The One who is to Come

Front Cover
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2007 - Religion - 205 pages
"Messiah" is one of the most contested terms in Christian reflection, with many people reading the concept back into early Old Testament texts. In The One Who Is to Come Joseph Fitzmyer contradicts that misreading, carefully tracing the emergence of messianism in Judaism to a much later date -- the second century B.C.

The One Who Is to Come begins with a linguistic discussion of the term "messiah," then demonstrates the gradual emergence of the idea of a future, dynasty-continuing David, before finally examining the "anointed one" language in the latest biblical text, Daniel 9. It also examines the use of the term in the Septuagint and extrabiblical Jewish writings, as well as the New Testament, Targums, and the Mishnah. Fitzmyer's masterful study presents a novel, biblical thesis that will appeal to scholars, students, and all who wish to investigate the complex history of messianism.

From inside the book

Contents

The Term Messiah
1
The Use of in the Old Testament
8
Other Old Testament Passages Often Regarded as the Background of the Term Messiah
26
Old Testament Passages That Reveal a Developing Understanding of the Davidic Dynasty
33
2526 in the Emergence of Messianism
56
The Septuagints Interpretation of Some Old Testament Passages
65
Extrabiblical Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period
82
The Use of Messiah in the New Testament
134
The Use of Messiah in the Mishnah Targums
146
conclusion
182
index of authors
195
Copyright

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About the author (2007)

Joseph A. Fitzmyer, SJ (1920-2016) was professor emeritus of biblical studies at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC.

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