The Messiah Both Jews and Christians Have Been Waiting For?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮

For two thousand years, Christians have proclaimed that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah. Jews have insisted that he is not. The debate has gone on so long that both sides assume they know where the other stands. But what if ancient Jewish texts describe a Messiah who sounds a lot like Yeshua? What if rabbinic and mystical sources confirm what Christians have believed all along? The words of Jewish sages may shock those who assume Judaism has always rejected the Christian messianic story.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭

Most Jews today expect the Messiah to come only once. He will be a king from David’s line who restores Israel, defeats its enemies, and brings peace. Christians believe in a Messiah who came first to suffer and will return to rule. That idea sounds foreign to many Jews, but it is not foreign to Jewish texts. The 𝐙𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐫 (𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐤 𝟐𝟏𝟐𝐛) states that the Messiah exists before creation and remains hidden until his time is revealed. This sounds like what the Gospel of John says:

“𝐼𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑… 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝐺𝑜𝑑.” (John 1:1).

The idea of a preexistent Messiah is not Christian alone. It has been part of Jewish thought for centuries.

𝐀 𝐒𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐒𝐢𝐧? 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐓𝐨𝐨

Many Jews say the Messiah will be a victorious king. They reject the idea of a suffering Messiah. Yet, Jewish texts tell a different story. Isaiah 53 describes a servant who suffers for the sins of others.

“𝐻𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠; ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑟𝑢𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑠… 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑂𝑅𝐷 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑢𝑠 𝑎𝑙𝑙.” (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Rabbis often argue this passage refers to Israel. That interpretation ignores what the 𝐙𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐫 (𝐈𝐈, 𝟐𝟏𝟐𝐚-𝐛) says. It describes a Messiah who:

“𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠 𝑢𝑝𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑… 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑠.”

The Talmud (𝐒𝐮𝐤𝐤𝐚𝐡 𝟓𝟐𝐚) also speaks of a Messiah son of Joseph who will be pierced and die before final redemption. Christians believe Yeshua was pierced, crucified, and died for sin. If the Zohar and Talmud describe a suffering Messiah, why is it shocking to consider that Yeshua fits that description?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧? 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐈𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭

Christians believe Yeshua rose from the dead. Jews often say resurrection does not apply to the Messiah. Yet, Jewish texts suggest otherwise. 𝐌𝐢𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐦 (𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟎) says that the Messiah’s body will not decay. This matches what the New Testament says about Yeshua:

“𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑦.” (Acts 13:35).

The Talmud (𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝟗𝟖𝐛) states that if the Messiah comes from the dead, he will be like Daniel, who was promised resurrection (Daniel 12:2). Jews reading this might wonder why they have never heard of these sources. Christians might wonder why Jews have not connected them to Yeshua.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: 𝐀 𝐉𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚

Christians say the Messiah’s mission was to bring the nations to God. Jews often reject that, but Isaiah does not.

“𝐼 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑙𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡ℎ.” (Isaiah 49:6).

The 𝐙𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐫 (𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭 𝟖𝐚) expands this idea. It describes a Messiah who will illuminate the nations and bring them to worship the true God. Christianity spread faith in the God of Israel to the world. What else could Isaiah and the Zohar be referring to?

𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝: 𝐇𝐞’𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤

The final argument against Yeshua is that he did not bring world peace. That is true. But Jewish texts say the Messiah comes in two roles. The 𝐙𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐫 (𝐕𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝟏𝟏𝟗𝐚) says the Messiah will appear twice—once in suffering and once in victory. This fits the Christian belief in Yeshua’s first coming and future return.

The Hebrew Bible also speaks of two messianic figures. 𝐙𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟏𝟐:𝟏𝟎 describes a Messiah who is pierced. 𝐙𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟏𝟒:𝟒 describes a conquering king who stands on the Mount of Olives. Christians believe both refer to Yeshua—first in his death, then in his return. If Jewish texts support the idea of two appearances of the Messiah, why is it unthinkable that Yeshua will come again?

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐖𝐞 𝐆𝐨 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞?

Jewish tradition has held messianic expectations for centuries. It has described a Messiah who suffers, is pierced, dies, and is revealed in two appearances. It has taught that he will be a light to the nations and will one day return in victory. These ideas are not Christian alone. They exist in rabbinic, mystical, and biblical texts.

For Christians, this confirms what they already know. For Jews, it might challenge what they have been told. If Jewish sources align with the Christian story, then maybe it is time for both Jews and Christians to take another look at Yeshua. Maybe he is the Messiah we have all been waiting for—we are just all waiting for His arrival.