Jewish people generally do not believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, a prophet, or divine. Key points of Jewish belief about Jesus include:
- Jesus is not accepted as the Messiah because he did not fulfill the messianic prophecies outlined in Jewish tradition, such as rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, bringing universal peace, gathering all Jews back to Israel, and restoring Jewish sovereignty. Since these events have not occurred, Jesus is not considered the promised Messiah in Judaism
- Judaism strictly upholds monotheism, the belief in one indivisible God. The Christian belief in Jesus as the Son of God or part of a divine Trinity conflicts with Jewish theology, which forbids worship of any person as divine, viewing it as idolatry
- Jewish scholars note that Jesus lived during the time of the Second Temple, which was still standing, and he did not reign as king or initiate the Messianic Age. His death without completing messianic tasks further disqualifies him in Jewish eyes
- Some Jewish perspectives, including Karaite Judaism, have regarded Jesus as a righteous or just man and a Jewish teacher, but not as the Messiah or divine figure
- The rejection of Jesus as Messiah is also based on the understanding that Christian claims about Jesus fulfilling Hebrew Bible prophecies are due to mistranslations or misinterpretations
- Historically, some Jews have viewed Jesus as a heretic or an imposter who led people away from Jewish teachings, though views vary
- Messianic Judaism, a movement distinct from mainstream Judaism, accepts Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah and divine, aligning with Christian doctrine, but this is not representative of Jewish belief
In summary, Jewish belief holds that Jesus was a historical Jewish figure but not the Messiah or divine, as he did not fulfill the messianic criteria and his divinity contradicts Jewish monotheism
