The One Who Is to Come

"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, befo...