Synopses & Reviews
Messiah is one of the most popular and most contested terms in the biblical interpretation. To understand this concept is to understand one of the earliest terms applied to Jesus.
While many often read the concept back into early Old Testament texts, Joseph Fitzmyer carefully and comprehensively tells the story of its development from Daniel 9 to the New Testament. The One Who Is to Come begins with the term itself, then discusses passages that reveal the developing understanding of the Davidic dynasty and those that are often seen as Old Testament precursors. It also takes on the place of the term in the Septuagint and extrabiblical Jewish writings, as well as the New Testament, Targums, and Mishnah.
Fitzmyer's masterful work takes issue with the excessive claims for the concept of messiah in the Old Testament, pointing instead to the proper (and no less full) tradition of messiah that emerged in the intertestamental period. The One Who Is to Come presents a novel yet biblical thesis that will appeal to scholars, students and all who wish investigate the origins of the concept of messiah.
Synopsis
"Messiah" is one of the most contested terms in Christian reflection, with many people reading the concept back into early Old Testament texts. In
The One Who Is to Come Joseph Fitzmyer contradicts that misreading, carefully tracing the emergence of messianism in Judaism to a much later date -- the second century B.C.
The One Who Is to Come begins with a linguistic discussion of the term "messiah," then demonstrates the gradual emergence of the idea of a future, dynasty-continuing David, before finally examining the "anointed one" language in the latest biblical text, Daniel 9. It also examines the use of the term in the Septuagint and extrabiblical Jewish writings, as well as the New Testament, Targums, and the Mishnah. Fitzmyer's masterful study presents a novel, biblical thesis that will appeal to scholars, students, and all who wish to investigate the complex history of messianism.
Table of Contents
The term "Messiah" -- The use of [māšaḥ] in the Old Testament -- Other Old Testament passages often regarded as the background of the term "Messiah" -- Old Testament passages that reveal a developing understanding of the Davidic dynasty -- The role of Daniel 9:25-26 in the emergence of Messianism -- The Septuagint's interpretation of some Old Testament passages -- Extrabiblical Jewish writings of the Second Temple period -- The use of Messiah in the New Testament -- The use of Messiah in the Mishnah, Targums, and other rabbinic writings -- Conclusion.