Jews generally do not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, a prophet, or divine. Their views are rooted in several key theological and historical reasons:
- Messianic Prophecies Not Fulfilled: Jews believe that the Messiah must fulfill specific prophecies such as bringing world peace, rebuilding the Jerusalem Temple, gathering all Jews back to Israel, and ushering in an era of universal knowledge of God. Jesus did not accomplish these tasks during his lifetime, so Jews do not recognize him as the Messiah
- Monotheism and Divinity: Judaism emphasizes the absolute oneness and singularity of God. The Christian belief that Jesus is God incarnate or the Son of God contradicts Jewish monotheism. Judaism views worshiping a person as idolatry, which is forbidden. Therefore, Jews reject the Christian claim of Jesus' divinity
- Jewish Historical Perspective: Jesus was born, lived, and died as a Jew, and his earliest followers were Jewish. However, Judaism sees Jesus as a Jewish teacher or, traditionally, as a heretic who led people away from Jewish law. Some Jewish scholars and groups, such as Karaites, have regarded Jesus as a righteous man or prophet but not the Messiah or divine
- Rejection by Jewish Authorities: Jewish leaders at the time and subsequent rabbis did not accept Jesus as the Messiah. The destruction of the Second Temple and subsequent Jewish exile are seen as evidence that the messianic era had not arrived with Jesus
- Different Interpretations of Scripture: Jews believe that Christian claims about Jesus fulfilling Hebrew Bible prophecies are based on mistranslations or misinterpretations of the text
- Respectful Difference: While Jews reject the Christian claims about Jesus, many acknowledge his historical existence and some admire his role as a Jewish figure. The disagreement is theological and respectful, reflecting fundamental differences in belief about God and the Messiah
In summary, Jews do not accept Jesus as the Messiah or divine because he did not fulfill the messianic criteria established in Jewish tradition, and the Christian doctrines about him conflict with Jewish monotheism and scripture interpretations
