Jews Who Claimed to Be the Messiah

Over the last two thousand years there have been at least thirty-eight Jewish men, and one Jewish woman, who have claimed to be the promised Messiah.  Christians, of course, regard Jesus of Nazareth as the Holy One.

The first recorded self-proclaimed Messiah was Simon of Peraea (fl. 4 BC/BCE), a former slave of Herod the Great.   Simon was followed by Athronges (fl. 4-2BC/BCE).  Both Simon and Athronges led rebellions which were put down by the Romans and both messiahs were killed.

Jesus of Nazareth is believed by Christians and Muslims to have been the Jewish Messiah.

The others:

Judas of Galilee (6AD/CE)

Menahem of Judah, a grandson of Judah of Galilee.

Theudas (d.46)

Vespasian (ca. 70)

John of Gischala, (after 70)

Simon bar Kokhba (d ca 135). Simon’s rebellion ended with the Romans destroying the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem.

Luluas (115)

Moses of Crete (5^th century)

(Name unknown) in Khusistan  (7^th century)

Ishak ben Ya’kub Obadiah Abu ‘Isa al-Isfahani of Ispahan (8^th century)

Yudghan (8^th century, in Persia)

(Name unknown), in France, (ca. 1087)

(Name unknown), in Cordoba, Spain, (ca. 1117)

Moses al-Dari  in Morocco (1127)David Alroy, from Kurdistan, led a revolt in Persia in 1160.

The Yemenite Messaih (12^th century)

Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia (b. 1240-d. after 1291)

Nissim ben Abraham (fl. In Avila, Spain (ca. 1295)

Moses Botarel of Cisneros, fl ca. 1413.

Asher Lammlein, fl. 1502 near Venice.

Isaac Luria (1534-1572) in Palestine.

Hayyim Vital (1543-1620) in Palestine.

David Reubeni (1490-1541?)

Solomon Molcho (1500-1532)

Sabbatai Zevi (1626-1676) An Ottoman Jew who converted to Islam.  Many of his followers declared themselves to be the Messiah.

Barukhia Russo

Mordecai Mokia (1650-1729)

Jacob Querido (d. 1690)  Converted to Islam.

Miguel Cardoso (1630-1706)

Lobele Prossnitz (d. 1750)

Jacob Joseph Frank (1726-1791)  A convert to Christianity.

Eve Frank (1754 – ca 1817)

Shukr Kushayl I, in Yemen (19^th century)

Judah ben Shalom (Shukr Kuhayl II) in Yemen (19^th century)

Moses Guibbory (1899-1985)

Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994)