FAILED MESSIAH MOVEMENT

Yeshua (Jesus) was a heretical Jew and failed messiah who stood in a line of many failed messiahs.

The concept of messianic figures in Jewish history is fascinating, especially when considering Jesus (Yeshua). Scholar Bart Ehrman eloquently points out that for most Jews, the idea of Jesus as the Messiah was laughable. He was powerless and met a humiliating end through crucifixion by the Romans. This pattern isn't unique to Jesus. Many others, like Theudas, Menachem ben Judah ben Hezekiah, and Simon ben Kosevah, were also seen as potential messiahs but ultimately failed, facing defeat at the hands of Roman authorities.

In the first century A.D., my people were desperate for leaders to liberate us from Roman oppression, and we believed the messiah would be a descendant of King David. None of the supposed Davidic descendants succeeded, and many met tragic ends. Take Simon of Perea, for instance; he managed to gather a significant following but was eventually beheaded by the Romans. Another example is Anthronges, who waged a serious war against the Romans but was also defeated.

Then there was Yeshua, a gentle figure who preached peace and couldn't lead a military campaign. He proclaimed himself king of the Jews but was crucified, fitting the pattern of failed messianic claims.

Reflecting on these events, it’s clear that no universally accepted Jewish messiah has emerged because every single one of these figures failed in their missions and was ultimately killed by the Romans.

Many messianic figures drew legitimacy from the claim of Davidic descent, but where in Judaic tradition did the belief originate that a Messiah must come from the line of David? During King David’s reign over Israel in the 10th century B.C.E., the conviction took root that his lineage was destined to rule forever—not only over Israel but over all nations.

One of the earliest self-proclaimed messiahs was Simon of Perea, a former slave of King Herod. Simon was the first known heretical Jew to persuade a significant following that he was the true King of the Jews and Jehovah’s anointed one. When the Roman Empire learned of his growing influence, they swiftly deployed military forces to quash the movement. Simon was eventually captured and beheaded in 4 B.C.

Another self-styled messiah, Anthronges, led a major rebellion against Rome, only to meet the same fate. Then came Yeshua the Nazarene. Declaring himself the King of the Jews, Yeshua was pursued and ultimately crucified. Unlike other messianic figures, he was no warrior; he lacked the ability to lead men into battle or manage the complexities of a military campaign. Had King David encountered Yeshua, he likely would have been unimpressed by the gentle philosophy of this self-proclaimed messiah.

Following Yeshua, numerous other messianic movements emerged—though rarely acknowledged by the Abrahamic faiths—all of which ultimately failed. Among them were Theudas (58 C.E.), Menachem ben Judah ben Hezekiah, Simon ben Kosevah, Moses of Crete, Abu Isa, Al-Ra'i ("the shepherd of his people"), and Saüra the Syrian, to name a few.