Hey folks, I suspect this question has been asked many times elsewhere, but I have not been able to find a discussion that addresses this objection to recognizing Christ as the Messiah by the Jewish faith:
Christ as the Messiah - From what I have read the Torah teaches that that he Messiah would only arise when the land was inhabited by a majority of world Jewry, and that the Jews refused to move from Babylon to Israel so the period of prophets had to stop at 350 BCE.
If Christ was born “too late” according to this teaching in Judaism, what is the official response?
Another concern as an aside relates to performing miracles, etc. by the Messiah, which if I understand correctly Judaism also says would be a sign of a “false Messiah”… any help on that point would be extra-appreciated!
Thanks and God-Bless
Hi!
…first you have to understand that practicing Jews cannot, by default, accept Jesus as the Messiah.
…this born too late interpretation clashes with, what I understand as, the majority of rabbinic interpretation of a pending Messiah; just a few years ago (less than a decade) some Russian Jews that migrated to the US claimed that their Rabbi was the Messiah… soon after their pronouncement the man died–they then claimed that it was meant for him to die but that he would soon return (resurrected/glorified body… don’t remember the exact claim)… well… they fell out of the news.
…as for the signs; rather than a few, Jesus performed hundreds of miracles, including returning (resurrecting) to life those who had died (i.e.: Lazarus and the young child of the Roman Centurion); but the signs were only partial demonstration of the Coming of the Messiah; John the Baptist, the precursor, came and he converted the hearts of the people so that they would receive the Baptism of repentance and so that the Messiah would be Revealed.
Jesus proved through signs, Teachings, and dominion over evil spirits that He was the Messiah that was to come.
One of the principle prophecies is that Yahweh God would Come to the Temple (Malachi 3:1)–and so He did! Jesus name means God Saves… but He is also known by the name Immanuel, which means God-with-us… Yahweh God did Come to the Temple and He lived amongst His chosen people (St. John 1:1-18)
Jesus prophesied about two important events: Worship and the Temple.
He prophesied that neither in the mountain (Samaritan’s place of worship) or in the Temple would true Worship continue to Worship but they would Worship God in Spirit and in Truth (St. John 4:19-26).
Jesus also prophesied that the Temple would be razed to the ground and that not even a stone upon a stone would be left… it happened around AD 70–there was a Jewish revolt and the Roman Empire did not only quench it but it castigated the Jews by dismantling the Temple (their most precious religious and cultural icon); they did it in such a way as to fully deflate their psyche (hope, moral strength)… the Temple stones were used in Roman civil engineering–imagine such turmoil when being forced to see the Temple stones being used as material for road building/repairing… how great a desecration!
The Temple cannot ever be rebuilt!
Not just because it was destroyed by the Romans and the Temple site being controlled by both Israelites and Muslins, but because its purpose has been fulfilled(St. John 4:24; Galatians 3:15-29).
The Messiah Came to His own and they rejected Him; since He was rejected by Israel, the Promise Yahweh God made to Abraham was fulfilled as Jesus became the Hope of the Gentiles! (Romans 9:1 through 11:32)
Maran atha!
Angel
) but, if you want a basic idea of Jewish beliefs/attitudes, Judaism 101 is always a good start. Here they are on the subject of 
