Concept in Definition ABC

The term Messiah must be understood from the historical coordinates of the Jewish people and Judaism as religion. Likewise, Christianity brings its own meaning to what the idea of ​​Messiah represents. However, this concept goes beyond the borders of religion and is part of common language (terms such as messianic or messianic would be a clear example).

The Messiah in the Jewish and Christian tradition

After the exodus and the period of exile, the Jewish people dispersed, but they retained the hope of one day returning to the Land Promised by God. In the period of the exodus, chiefs (also called Judges) emerged, who acted as leaders of the different clans. Is tradition it was abolished by King David. When David conquered the holy city of Jerusalem, the building of a temple of worship for the Jews and which was completed by his successor, Solomon.

The new king established the hereditary succession and the figure of the king became a direct link that united God with the people. The king was anointed with a special ritual and therefore received the name Messiah (in Hebrew, Messiah means anointed).

The concept of Messiah was originally applied to kings. However, with the passage of time some kings failed as leaders and this caused the idea of ​​the Messiah to take on a new meaning. In this way, the Messiah was projected into the future, because one day a new leader would come, a Messiah. In this way, when the authentic Messiah arrives, the government of God on Earth. This change of valuation was not a capricious question, because in the Bible the prophet Isaiah predicted the arrival of a Messiah. The prophet's announcement was interpreted differently when Jesus Christ was born and for his followers Jesus Christ is the true Messiah. Thus, the Messiah has already arrived for the Christians but has yet to arrive for the Jews.

Messianic movements, messianism and other messiahs

Messianism in a biblical sense has been the origin of Judaism and Christianity. At the same time, the idea of ​​a Messiah inspired a whole series of religious movements (for example, the millennialism of the Middle Ages or some sects based on the belief that a new spiritual leader is coming).

The original religious meaning of the concept of Messiah acquires another meaning when margin of religiosity. In the activity politics when a leader pretends to set himself up as symbol of a people it is said that he practices messianism, which would be a form of populism. If a group of people hope that a new leader will arrive when he appears, he is received with great satisfaction and somehow becomes a Messiah. Even in sports, this term is used (the signing of a great striker can be presented as the arrival of the Messiah).

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