Introduction to The Hebraic biography of Y'shua

(Tina Meador) #1

Because this passage speaks about Joseph being ―bitterly grieved" and ―hated", the Sages applied the name
of Joseph to the 'Suffering Servant Messiah‘.


All of these various legends and myths concerning the two Messiahs are found in a book by Raphael Patai,
entitled The Messiah Texts, published by Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1979. Let us examine some
passages from this most interesting book.


"This great poet-prophet [Deutero-Isaiah*] spoke repeatedly about the 'Servant of the Lord‘, describing the
call, mission, sufferings, death, and resurrection of this mysterious individual (Isa 42:1-4: 49:1-6; 50:4-9;
52:13-53:12). As to the identification of this 'Servant‘, there is no scholarly consensus to this day. However,
the Aggada, the Talmudic legend, unhesitatingly identifies him with the Messiah, and understands especially
the descriptions of his sufferings as referring to Messiah ben Joseph‖. (p. xxiii, brackets are mine.)


[* Like most 'scholars‘, Patai does not believe that a single individual wrote the entire book of Isaiah. Hence,
a different person supposedly wrote the later portion of this book. This portion is known in scholarly circles as
Deutero-Isaiah. The 'Suffering Servant' passages all fall into this later portion of the book.]


Patai makes it clear in the above quote that during the time just prior to the ministry of Y‘shua, there was
great expectation among the people that a "Messiah, Son of Joseph" would soon appear on the scene.


"From the first century BCE, the Messiah was the central figure in the Jewish myth of the future‖. (Ibid.,
p. xxvii)


Many First Century rabbis also saw a close connection between the historical figure of Moshe (Moses) and
this future Messiah. Patai writes:


"The great task both the Messiah and Moses are destined to fulfill is the redemption of their people from
bondage - ...Both lead their people back to the Promised Land... Both Moses and the Messiah spend an
inordinately long time waiting for the divinely ordained moment when they can embark on their mission of
salvation‖. (Ibid., p. xxx).


However, according to Patai, the ancient expectations of the Messiah held that once He appeared, the
people would still have to wait a period of time for the promised redemption to take place.


"Nor does the Redemption follow immediately upon the appearance of the Redeemer. After he is revealed,
he is hidden, and only upon his second appearance does the great global process of Redemption begin‖.
(Ibid., p. xxxi).


In the ancient understanding, the waiting or hiding period mentioned above would be relatively short – some
said forty days, some forty-five, and others seventy days. The important thing to remember is that full
redemption does not take place immediately upon the appearance of Messiah Ben Joseph.


Another analogy that was used in the First Century is taken from the life of Moshe. In this scenario, the
Messiah, like Moses, would not be allowed to live to see the completion of the redemption of the children of
Israel.


"The Messiah, too, must die before his mission is completed, but he also must live in order to sit on the
throne of David in Jerusalem. Therefore, two Messiahs must appear, one after the other. The first, Messiah
son of Joseph, dies in the global wars of Gog and Magog in which he leads the modest forces of Israel
against the Juggernaut of Armilus. ...Messiah ben Joseph himself is killed by Armilus, and his body remains
unburied in the streets of Jerusalem for forty days‖. (Ibid., p. xxxiii). [
Satan the Devil.]


It is interesting to note that Y‘shua, after His resurrection, dwelt another forty days in Judea and the Galilee
before being taken up into heaven to be with His Father.


What, then, was supposed to happen to this dead Messiah Ben Joseph? Patai goes on:


"But then he comes to life. The legend tells us that Messiah ben David appears, and as one of the first of his
Messianic acts, he resuscitates him. Since nothing more is said about him after his revival, one suspects that
what one must understand is that the request which was denied to Moses will be granted to the Messiah: he,
as the Son of Joseph, will die on the threshold of the End of Days, but then will come back to life as the Son
of David and complete the mission he began in his earlier incarnation‖. (Ibid., p. xxxiii).

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