Salvation and the concept of the Messiah
Jake Eudene
Background
The religion of Judaism has existed for thousands of years and hundreds before that of Christianity. However, they both follow similar paths of redemption and argue that “man needs salvation from his mortality[1].” The idea of redemption has coincided with these two religions, prompting a need for a savior, or a Messiah.
Turning Point
The concept of salvation is prevalently seen in the religions of Christianity and Judaism, in which salvation occurs after a Messiah is recognized. In Christianity people attributed salvation with Jesus, the son of God. For Christianity, it was “Jesus as a divine being, the Christ, whose death and resurrection promised salvation[2].” The idea of salvation spread when “men who whatever their faults – and there were many – were passionately concerned to lay hold of and to propagate the gospel of salvation[3].”
In Judaism there was the idea that the Messiah was “to redeem Israel from its servitude and from all its tribulations and to bring salvation to all humanity through the salvation of Israel, which should precede and make straight the highway before it[4].” The concept of redemption has existed for longer than the concept of the Messiah in Judaism. The idea that a Jewish Messiah will descend down from the Heavens does not actually occur in religious text until much later.[5] However, by recognizing that a Messiah is needed, Judaism and Christianity formed a new link in their concepts of salvation.
Effect
Salvation created two broad classes amongst people, those who were saved from eternal damnation and the corrupted that were “incapable of salvation[6].” This class division meant that only a few would receive the lost knowledge of oneself through salvation. People began to become divided along this new line and wars were to be fought over this complex Messianic idea of salvation.
The difference in the idea of the Messiah between Judaism and Christianity resulted in a long dispute between the two religions. Whereas Judaism believed that in “the belief in the Messiah of the people of Israel, the political part goes arm and arm with the ethical part, and the nationalistic with the universalistic,” Christianity believed that the political and nationalistic aspect of the Messiah should be removed.[7] Although Christianity received ideas of redemption from Judaism[8], the two religions are still split over the Messianic complex and the path to salvation.
[1] Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 92.
[2] David Chidester. “Christianity: A Global History.” Harper Collins Publisher. 2000: 28.
[3] Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 83.
[4] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955:12.
[5] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955:8.
[6] Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 89.
[7] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955: 10.
[8] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955: 529-530.
Bibliography
David Chidester. “Christianity: A Global History.” Harper Collins Publisher. San Francisco. 2000: 28.
Joseph Klausner, Ph.D. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955: 7-12,
529-530.
Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 89.
Jake Eudene
Background
The religion of Judaism has existed for thousands of years and hundreds before that of Christianity. However, they both follow similar paths of redemption and argue that “man needs salvation from his mortality[1].” The idea of redemption has coincided with these two religions, prompting a need for a savior, or a Messiah.
Turning Point
The concept of salvation is prevalently seen in the religions of Christianity and Judaism, in which salvation occurs after a Messiah is recognized. In Christianity people attributed salvation with Jesus, the son of God. For Christianity, it was “Jesus as a divine being, the Christ, whose death and resurrection promised salvation[2].” The idea of salvation spread when “men who whatever their faults – and there were many – were passionately concerned to lay hold of and to propagate the gospel of salvation[3].”
In Judaism there was the idea that the Messiah was “to redeem Israel from its servitude and from all its tribulations and to bring salvation to all humanity through the salvation of Israel, which should precede and make straight the highway before it[4].” The concept of redemption has existed for longer than the concept of the Messiah in Judaism. The idea that a Jewish Messiah will descend down from the Heavens does not actually occur in religious text until much later.[5] However, by recognizing that a Messiah is needed, Judaism and Christianity formed a new link in their concepts of salvation.
Effect
Salvation created two broad classes amongst people, those who were saved from eternal damnation and the corrupted that were “incapable of salvation[6].” This class division meant that only a few would receive the lost knowledge of oneself through salvation. People began to become divided along this new line and wars were to be fought over this complex Messianic idea of salvation.
The difference in the idea of the Messiah between Judaism and Christianity resulted in a long dispute between the two religions. Whereas Judaism believed that in “the belief in the Messiah of the people of Israel, the political part goes arm and arm with the ethical part, and the nationalistic with the universalistic,” Christianity believed that the political and nationalistic aspect of the Messiah should be removed.[7] Although Christianity received ideas of redemption from Judaism[8], the two religions are still split over the Messianic complex and the path to salvation.
[1] Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 92.
[2] David Chidester. “Christianity: A Global History.” Harper Collins Publisher. 2000: 28.
[3] Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 83.
[4] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955:12.
[5] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955:8.
[6] Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 89.
[7] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955: 10.
[8] Joseph Klausner. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955: 529-530.
Bibliography
David Chidester. “Christianity: A Global History.” Harper Collins Publisher. San Francisco. 2000: 28.
Joseph Klausner, Ph.D. “The Messianic Idea in Israel: From its beginning to the completion of the Mishnah.” The MacMillan Company. 1955: 7-12,
529-530.
Maurice Wiles. “The Christian Fathers.” J.B. Lippincott Company. 1966: 89.