I read a comment the other day that laid out a very detailed list on what the Jewish Messiah was supposed to be and do, and then made the claim that Jesus didn’t meet those qualifications. It was well said, however, it was a little misleading. I’m not sure if it was unintentional (I’d like to think so) or simply a result of misunderstanding (which I find is more often the case). So I wanted to address some of those objections from scripture, Jewish tradition, and from historical record.

First, where does the idea of a Messiah even come from?

The word “Messiah” (Hebrew: Mashiach) simply means “anointed one,” but the assertion is that the anointed one would one day bring redemption, justice, peace, and rule from David’s line. And I think that both Jews and Christians would agree on that. It’s the details we differ on. Those traits and prophecies comes straight from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament). But to clear up any misinformation, those ideas didn’t develop after the Babylonian exile or the destruction of the temple by Rome. The messianic hope is rooted firmly in the Torah and the Prophets.

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” – Genesis 49:10

This isn’t a prophecy or promise for kings and royalty, it’s for the Messiah. Rabbinic writings like Targum Onkelos and Midrash Rabbah agree this is about the Messiah.

“A Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” – Numbers 24:17

The people in Jesus’s day, were expecting the Messiah. The belief of this fulfillment was widespread in Jewish communities during the times of Jesus. Roman historians—secular, non-Christian, non-Jewish historians— like Tacitus and Suetonius (who utterly despised Christianity) recorded that there was a widely held Jewish belief during the first century that someone from Judea would rise up and rule the world (Tacitus, Histories 5.13; Suetonius, Life of Vespasian 4).

This idea wasn’t just in Jesus’s day. It was prevalent and flourishing before Jesus even arrived on the scene. And no, looking at history, and facts, Jesus, nor Christians invented this retroactively, as many have asserted.

The Six Criteria

So there are six main criteria that Jewish scholars, Jewish people, rabbi assert that the Messiah must meet. For the Jewish people, these criteria can possibly be split up between the two different Messiah’s that they believe will come. But below are those six criteria.

1. He must be Jewish.

The first qualification for the messiah seems kind of obvious. He must be Jewish. Christians and Jews both agree on this. It is not something that is up for debate. And Jesus was Jewish. Both Matthew and Luke trace his lineage back to the beginning, all the way to Adam. One does this for Mary, His mother, and one does this for Joseph, His earthly father.

Now critics have argued over how to read these genealogies, but both clearly lay out the line, showing that Jesus descended from two different sons of David. This wasn’t uncommon for an ancient genealogical records common, especially when establishing legal versus biological claims. Though it may seem odd to modern readers, this was normal for the time.

2. He must be from the tribe of Judah and the line of David.

Jesus is repeatedly called “Son of David” in the Gospels (e.g., Matthew 1:1, 9:27).

We know that he came from the lineage of David, but what about his tribal lineage—specifically through the father? Numbers 1:18 says tribal identity comes from the father. However, there’s precedent in the Hebrew Bible for God intervening supernaturally in lineage when needed.

Some Jewish critics have made the argument that Jesus doesn’t fit, because Joseph wasn’t his natural father. However, if God is the father, in this case, are we really saying that his authority doesn’t count? Also, look at Jewish tradition self. It’s not entirely consistent. Rabbinic rulings, like in Mishnah Kiddushin 3:12, allow maternal descent in some cases, and even the Talmud acknowledges divine exceptions to human rules. Of course, this is an area of significant debate, even within Jewish tradition, but it is still there.

And some of the same critics have argued about the Jeconiah curse. Jeremiah 22:30 says, “Write this man down as childless… for none of his descendants shall prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling anymore in Judah.”

Why is this a big deal? Because Jeconiah appears in Jesus’s genealogy (Matthew 1:12). However, this curse is lifted in Haggai 2:23, where God himself calls Zerubbabel (a descendant of Jeconiah) His “signet ring.” The language to use there is a direct reversal of the curse.

And as some Christian scholars have argued as well, Jesus’ legal right to David’s throne came through Joseph (the legal line) but not his biological dissent, since Jesus was born of a virgin.

3. He must gather all Jews back to Israel.

According to Jewish critics, Jesus never led a physical return of all the Jews back to Israel. However, some may be missing something here. The Hebrew prophets described two roles for the Messiah, not to messiahs. That is, one role of suffering and rejected, and another role of ruling and restoring. That’s where the idea of two Messiahs (Messiah ben Joseph and Messiah ben David) came from. You can see this in Talmud Sukkah 52a.

Of course, Christians believe that Jesus fulfills, both roles, just not at the same time, which is hard for Jewish minds to wrap around. However, this view is consistent with the concept of progressive fulfillment, which is already visible in Jewish scriptures. First, He came to deal with sin, as talked about in Isaiah 53. Many Jews, do not view this as a major problem. But it’s the most important problem to God. That’s why it was dealt with first. And later, the Messiah will return to establish peace and gather his people, as stated in Isaiah 11.

4. He must rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

Another major criticism from Jewish scholars is that the Messiah is supposed to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and Jesus never did this. They associate the Messiah with God’s dwelling place, the temple. But Jesus didn’t ignore this. In fact, he spoke directly about this. In John 2:19, He says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He was speaking of His body.

The New Testament presents Jesus as the new temple—the place where God and all of humanity meet, not just Jewish people. Early Jewish believers accepted this idea. This isn’t necessarily a dismissal of the physical temple, but a fulfillment and transformation of what it actually represented.

5. He must bring world peace.

Again, a misunderstanding of the dual role of the Messiah, places prophecies from the second role into the first role. Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9:26 both speak of the Messiah being cut off, suffering, and bearing sins before restoration and peace come.

Jesus didn’t fail to bring peace. He wasn’t bringing peace by disarming everybody, taking away their weapons and forcing them to like each other. He brought peace with God through the cross (Isaiah 53:5). But that universal piece? It’s coming as well, just not yet. If we accept progressive fulfillment (which is how many Jewish prophecies unfold), this isn’t a problem—it’s the pattern.

6. He must turn the world to worship one God.

Christianity is the largest monotheistic faith in the world today, rooted in Jewish scripture and centered on Israel’s Messiah. Billions of people across the globe worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because of Jesus.

Isaiah 49:6 says:

“I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

That prophecy — though often criticized by some scholars—has been happening for 2,000 years.

So what about Ezekiel 37 and the one shepherd?

Is equal 37, the profit prophesies about a time when Israel will be restored and united under a single shepherd—described as “My servant David.” This can’t actually be David, as it was written long after King David’s death. This is seen and accepted as a messianic prophecy, foretelling of a future ruler from David’s line who would lead God’s people in peace and righteousness. Christians and Jews, both accept this. However, they differ on the fulfillment of it.

Remember, prophetic language is often layered. Christians believe Jesus will fulfill this fully at His return. However, the new Testament shows this that Jesus has already started this. As John 10:11 says, Jesus is the good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.

Jewish critics may think that Christians are twisting scripture, saying that Jesus should have fulfilled all the prophecies when he was here the first time. But many Jewish prophecies are fulfilled in stages. For example:

• Cyrus was called God’s anointed (Isaiah 45:1), but he didn’t fulfill everything at once.
• The return from Babylon happened gradually (Ezra, Nehemiah).
• Abraham’s Descendants Becoming a Great Nation (Genesis 12:2), initial fulfillment through Isaac and Jacob, then further growth in Egypt, then full nationhood at Sinai.
• Conquest of Canaan (Exodus 23:29–30; Deuteronomy 7:22), partial fulfillment under Joshua, continuing conquest under Judges and David, and full territorial control under Solomon.

Why wouldn’t Messiah’s work follow the same model?

Wrapping It Up

I understand, there are big differences between how Judaism today and Christianity view the Messiah. However, many of the objections against Jesus rest on later rabbinic interpretations, not on what the Hebrew Bible actually says. And when you compare Jesus to all the messianic prophecies—not just the ruling-king ones—He fits. Not just a little, but perfectly.

Don’t take my word for it. Check the sources. Read Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Zechariah 12:10, Daniel 9:26, and Micah 5:2. Then ask: if not Jesus, who?

There is no one else in history who checks all the boxes—especially the ones about suffering, being cut off, and rising again. But that’s not all. It’s not just about the prophecies covered in this. But no other person who claimed to be the Messiah—of whom there have been some, has ever gained a following so massive that it has changed the entire history of the world.

That kind of influence, that kind of life deserves to be honestly investigated with an open mind. I encourage you to do that. Be blessed. Stay with the Word and the Spirit, and remember, if God said it, you believe it, and that settles it.