One of the most fascinating subjects in ancient Jewish literature is the expectation of a suffering, sin-atoning Messiah. In this article I will confine the discussion to one little-known rabbinic text entitled Pesikta Rabbati. This work was translated from Hebrew by William G. Braude and published in two volumes by Yale University Press in 1968.

William G. Braude (1907–1988) was born in Lithuania and immigrated to New York with his parents in 1920. He was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 1931 and served as rabbi of Temple Beth El in Providence, Rhode Island, until his retirement in 1974. Braude earned his master’s degree from Brown University in 1934 and completed his Ph.D. in 1937 with a dissertation on Jewish proselytism during the first five centuries of the Common Era. Although he belonged to the Reform branch of Judaism, he encouraged greater cooperation between Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism.

Among the most remarkable passages in Pesikta Rabbati are chapters 36–37, which contain one of the most elaborate rabbinic portrayals of a suffering, sin-atoning Messiah. Although the compilation of Pesikta Rabbati as a whole is generally dated to the seventh century A.D., many scholars assign substantial portions of the work to much earlier periods. Chapters 34–37, in particular, are frequently dated as early as the second century A.D.,¹⁾Andras Kiss, “Christ in the Midrash? “True Messiah Ephraim” in the Early Rabbanic Judaism,” Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2018), p. 2-3 making this section potentially the earliest portion of the entire collection.

The Preexistent Messiah

Chapter 36 with the following statement:

It is the light of the Messiah, of which it is said And God saw the light and it was good (Gen. 1:4). This verse proves that the Holy One, blessed be He, contemplated the Messiah and his works before the world was created, and then under His throne of glory put away His Messiah until the time of the generation in which he will appear.²⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 677

Here we encounter the Jewish concept of the Messiah’s preexistence. The Messiah is identified with the creation of light and is described as being hidden beneath God’s throne until the appointed time of His revelation. This concept bears an interesting resemblance to Christ’s declaration, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Furthermore, the passage states that God contemplated the Messiah’s works before creation itself. Significantly, the remainder of these two chapters describes the Messiah’s suffering and subsequent exaltation, corresponding closely with 1 Peter 1:18–20, which teaches that Christ, the sacrificial Lamb, was foreordained before the foundation of the world.

Satan’s Fear of the Messiah

The text then records a remarkable dialogue between Satan and God concerning the Messiah:

Satan asked the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the universe, for whom is the light which is put away under Thy throne of glory?

   God replied: For him who will turn thee back and put thee to utter shame.

   Satan said: Master of the universe, show him to me.

God replied: Come and see him. And when he saw him, Satan was shaken, and he fell upon his face and said: Surely, this is the Messiah who will cause me and all the counterparts in heaven of the princes of the earth’s nations to be swallowed up in Gehenna, as is said He will swallow up death for ever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces (Isa. 25:8).³⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 677-678.

In this passage Satan fears the coming Messiah because he recognizes that the Messiah will ultimately defeat him and his demonic forces. The citation of Isaiah 25:8, which speaks of God swallowing up death forever and wiping away every tear, naturally recalls 1 Corinthians 15:26, where Paul declares that Christ will destroy death, “the last enemy.”

Messiah ben Ephraim and Messiah ben David

The text continues:

In that hour all the princely counterparts of the nations, in agitation, will say to him: Master of the universe, who is this through whose power we are to be swallowed up? What is his name? what kind of being is he?

Th Holy One, blessed be He, will reply: He is the Messiah, and his name is Ephraim, My true Messiah, who will pull himself up straight and will pull straight his generation, and who will give light to the eyes of Israel and deliver his people; and no nation or people will be able to withstand him, as I said the enemy shall not do him violence, nor the son of wickedness afflict him (Ps. 89:23).⁴⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 678.

The designation Ephraim deserves special attention. Ancient rabbinic theology frequently distinguished between two Messianic figures. The first was Messiah ben David, the Davidic Messiah who would reign forever as king, conquer God’s enemies, destroy death, and raise the righteous in the resurrection. These are precisely the works attributed to the Messiah throughout this passage. As we shall see later, this very text eventually identifies this Messiah as the Son of David.

The second figure is known as Messiah ben Joseph, who is also frequently called Messiah ben Ephraim. Because this passage names the Messiah “Ephraim,” it has often caused confusion among interpreters. According to later rabbinic tradition, Messiah ben Joseph descends from Joseph through the tribe of Ephraim. Joshua serves as his typological prototype, since Joshua likewise descended from Ephraim and succeeded Moses in leading Israel. Rabbinic tradition portrays this Messiah as leading Israel’s armies against the eschatological enemy but ultimately dying in battle outside Jerusalem before being resurrected by Messiah ben David.

This is where Pesikta Rabbati becomes particularly intriguing. Messiah ben Joseph is traditionally portrayed as a dying Messiah, yet rabbinic literature does not ordinarily attribute to him any redemptive suffering or sin-bearing work. Nor is he portrayed as the ultimate conqueror. Those characteristics consistently belong to Messiah ben David. Although Pesikta Rabbati refers to the Messiah here as “Ephraim,” it later identifies Him as the Son of David and attributes to Him all of the traditional functions of the Davidic Messiah.

The Messiah’s Atoning Suffering

The text continues:

And all his enemies and adversaries shall be beaten before him, as is said I will beat to pieces his adversaries before him (Ps. 89:24). And even seas and rivers will [yield to his power and] stop flowing as is said I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers (Ps. 89:26).⁵⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 678.

The appeal to Psalm 89 is significant because this psalm has long been recognized within rabbinic literature as a Messianic passage. Rabbinic tradition also speaks of the “footsteps of the Messiah,” an expression derived from Psalm 89:51 that refers to the seven-year period of tribulation preceding the Messiah’s arrival. This interpretation appears as early as the Mishnah, where Sotah 9.15 employs the expression in precisely this sense.⁶⁾The Mishna (Trans. Herbert Danby), Hendrickson Pub. (Peabody, MA: 1933, 2016), pp. 305-307

The reference to stopping rivers and seas is equally noteworthy. Writing during the first century, Josephus describes the messianic pretender Theudas as a “magician” and false prophet who persuaded his followers that he could divide the Jordan River (Antiquities of the Jews 20.5.).⁷⁾Jospephus, Antiquities 20.97 [20.5.1] in he New Complete Works of Josephus (Revised and Expanded) (Trans. William Whiston, Introduction and Commentary by Paul L. Maier), Kregel Publications (Grand Rapids, MI: 1999), p. 648. Thus, the expectation that the Messiah—or a prophetic deliverer—would perform miracles resembling Joshua’s crossing of the Jordan can be traced at least to the first century. Likewise, the reference to controlling the seas probably reflects the broader Jewish expectation that the Messiah would surpass even Moses, an idea that appears elsewhere in rabbinic literature and finds a New Testament parallel in Hebrews chapter 3.

Pesikta Rabbati then records one of its most remarkable passages:

[At the time of the Messiah’s creation], the Holy One, blessed be He, will tell him in detail what will befall him: There are souls that have been put away with thee under My throne, and it is their sins which will bend thee down under a yoke of iron and make thee like a calf whose eyes grow dim with suffering, and will choke thy spirit as with a yoke; because of the sins of these souls thy tongue will cleave to the roof of thy mouth [Psalm 22:15]. Art thou willing to endure such things?⁸⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 678-679.

Several observations should be made regarding this remarkable passage.

First, the translator inserts the phrase, “[At the time of the Messiah’s creation],” indicating that it is an explanatory addition rather than part of the original Hebrew text. The addition is understandable, since rabbinic theology generally affirmed the Messiah’s preexistence while still regarding Him as a created being.

Second, the expression, “thy tongue will cleave to the roof of thy mouth,” unmistakably echoes Psalm 22:15. Readers familiar with Psalm 22 immediately recognize its vivid portrayal of the sufferings associated with Christ’s crucifixion. Although William Braude generally provides careful scriptural references throughout his translation, it is noteworthy that he does not explicitly identify this quotation—or several other allusions to Psalm 22 found throughout these chapters—in his footnotes.

Third, God presents the Messiah with the question of whether He is willing to endure suffering on behalf of the sins of His people. Among the descriptions of this suffering is the statement that the Messiah’s eyes would “grow dim with suffering.” In Lamentations 5:17, Israel’s eyes grow dim because of the nation’s sin, while Genesis Rabbah, commenting on Genesis 27:1, likewise attributes Isaac’s dim eyesight to the effects of sin.⁹⁾Genesis Rabbah, 65.9; in Midrash Rabbah, ed. H. Freedman and Maurice Simon), Soncino Press (New York, NY: 1983), Vol. 2, pp. 584-585. Within this framework, the Messiah’s dimmed eyes symbolize His bearing the sins of others and suffering the punishment that rightly belonged to His people.

The Messiah Accepts Seven Years of Suffering

Returning to the text, the Messiah responds to God:

The Messiah will ask the Holy One, blessed be He; Will my suffering last many years?

The Holy One, blessed be He, will reply … it is a period of seven years which I have decreed for thee. But if thy soul is sad at the prospect of thy suffering, I shall at this moment banish these sinful souls.¹⁰⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 679.

Notice that the Messiah is decreed to suffer for seven years. This likely corresponds to the rabbinic concept of the “footsteps of the Messiah”—the seven-year period of tribulation that precedes the Messiah’s revelation. As we shall see later in this text, his suffering begins seven years before his public appearance. This passage also reinforces the idea that the Messiah’s suffering is substitutionary, undertaken to atone for the sins of the people. If he refuses this suffering, the sinful souls will be banished. This banishment is most naturally understood as a reference to Gehenna, the place where, according to the earlier passage, Satan and his hosts are destined to be punished.

The Messiah’s response is remarkable:

The Messiah will say: Master of the universe, with joy in my soul and gladness in my heart I take this suffering upon myself, provided that not one person in Israel perish; that not only those who are alive be saved in my days, but that also those who are dead, who died from the days of Adam up to the time of redemption; and that not only these be saved in my days, but all those who died as abortions; and that not only these be saved in my days, but all those whom Thou thoughtest to create but were not created. Such are the things I desire, and for these I am ready to take upon myself [whatever thou decreest].”¹¹⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 679.

According to this passage, the Messiah’s redemption extends to all Israel, not merely those living at the time of his appearance, but also those who have died throughout history, beginning with Adam.

One particularly striking statement is the Messiah’s willingness to include in his redemption those who died through abortion. Rabbinic literature generally attributes the practice of abortion to Gentile societies rather than to Israel. Consequently, this statement may imply that even Gentile infants who died through abortion are included within the scope of the Messiah’s redemptive work.

The Messiah Enthroned with the Glory of God

The following paragraph is brief but theologically profound:

At these words, the Holy One, blessed be He, will appoint for the Messiah the four creatures who will carry the Messiah’s throne of glory.¹²⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 679.

Most readers will immediately recognize the four creatures as the cherubim described in Ezekiel 1, a connection William Braude himself notes in a footnote.

Ezekiel opens by describing “visions of God” (Ezek. 1:1), and concludes by stating, “This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD” (Ezek. 1:28). The word LORD translates the divine name, the Tetragrammaton (YHWH/Jehovah). Thus, this ancient Jewish text presents the Messiah as occupying the very throne associated with the glory of Jehovah. His exaltation follows directly from his willingness to suffer for the redemption of his people.

Satan’s Accusation Against the Messiah’s Generation

The narrative next portrays the demonic realm attempting to prevent redemption:

Thereupon his enemies and the heavenly counterparts of the princes of the kingdoms will say: Come and let us bring charges against the Messiah’s generation so that they may never be given existence in the world.

   The Holy One, blessed be He, Will reply to them: How dare you bring charges against that generation which will be greatly esteemed for its noble conduct, a generation in which I shall rejoice, and in which I shall take delight, which I shall uphold because of My pleasure in it, as is said Behold My servant, whom I uphold, Mine elect in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon him, etc. (Isa. 42:1)? How then dare you bring charges against it? I would as soon cause every one of you to perish, consumed in flame by the firebrands with which you would be girded, but not one breathing creature of the Messiah’s generation will I cause to perish.¹³⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 679-680.

Here the demonic powers seek to accuse the generation in which the Messiah will appear. This immediately recalls Revelation 12:10, where Satan is described as “the accuser of our brethren.” Similar patterns appear throughout Scripture, such as Satan’s accusations against Job and Balaam’s counsel to Balak to entice Israel into sin so that God Himself would judge them (Num. 25).

The statement that these fallen beings would be “consumed in flame by the firebrands with which you would be girded” further suggests that these demons were originally angels. Psalm 104:4 declares, Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire.” Likewise, many rabbinic texts describe angels as beings of fire. Even the word Seraphim in Isaiah 6 derives from the Hebrew root meaning “to burn.” According to this passage, these fallen angels were originally intended to be clothed with heavenly fire but forfeited that glory through their rebellion.

Israel as the Servant of Isaiah

Another noteworthy feature of this passage is its citation of Isaiah 42:1.

Rather than identifying the Servant as the Messiah, the text applies the verse to the generation of Israelites living at the time of the Messiah’s revelation.

This is significant because some scholars have argued that interpreting Isaiah’s Servant as Israel represents a relatively late development in Jewish exegesis. Yet Pesikta Rabbati, if these chapters indeed preserve second-century traditions, provides remarkably early evidence for that interpretation.

Ironically, although Isaiah 42 is interpreted corporately as referring to Israel, much of this same text unmistakably treats the Suffering Servant imagery of Isaiah 53 as applying to the Messiah who bears the sins of the people.

The Messiah’s Seven-Year Ordeal

The second section of chapter 36 begins:

During the seven-year period preceding the coming of the son of David, iron beams will be brought and loaded upon his neck until the Messiah’s body is bent low. Then he will cry and weep, and his voice will rise up to the very height of heaven, and he will say to God: Master of the universe, how much can my strength endure? How much can my spirit endure? How much my breath before it ceases? How much can my limbs suffer? [Possible allusion to Psalm 22:14 “all my bones are out of joint” or Psalm 22:16 “they pierced my hands and my feet”] Am not I flesh and blood?¹⁴⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 680.

Here we are explicitly told that the Messiah’s suffering occurs during the seven years preceding his appearance, corresponding closely to the rabbinic expectation of the “footsteps of the Messiah.”

Even more importantly, the Messiah is now unmistakably identified as the Son of David.

Although earlier in the chapter he bears the name Ephraim, this passage clearly identifies him as David’s Son. Many scholars discussing Pesikta Rabbati assume this figure must be Messiah ben Ephraim, yet the text itself repeatedly attributes to him the works traditionally associated with Messiah ben David. He is the conquering Messiah who suffers and atones for the sins of his people.

The description of the Messiah carrying an iron beam upon his shoulders while crying out under its unbearable weight vividly portrays intense physical suffering. His breath is said to fail, and his limbs are described as suffering. These details strongly evoke Psalm 22, where the sufferer declares that “all my bones are out of joint” and “they pierced my hands and my feet.” This interpretation becomes even more compelling in the following paragraph, where the psalm is cited explicitly.

Psalm 22 and the Son of David

The text continues:

It was because of the ordeal of the son of David that David wept, saying My strength is dried up like a potsherd (Ps. 22:16). During the ordeal of the son of David, the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to him : Ephraim, My true Messiah, long ago, ever since the six days of creation, thou didst take this ordeal upon thyself. At this moment, thy pain is like My pain….

At these word, the Messiah will reply: Now I am reconciled. The servant is content to be like his Master.¹⁵⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 680-681.

Again, the text leaves no ambiguity: David is understood to have prophesied concerning the suffering of the Son of David in Psalm 22.

This is particularly significant because later rabbinic writings often avoid interpretations that closely parallel Christian claims concerning the Messiah. By contrast, the New Testament repeatedly applies Psalm 22 to Christ’s suffering and crucifixion (Matt. 27:35, 39–46; Mark 15:24, 33–34; John 19:24, 28; 20:25–27), and the same interpretation appears in early Christian writings such as 1 Clement 16¹⁶⁾in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D., & James, Donaldson, LL.D., Hendrickson Publishers, 2012, vol. 1, p. 9 and Justin Martyr’s First Apology 35,¹⁷⁾ in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D., & James, Donaldson, LL.D., Hendrickson Publishers, 2012, vol. 1, p. 17438,¹⁸⁾in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D., & James, Donaldson, LL.D., Hendrickson Publishers, 2012, vol. 1, p. 175 and Dialogue with Trypho 103.¹⁹⁾ in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Edited by Alexander Roberts, D.D., & James, Donaldson, LL.D., Hendrickson Publishers, 2012, vol. 1, p. 251

The passage also reiterates the Messiah’s preexistence, stating that he accepted this suffering during the six days of creation. Although the text portrays the Messiah as preexistent rather than eternal, it introduces another extraordinary concept: God declares that the Messiah’s suffering is “like My pain.”

The Messiah responds,”The servant is content to be like his Master.”

Within traditional Jewish theology there is none like God—not even the Messiah. Yet here God and the Messiah are portrayed as distinct persons sharing one another’s suffering in profound union. God experiences the Messiah’s pain, while the Messiah declares himself content to be like his Master.

The language is so strikingly similar to Christian—and even Trinitarian—theology that, were the translator a Christian, many would immediately question the translation’s authenticity. It is therefore worth emphasizing that the translator was William Braude, a respected liberal Jewish scholar.

The Messiah’s Appearing and the Redemption of Israel

The text then turns to the persecution of Israel by the nations during the Messiah’s period of suffering. Remember that the Messiah’s suffering takes place during the seven-year tribulation.

God then declares:

The time of your redemption is come. And this latter redemption will not be like your previous redemption for following your previous redemption, you suffered anguish and enslavement by the kingdoms; as for this redemption—following this one, you will have no anguish or enslavement by the kingdoms.²⁰⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 682.

The “previous redemption” refers to the suffering the Messiah has just endured. His bearing of the iron beam symbolizes his humiliation and oppression under the nations. Immediately before this statement, Persia, Arabia, and Edom are specifically mentioned. In rabbinic literature, Edom frequently serves as a symbolic designation for Rome.

The chapter concludes by describing the public appearance of the Messiah:

Our Masters taught: When the king Messiah appear, he will come stand on the roof of the Temple and will make a proclamation to Israel, saying: Meek ones, the day of your redemption is come. And if you do not believe me, behold my light which rises upon you, as is said Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. And it is risen only upon you and not upon the nations of the earth, as is said, For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples; but upon thee the Lord will arise, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.²¹⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 682.

Once again the Messiah is identified as the Light, although here his light is restricted to Israel, whereas Christ declares in John 8:12 that He is “the light of the world.” This passage may therefore represent a polemical response to Christianity by limiting the Messiah’s salvific mission to Israel alone.

Nevertheless, the imagery remains remarkably similar to Revelation 21:22–23, where the New Jerusalem has no temple because the glory of God and the Lamb are its light.

Another noteworthy feature is the expectation that the Messiah will stand upon the roof of the Temple, implying that the Temple will exist when he appears. The scene also recalls Satan’s temptation of Christ, who brought Him to the pinnacle of the Temple (Matt. 4:5; Luke 4:9).

The closing paragraphs describe the Messiah reigning over Israel as its light while the nations come to submit before him. Citing Isaiah 60:3 and Zechariah 8:23, the text declares of the Gentiles:

And all of them shall come and fall upon their faces before the Messiah and before Israel, and say: Let us be slaves unto thee and unto Israel.²²⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 682.

The expression “fall upon their faces” frequently denotes an act of worship in Scripture. It is unlikely that this passage intends worship of the Messiah, since Israel is included in the same expression. Nevertheless, its use remains noteworthy, reflecting the exalted status assigned to both the Messiah and the redeemed nation in the age to come.

Chapter 37: The Messiah Praised by the Patriarchs

We now continue our examination of the Messiah in the ancient rabbinic text Pesikta Rabbati. In the previous section we examined chapter 36. We now turn to chapter 37, which opens by quoting Jeremiah 31:13:

Jeremiah was inspired by the holy spirit to say: Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow (Jer. 31:13). What did Jeremiah have in mind in this verse? He had in mind the days of the Messiah when the Holy One, blessed be He, will bestow boons in great abundance upon Israel…²³⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 685.

This passage introduces the blessings that Israel will experience during the Messianic Kingdom. Yet the text immediately reminds the reader that these blessings come only because of the immense suffering endured by the Messiah.

It continues:

It is taught, moreover, that in the month of Nisan the Patriarchs will arise and say to the Messiah: Ephraim, our true Messiah, even though we are thy forbears, thou are greater than we because thou didst suffer for the iniquities of our children and terrible ordeals befell thee, such ordeal as did not befall earlier generations or later one;²⁴⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 685.

I have intentionally stopped the quotation in the middle of the sentence because several important observations deserve attention.

First, notice that the Patriarchs address the Messiah during the month of Nisan. Within the sequence established in the previous chapter, this indicates that the Messiah appears to redeem Israel during Nisan. Of course, Christians immediately recognize the significance of this month, for Nisan is the month in which Passover is celebrated, and it was during Passover that Jesus Christ suffered as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Other rabbinic texts likewise associate both creation and redemption with the same month, although there is debate over whether that month is Nisan or Tishri. Pesikta Rabbati clearly assumes the former.

Second, the Patriarchs openly acknowledge the Messiah’s superiority, declaring, “Thou art greater than we.” This statement immediately recalls Christ’s discussion with the Pharisees:

Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? (Matthew 22:42-45)

Christ’s argument is straightforward. If the Messiah is merely David’s descendant, then David should naturally be greater than his own offspring. Yet David calls Him Lord, demonstrating his own submission to his future descendant.

Pesikta Rabbati presents precisely the same principle. Here it is not merely David but all the Patriarchs—including Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation—who acknowledge their inferiority to the Messiah. The plural expression, “Thou art greater than we,” constitutes one of the highest exaltations of the Messiah found anywhere in rabbinic literature.

The Messiah Suffers for the Iniquities of Israel

The lengthy sentence continues:

…for the sake of Israel thou didst become a laughingstock and a derision among the nations of the earth; and didst sit in darkness, in thick darkness, and thine eyes saw no light, and thy skin cleaved to they bones, and thy body was as dry as a piece of wood; and thine eyes grew dim from fasting, and thy strength was dried up like potsherd—all these afflictions on account of the iniquities of our children, and all these because of thy desire to have our children benefit by that goodness which the Holy One, blessed be He, will bestow in abundance upon Israel. Yet it may be because of the anguish which thou didst greatly suffer on their account—for thine enemies put thee in prison—that thou art displeased with them!²⁵⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 685-686.

The emphasis once again falls upon the Messiah’s suffering. He is exalted above the Patriarchs because He willingly suffers for the sins of their children, Israel.

The language unmistakably echoes Psalm 22, one of Scripture’s most significant Messianic Psalms.

Psalm 22:15 declares, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.” Likewise, verse 7 states, “All they that see me laugh me to scorn,” while verse 13 continues, “They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.” Finally, verses 16–18 read: “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.” As noted in the previous discussion of chapter 36, the expression describing the Messiah’s eyes growing dim also appears elsewhere in rabbinic literature as a consequence of sin. Here the imagery once again portrays the Messiah bearing the punishment deserved by others.

William Braude includes an especially revealing footnote:

It may be that after the Temple’s destruction the Messiah, by the same token became a divine whipping boy upon whom God’s wrath was vented.²⁶⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 685n.2

Such language appears remarkably out of place within later rabbinic theology, yet it parallels the Christian understanding of Christ’s substitutionary suffering. As I noted previously, many discussions of this passage misidentify this figure as Messiah ben Ephraim. However, the text repeatedly identifies him as the Son of David, despite bearing the symbolic name Ephraim. Throughout these chapters he functions not merely as a dying Messiah, but as the suffering, sin-bearing sacrifice whose afflictions bring atonement and propitiation.

A Propitiation for Sin

The following paragraph states:

The Patriarchs will say to him: Ephraim, our true Messiah, be content with what thou hast done, for thou hast made content the mind of thy Maker and our minds also.²⁷⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 686.

This statement closely parallels the theological language found in Romans 3:23–25: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God[.]” Paul explains that Christ was presented by God as a propitiation. In other words, Christ’s sacrificial suffering satisfied God’s righteous wrath against sin, accomplishing full atonement through His shed blood and death.

Likewise, Pesikta Rabbati declares that the Messiah’s suffering has “made content the mind of thy Maker.” Although expressed in rabbinic language, the concept bears a striking resemblance to the biblical doctrine of propitiation.

The Exaltation of the Messiah

Having completed His suffering, the Messiah is exalted to heavenly glory.

The text declares:

the Holy One, blessed be He, will lift the Messiah up to the heaven of heavens, and will cloak him in something of the splendor of His own glory as protection against the nations of the earth, particularly against the wicker Persians. He will be told: Ephraim, our true Messiah, be thou judge of these and do with them what thy soul desires, for the nations would long since have destroyed thee in an instant had not God’s mercies been exceedingly mighty in thy behalf…²⁸⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 686.

This description bears remarkable similarities to Christ’s ascension.

Following His resurrection, Jesus declared, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). The ascension itself is recorded in Acts 1:9–11, while Peter later proclaimed, “For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand.” (Acts 2:34) Once again, the very passage that demonstrates the Messiah’s superiority over David also depicts His exaltation to the right hand of God.

Similarly, Pesikta Rabbati portrays the Messiah being lifted into “the heaven of heavens” and clothed with the splendor of God’s own glory. The imagery is extraordinary. The Messiah not only ascends into heaven but is invested with divine glory and authority to judge the nations. Such exaltation closely parallels the New Testament’s presentation of the risen Christ, who is seated at the Father’s right hand and appointed Judge over all the earth.

The Messiah’s Imprisonment and the Two Mercies

The text proceeds by quoting Jeremiah 31:20, in which the word mercy appears twice. The rabbinic commentator interprets this repetition as referring to two distinct mercies. The first mercy is explained in light of the Messiah’s suffering through a series of quotations from Psalm 22. It states:

One mercy refers to the time when he will be shut up in prison, a time when the nations of the earth will gnash their teeth at him every day, wink their eyes at one another in derision of him, nod their heads at him in contempt, open wide their lips to guffaw, as is said All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head (Ps. 22:8); My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my throat; and thou layest me into the dust of death (Ps. 22:16). Moreover, they will roar over him like lions, as is said They open wide their mouths against me, as a ravening and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my inmost part. (Ps. 22:14-15).²⁹⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 686-687.

The Scripture references in this passage follow the Hebrew verse numbering, which throughout the Psalms generally counts the superscriptions as verse one. Consequently, when the text cites Psalm 22:8, the corresponding verse in most English Bibles is Psalm 22:7, and Psalm 22:16 corresponds to Psalm 22:15. As noted previously, these repeated appeals to Psalm 22 are especially significant because later rabbinic literature generally avoided employing messianic passages that early Christians cited as evidence for the suffering, atoning Messiah.

The second mercy is explained as the Messiah’s emergence from imprisonment and His conquest over the nations:

And the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to him: Ephraim, My true Messiah, do not be afraid of them, for all these will die by the breath of thy lips, as is said And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked (Isa. 11:4).³⁰⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 687.

The Book of Revelation likewise alludes to Isaiah 11:4 when describing Christ destroying the Antichrist and the rebellious nations with the sword proceeding from His mouth. Isaiah 11:4 itself became one of the principal messianic passages cited throughout rabbinic literature concerning the coming King. The text then proceeds to portray the Messiah exalted before all the righteous of the world.

The Messiah and the Defeat of Rome

This concludes the first section of chapter 37. The second section opens with the words:

Another comment: Rejoicing I will Rejoice (Isa. 61:10). The word Rejoicing refers to the days of the Messiah; I will rejoice refers to the downfall of wicked Rome; my soul shall be joyful in my God refers to victory in the war against Gog and Magog.³¹⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 688.

It is important to recognize that these messianic interpretations are thoroughly eschatological. They concern the events surrounding the Messiah’s future appearance and the establishment of His kingdom. As discussed in the previous chapter, the Messiah’s seven years of suffering occur during the seven-year tribulation period. His imprisonment by the nations belongs to this era, after which He is released and triumphs over His enemies.

Significantly, Rome is now identified as the principal enemy. Ancient Jewish interpretation commonly used Edom as a symbolic designation for Rome, just as many early Christian interpreters associated Rome with the kingdom represented in Revelation 17. In Jewish eschatology, Edom frequently functions as the final Gentile empire from which the Antichrist-like ruler arises.

The Seven Garments of God

This symbolism becomes particularly important in the following interpretation of Isaiah 61:10. After quoting the words, “for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,” the text explains:

with the seven garments which, according to Scripture, the Holy One, blessed be He, will have put on successively from the day the world was created until the day He requites wicked Edom. When He created the world, He put on glory… (Ps. 104:1). When He appeared to us on the Red Sea, He put on haughtiness… (Ps. 93:1). When He gave the Torah to His people, He put on strength… (Ps. 29:11). When He requited the Chaldeans, He put on vengeance, (Isa. 59:17). When He will have forgiven the iniquities of Israel, He will put on a white garment… (Dan 7:9). And When the Messiah appears, He will put be clothed in righteousness… (Isa. 59:17). Finally, when He come to requite Edom, He will put on red apparel… (Isa. 63:2)—that is, red with vengeance against Edom.³²⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, pp. 688-689.

These seven garments represent successive manifestations of God’s activity throughout redemptive history. The final garment, the red apparel of Isaiah 63, portrays divine judgment upon the nations.

Isaiah 63:1-3 describes the Messiah coming from Bozrah in Edom with garments stained red because He alone has trodden the winepress. The imagery depicts the destruction of the nations at His coming, the crimson garments symbolizing the blood of His enemies. Particularly noteworthy is that the Messiah accomplishes this victory alone. The saints do not establish dominion over the earth through military conquest or human effort. Rather, the Messiah Himself single-handedly executes judgment and establishes His kingdom.

The Glorification of the Messiah

The following paragraph again emphasizes the Messiah’s exaltation:

the Holy one, blessed be He, will put upon Ephraim, our true Messiah, a garment whose splendor will stream forth from world’s end to world’s end; and Israel will make use of his light and say: Blessed is the hour in which he was created! Blessed is the womb whence he came! Blessed is the generation whose eyes behold him! Blessed is the eye which yearned and waited for him whose lips open with blessing and peace, whose speech is pure delight, whose heart meditates in trust and tranquility… Blessed are the forbearers of the man who merited the goodness of the world, the Messiah, hidden for the eternity[-to-come].³³⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 689.

Numerous New Testament passages could be compared with this remarkable paragraph. Most immediately, the Messiah’s garment radiates light to the ends of the earth, recalling Christ’s declaration that He is “the light of the world.”

The statement that Israel blesses “the hour in which he was created” recalls the previous chapter, where the Messiah’s creation was associated with the creation of light itself. Although this rabbinic tradition presents the Messiah as pre-existent rather than eternal, it also affirms that He was born from a woman’s womb.

Interestingly, no father is mentioned. Instead, the text speaks only of the Messiah’s mother and his forebears. While this omission should not be pressed beyond the evidence, it is nevertheless reminiscent of the biblical emphasis upon the virgin birth. Isaiah 7:14 explicitly prophesies the virgin conception, while Genesis 3:15 identifies the coming Redeemer uniquely as the “seed of the woman,” an unusual expression that likewise omits any reference to a human father.

The Messiah’s Righteousness Bestowed Upon His People

The final sentence of this paragraph is equally significant. The Messiah is said to have “merited the goodness of the world.” Within the immediate context, this is the same Messiah who has suffered as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of Israel. Consequently, the text presents Him as a righteous and sinless individual whose merit benefits others.

In other words, the Messiah possesses righteousness in Himself and, through His suffering, provides that righteousness to sinful people. Earlier in the chapter, the patriarchs praised the Messiah for suffering because of the iniquities of their descendants. Here, the implication appears to be that His righteousness is transferred to those He redeems.

The phrase “the goodness of the world” may be interpreted in more than one way. It could potentially include the Gentile nations. More likely, however, it reflects the common rabbinic expression “the world to come,” referring to the blessings of the future Messianic kingdom.

Israel Adorned Through the Messiah’s Merit

The third section of chapter 37 is comparatively brief. Its opening paragraph states:

And as a bride adorneth herself with jewels (Isa. 61:10). Why is the congregation of Israel likened to a bride? To tell you that as a bride can be singled out only be her jewels, even so the adversaries of the congregation of Israel can be put to shame only by her merit.³⁴⁾Pesikta Rabbati (trans. William G. Braude) Yale University Press, (Dallas, TX: 1968), Vol. 2, p. 689.

Israel’s enemies are therefore put to shame because of Israel’s righteousness. Yet only one sentence earlier, that righteousness was presented not as Israel’s own achievement but as something derived from the Messiah. This strongly suggests that the merit by which Israel is vindicated is ultimately the Messiah’s righteousness bestowed upon His people.

Within the context of this passage, that righteousness appears to be applied specifically to Israel and to the blessings of the coming Messianic kingdom.

The chapter concludes by referring to the captivity ending after a sabbatical year, indicating that Israel’s future redemption likewise follows a sabbatical cycle. Earlier we were told that redemption occurs during the month of Nisan, the first month of the Jewish religious calendar. This chronology corresponds remarkably well with the seven-year period of tribulation discussed throughout these chapters, culminating in the sabbatical year immediately preceding the Messiah’s appearance.