Mesjanizm w historii myśli żydowskiej

Abstract

Messianism, as a religious idea connected with the person of the Messiah, is one of the leading thoughts of Judaism. The paper is devoted to the more important historical stages of the development of this thought throughout centuries. The term Messiah is of Semitic origin; in the original language it means the one who has been anointed, anointing being a rite of introduction into performing religious and social functions. It consisted in pouring over the head of the anointed person liquid vegatable fat, which then flowed to the arms and down the robes. Olive oil, as the most accessible type, was most frequently used. This rite had an important symbolic meaning. Olive and fat meant strength and power, which resulted from a simple observation that people who had more fat were also stronger. This strength flowed onto the anointed from above and so it symbolized the gift of strength received from God; this strength flowed on the head as the noblest part of human body and then flowed over the whole body, encompassing, as it were, the whole person, endowing him with strength. The person who thus received his strength from above was able to take up his tasks among the community of Israel, which too had a religious character as the whole life of the chosen people, who had made the covenant with God, was subject to God's law and belonged to the divine sphere. Examples of positions which required anointing was that of king, priest and prophet.