In modern society, the word "messiah" firmly associated with the Second Coming of Christ and the phenomenon of the Antichrist, and following this the Apocalypse and the Last Judgment.
to create a full picture of the definition of this concept is needed to look at the definition of the Messiah with angles of several world religions.
Messiah - Teacher in Judaism
According to the Dictionary of Russian Dmitry Ushakov, the word "messiah" - a Saviour, on the theory of Judaism and Christian churches, sent down to earth by God to cleanse it from sin, and the word is derived from theHebrew "madlyashiah" (literally - the anointed, the Greek translation - the Christ).
In ancient times, anointing with oil subjected to all the kings, ascending to the throne.According to Judaism, the Messiah - a descendant of King David.It should be noted that the word Tanakh called "madlyashiah" all the kings of Judah and Israel, the priests, the biblical patriarchs, the people of Israel, the prophets, and some of the Persian King Cyrus because of its special merits to the Jewish people.
concept of the Messiah in Judaism introduced the prophets of ancient Israel.The main criterion of this parish is considered the prophecy of Isaiah, indicating that the Messiah will be the world in the era of social and ethnic changes.In the era of Moshiach will end the war, will come universal prosperity in the world, and people will turn their attention to spirituality and service to God and the Jewish people will live under the laws of the Torah.
According to the teaching of the Midrash - the oral Torah - drawn a parallel between the first coming of "the first Redeemer" Moses and "the second Redeemer" the Messiah, that allows us to speak about the birth of the messianic idea even in ancient times.
Messiah in Islam
Islam Mahdi - Messiah - this is the last successor of the Prophet Muhammad, who will be in the world on the eve of the end of the world.In the Koran coming of the Messiah is not mentioned, but it is widely known in the hadith of Muhammad originally identified with the prophet Isa (Jesus), which herald the approach of kiyamata - Judgment Day.
In ancient times Mahdi perceived in the form of a future leader who will restore the original purity of Islam.Therefore Messianic ideas always inspired Muslim religious and social movements.
should also be said that, because of certain circumstances, especially akivno dogmatic belief in the Mahdi was accepted in Shiite Islam, where it merged with the belief in the return of the "hidden imam".
based on the teachings of the Messiah in Christianity
According to the new vocabulary of the Russian language, edited by TF Ephraim, the Messiah - is:
- epithet of the name of Jesus Christ as the savior from sin and the Savior of all mankind;
- expected deliverer of the Jewish people from the prophecies.
In the Christian world the belief in the phenomenon of the Messiah as the return of Christ to Earth to obtain the most widespread.In the Orthodox Church there is a consensus that the Messiah - this is Jesus of Nazareth, which will be sent to the people of God to re-completion of the Last Judgment.
It should be noted that in European folklore, based on numerous intertwined currents of Christianity and local pagan traditions, there is a common standardized image of Christ, which should in the beginning of Advent to enter Jerusalem on a donkey.Jesus himself would be very careful about the use of the word "Messiah", so the options are virtually eliminated its self-proclamation.
Antimessiya in Russian national consciousness
The Russian Orthodox religious tradition is also widely spread belief that, as opposed to the Messiah in the world to be born of his complete opposite.Moreover, if the fixed beliefs regarding Christ Biblical legend of the unknown date of its effects, the Dark Messiah - Trishka, Antihristos - expected believers virtually every age.To this day, some Orthodox are of the opinion that both these phenomena, if not occurred in recent times, it certainly will occur in the near future.
In the minds of the layman and the Messiah Dark Messiah appear extremely charismatic personality.They also attributed the ability to instantly deliver a person a sense of love for the world and the people in them feel bad, and some other quality.
In some cases, the combination also takes images of Dark Messiah and Lucifer - the angel Lucifer, the most beautiful of the divine beings, deposed in hell for pride.
analogue of this concept in Hinduism
What is the Messiah in the Hindu religious tradition?This concept is directly related to the concept of Master and Savior, and it seems the embodiment of the world ten avatars of Lord Vishnu.
Avatar does not have to be represented in the human body.In previous incarnations of Vishnu was a fish, tortoise, boar, poluchelovekom-polulvom, dwarf Brahmin, Brahmin Parasurama, Rama - a legendary king of Ayodhya, shepherd Krishna and Buddha.The last, the tenth avatar of Vishnu phenomenon on Earth believers expect at the end of Kali Yuga, the era of human passions and the worst of human manifestations.
According to the teachings, Kalki - the last avatar of Vishnu - come down to earth on a horse, endowed with gleaming sword and eight human abilities.He will destroy the unjust and greedy kings, restore justice and restore the minds of people living in the world, "making them clear as crystal."It is assumed that all perezhivyuschie end of Kali Yuga, people will move into an era of Crete, the age of purity, and live according to its laws.
teacher of Buddhism In Buddhism, there is also a concept similar to the Christian and Judaic Messiah and having the features of cyclical stay in the mortal world.
Strictly speaking, according to the Buddhist religious provisions, there are countless Buddhas like creatures that have befallen the truth, and every phenomenon of the planet - no more than a link in an endless chain of creation.Thus, every Buddha - an intermediary to achieve a world of knowledge between people and God.On the concept of the Buddha is similar in nature, but a stranger Feature Bodhisattva - "being, seeking to awaken" and decided to take on the role of teachers in the process of reaching people worldwide truth.Motivation for this action is considered to be the desire to rid the bodhisattva of all sentient beings from suffering and release from samsara - the endless cycle of rebirth.
Therefore Buddhist Messiah - is Bohisattva Maitreya, whose prophetic appearance at the end of Satya Yuga is recognized by all schools of Buddhism.His name literally means "Lord, dubbed the compassion."He - the upcoming Teacher of mankind, give new Teaching himself to be the bearer of the Buddha's teachings.People tear network passions, learn to go into a trance and will lead a chaste and holy life.
One of the phenomena, heralding the coming of Maitreya, will decrease in the areas of the oceans to the Bodhisattva was easy for them to cross.
phenomena of false messiahs throughout the 20th century
In the history knows many phenomena of false messiahs, producing people in order to enrich or to obtain fame and influence.It should be noted that it is often these people have great expectations.Christ himself has repeatedly warned his followers about the phenomena of false messiahs.
In modern psychiatry there is also a definition of "Jerusalem Syndrome," or "messianic syndrome" that applies to mentally ill people who identify themselves with the prophets and teachers of mankind gods.
Among the most famous false messiah of the 20th century stand out Gregory Grabovoj scandal involving which boomed in the "resurrection of the children of Beslan";Jim Jones, the founder of the church, "Peoples Temple" and provoked the mass murder of its adherents in 1978;Sun Myung Moon, founder of the South Korean cult "Unification Church";Marina Tsvigun, who identified herself as the Virgin Mary Christ, established in 1980 the sect named after himself and declared himself "Messiah of the age of Aquarius and the Mother of the World."
Messiah theme in art
great contribution to culture has made George Frideric Handel, "Messiah," which is now the most recognized speakers in the world.Great work consists of three parts, a few scenes in each.Despite the hardships, which had in 1741 Handel, "Messiah" was written in just 24 days.
Another famous works devoted to the Messiah, is the opera "Jesus Christ - Superstar" by Andrew Webber, written in 1970.
earthly life of the Messiah Jesus as the subject of many paintings by artists of different eras.
Messiah in modern culture of the European countries and America
image of the Messiah found its reflection in the various areas of the world culture.For example, one of the examples of the use of the image of the Messiah as the guide of a life is to include it in his surrealistic works of American author Richard Bach."Pocket Guide Messiah" is a book oracle, which at any moment may suggest strazhduyuschemu necessary decision or explain the current situation.
theme "Antimessii" also found its reflection in the cultural masovogo perception, creating a choice of a large number of users of computer games.One of these games is the Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements ("Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements"), which has a fascinating story in the form of an artifact search and struggle of the protagonist and his teacher with the demons of the apocalypse.The main character is a knight appears the light that is necessary to pierce the heart of the boom Dark black magician Messi, finally defeating the army of the Dark Forces.
