messiah”, or “mashiach”? ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/13 "2018-02-14T03:46:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > The concept actually started around the time of the BabylonIan conquest. “Sure, Jerusalem had been conquered and the Kingdom of Judah is no more, but someday a new king in the royal line will take us back, conquer both Judea and Samaria to restore the kingdom of David and Solomon, rebuild the Temple, defeat the enemies of the Jews and make them do homage to him, and rule justly and make sure people follow God’s commandments .” It’s a restoration, in other words, of the kingdom of David and Solomon . And that messiah was Cyrus the Great, right? He was the Persian king who defeated the Babylonians, sent the exiled Jews back to Jerusalem, and let them practice their religion again, they just had to pay their taxes and not cause trouble. The Israelites thought this was pretty keen so referred to Cyrus as a messiah. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/14 "2018-02-14T04:33:36Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > And that messiah was Cyrus the Great, right? Well, except for that little bit about being descended from David. Of course Achaemenes’ origins _are_ obscure…😉 ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/15 "2018-02-14T05:40:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Which term is preferred-“messiah”, or “mashiach”? Depends on whether you prefer your Hebrew straight up or filtered through Aramaic, Greek, and Latin. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/16 "2018-02-14T15:12:19Z")
If he must be descended from King David, is it known who these descendants are? Is that lineage still alive and does it number in the hundreds or is it millions? Or is that descended from David bit not to be taken literally? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/17 "2018-02-14T18:17:56Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Depends on whether you prefer your Hebrew straight up or filtered through Aramaic, Greek, and Latin. Actually, if you want it straight up, you’d write “משיח”. I happen to consider simple transliteration lazy and boring, myself, but then, I \*am \*a Hebrew-to-English translator. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/18 "2018-02-14T18:32:40Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > 1. Is this event talked about much in the general Jewish community, outside of it being brought up by outsiders? It is customary during Havdalah (the ceremony ending the Sabbath) to sing “Eliyahu Hanavi” (Elijah the Prophet), which contains lyrics hoping Elijah will soon bring the Messiah. [Eliyahu HaNavi](http://hebrewsongs.com/?song=eliyahuhanavi) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/19 "2018-02-14T18:38:26Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#): > > It is customary during Havdalah (the ceremony ending the Sabbath) to sing “Eliyahu Hanavi” (Elijah the Prophet), which contains lyrics hoping Elijah will soon bring the Messiah. > > [Eliyahu HaNavi](http://hebrewsongs.com/?song=eliyahuhanavi) Pardon my ignorance, but “Tishbite”? ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771/20 "2018-02-14T18:43:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Pardon my ignorance, but “Tishbite”? He’s from Tishbe. > [@Wikipedia](#): > > As translated into English, Tishbite is the demonym for Tishbe: the demonym is predicated of the prophet to denote that his residence or possibly his birthplace was Tishbe. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-jewish-messiah-supposed-to-do-exactly/808771.md?page=2)