Jesus Wasn't Messiah

QUESTION: Why do the Jewish people think that Jesus wasn't Messiah?

ANSWER:

For centuries, the Jews awaited the promised Messiah, a savior, to restore the kingdom of Israel. Throughout the Old Testament, we see that God has a good record on keeping His promises; the Jews were confident the messianic prophecy would be fulfilled as well.

Daniel, an ancient prophet, prophesied the time of the Messiah's arrival. Daniel claimed that the Messiah would come 483 years (476 years on our calendar), after the command to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. In fact, 476 years after King Artaxerxes issued the decree to rebuild the temple in 443 B.C., Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (33 A.D.). Shortly after that, Daniel tells us the Messiah will be cut off to pay for sin and to bring righteousness, a right standing with God. The ancient prophet Isaiah goes into more detail.

Isaiah 53:3-5, "He was despised and rejected by men...Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Jesus fulfilled the ancient prophecies concerning the Messiah. Then why do the Jewish people think that Jesus is not the Messiah?

The Jewish people thought that the Messiah would restore the kingdom of Jerusalem. The Jewish priests believed the Messiah would atone for the wickedness of the invading Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans. Jewish scholars ignored the prophecy pertaining to the Messiah's affliction and made His victories the center of Messianic theology. They refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah as He did not brandish the sword and conquer the Romans; instead, He conquered our iniquities. His kingdom was not established to satisfy political objectives, which didn't coincide with the theocracy the Jewish people had in mind.

Today, there are many Jews who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah; they call themselves Messianic Jews. Some more traditional Jews, such as the Orthodox and Hasidic, maintain the beliefs propagated by the Jewish priests of Jesus' day. Other sects of Judaism are not religious and have not accepted the original prophecies; these Jewish people do not uphold the laws of Moses.

"Why do the Jewish people think that Jesus is not the Messiah" is an important question. But an even greater question is whether or not you, personally, think that Jesus is the Messiah. He has fulfilled the ancient prophecies pertaining to the location, time and circumstances of His birth, life, and death. Do you also accept that He has fulfilled the prophecy concerning His payment for your sins?