Spanky

Lately I have been reading about the criticism of the pick and chose/cut and paste tactics the gospel writers used to portray Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The more you compare what the gospels say and what their OT counterparts say one can see that the writers used the scriptures to further their own theology.
I would like to know what scriptures did the first century Jew look to that foretold of a coming of a Messiah? Obviously the modern day Jews are still waiting for their Messiah. Do they have certain scriptures that are not dubious (as are the made up ones of Jesus' fulfillments) and clearly state that there will be a Messiah to come?
The only thing I can think of is what God told Moses (I don't remember where) that there would be one coming after him that would do all these great things for Israel, etc.
I just find it insulting that I actually took all the things the gospels said about what Jesus had fullfiled literally when actually ALL of those things written were not a foretelling of a Messiah. Those things written were taken out of context and used for the furthering of an idea. But where has the idea of a coming Messiah come from in the scriptures? Or is it a made up desireby the Jews that continue to this day?
Anyone?

gnosis92

the OT rarely says "i predict that there will be a messiah, and when he comes, this is what he does so you will know it is him"

Spanky

I feel the same. So why are the Jews still waiting for a Messiah? Where in the scriptures does God promise one that would come to free Israel from whatever?
No one else?

Amaleq13

You might want to check out this previous thread:

Some Alleged Messianic Prophecies

Johnny Skeptic

The Old Testament did not prophesy the coming of anyone like who Jesus supposedly was. How could it? The Old Testament is contrary to the New Testament. The Old Testament favors Jews. The New Testament favors people who are Christians regardless of genetics. It is my position that if Old Testament Jews knew what we know today about genetics, the Old Testament would have been written much differently than it was.

Mathetes

If you don't like the "pick and choose" attitude of the gospels with the Old Testament, you are not gonna like the Messianic prophecies, because they are the exact same thing, "pick and choose".

The Jewish were an occupied nation for ages and longed for independence. So they read their old writings again and again and again until they came up with whatever they wanted to see: that a new king was going to come (that's what Messiah - annointed - king means in my book), that the monarchy was going to be restored, and Yahweh will fulfil his promise that the house of David will reign forever. Since God keeps breaking promises, it keeps theologians hard at work.

At the times of the Christians, the claim of the Messiah, made-up as it was, was nonetheless widespread. So when someone wanted to vindicate a Messiah, he would do the same thing: essentially re-read the Old Testament and take quotes out of context until it makes sense, and proves whatever you want to prove. In this case, a notion that had been re-read and taken out of context itself, some generations later.

It-s essentially piling nonsense upon nonsense.

Anat

Any prophecy that had not yet come true by the times of the reader (according to whichever interpretation) can be interpreted to be referring to the reader's future. The prophecies about the wolf living peacefully with the lamb etc in Isaiah and pounding swords into plowshares in Isaiah and Micah as well as prophecies of an idealised Jerusalem that leads the whole world in peace and justice are interpreted eschatologically.

OTOH there was a minority opinion that the Jewish messiah was Hezekiah and none will be forthcoming.