Clivedurdle

British Museum has an exhibition on Persia and I am reading Tom Holland "Persian Fire".

In this Holland comments that the references in Isaiah 45 to the Christ are to Cyrus - my old evangelical bible commentary confirms this but does its normal trick of duplicate meanings! (ie Cyrus was the expected Mesiah - the Jews had no need of a further Messiah!)

Holland seems to be saying that Cyrus may have resurrected Judaism in a new form (is it right he built the Temple?) - for political reasons - a powerful subject state in Judae was very useful.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038...books&v=glance

I think I am now seeing three major religions in which the religious versions of history and reality do not match! Anyone know how important Isaiah 45 is for modern xians?