An Anonymous Prophet

Messiah (mâšîah, "the anointed one"): Jewish religious concept, a future savior who will, in some sense, come to restore Israel. The nature of both the Messiah and the restoration was a matter of debate, and there were several claimants.

Introduction and summary

Messianism, roots 1: Annointment

Messianism, roots 2: Psalms

Messianism, roots 3: Prophets

Messianism, roots 4: Josiah and Cyrus

Messianism, roots 5: Zerubbabel

Intermezzo: The Hasmonaeans

Messiah #1: Military Leader

Messiah #2: Sage or teacher

Messiah #3: Priest or high-priest

Messiah #4: "Prophet like Moses"

Messianic motifs: Balaam

Messianic motifs: "Son of"

Messianic motifs: other titles

Qumran's dual Messianism

Some Messianic Expectations

Dating the Messiah's arrival

Catastrophic Messianism?

The Messiah as Eschatological King

Messianology and Christology

Judas son of Hezekiah

The Samaritan Prophet

Some modern literature

An unnamed prophet (c.59 CE)

Source: Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 20.188.

Story: The Roman governor Festus, who was -according to recent research- in office from 58 until 60 CE, was confronted with another rebel.

Festus sent forces, both horsemen and footmen, to fall upon those that had been seduced by a certain impostor, who promised them deliverance and freedom from the miseries they were under, if they would but follow him as far as the wilderness. Accordingly, those forces that were sent destroyed both him that had deluded them, and those that were his followers also.^note

Comment: Again, we meet someone who leads his followers to the desert, claiming to be the "prophet like Moses" predicted in Deuteronomy 18.15-18. He may or may not have been called a Messiah.