The MESSIAH

Yet in the 17th century the Jewish world from Aleppo to Amsterdam was in thrall to Sabbatai Sevi, a kabbalist who claimed to be the messiah.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Within hours of landing, I had sat at the organ upon which George Frideric Handel played the London premiere of "Messiah, " stood in the poky little room where Charles Dickens wrote "Oliver Twist, " and accepted my award upon the very spot that the residence of Lord Peter Wimsey had once stood, at 110A Piccadilly.

WSJ: Alan Bradley on Writing About an England He'd Never Seen | Traveler's Tale

With the rise of the historical-performance movement, performances of "Messiah" with 100-voice choirs and full symphony orchestras are no longer the norm, but a baroque orchestra and a small choir are no guarantee of excellence either.

WSJ: Handel's Messiah | Trinity Choir and Baroque Orchestra | Tracing the Gospel With Renewed Vigor and Drama | By Heidi Waleson

When I was talking to non-musician friends and they said it takes too long to get to the part of Handel's "Messiah" where everyone stands up, I realized that "Messiah" was in dire need of an update.

NPR: An Updated 'Messiah' from Marin Alsop

What could possibly be more presumptuous than the association of the beginning of one's own career, one's own literary career, with the birth of the Christian messiah?

还有什么能够比,把自己事业的开端，自己的文学生涯，与基督教救世主的诞生相提并论更胆大妄为的？弥尔顿课程节选 : 耶鲁公开课

Then, in 1666, nearly 15 years after he proclaimed himself messiah, came the ultimate inversion.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

The novel alludes to the hopes for redemption in the stories of the Jewish tradition: the journey into the promised land, the coming of the Messiah, the renewal of the covenant between God and his chosen people.

ECONOMIST: New fiction

The nation is cautious after initially greeting Sven-Goran Eriksson as a messiah who was going to re-invent our game with his imported ideas.

BBC: England boss Fabio Capello

The life of a first century Judean carpenter, let alone messiah, is hard to compare to that lived by western teenagers today.

BBC: What would Jesus do?: The rise of a slogan

The holiday season inevitably brings a cascade of performances of Handel's "Messiah, " and it's rare to come across one that makes you hear this well-worn piece anew.

WSJ: Handel's Messiah | Trinity Choir and Baroque Orchestra | Tracing the Gospel With Renewed Vigor and Drama | By Heidi Waleson

The codex (Latin for "book") dates to the sixth century, when Christian Palestinian scribes wrote down the words of Christ in Aramaic, the ancient language that is believed to have been close to the dialect spoken by the messiah himself.

FORBES: On The Block

The Trinity "Messiah" demonstrated why historically informed performance makes a difference.

WSJ: Handel's Messiah | Trinity Choir and Baroque Orchestra | Tracing the Gospel With Renewed Vigor and Drama | By Heidi Waleson

The Shia believe their messiah vanished from the site of the shrine in Samarra and will one day reemerge to usher in Judgment Day.

NPR: The Mood in Najaf, Shiite Stronghold

So numerous and fervent were the false messiah's followers in Hamburg that dissenting rabbis were afraid to preach against him.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

Since Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans waited for hours to say farewell to the man many regarded as a messiah for instituting many subsidies and social programs.

WSJ: Chvez Is Idolized Like His Own Idol, Bolvar

Or until the Messiah comes?

ECONOMIST: Israel

Nicknamed the 'Geordie Messiah', fans' favourite Keegan stepped down as manager on 4 September after stating he had no control over transfer dealings.

BBC: Keegan & Ashley in surprise talks

Its rabbis still forbid even walking on the mount and are content to wait for the Messiah without spurring him on.

ECONOMIST: Israel

It was not until 1648 that Sevi took himself properly speaking to be the messiah.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

It is worth the detour, for his carvers had caught him at the moment of revelation that a messiah would someday be born, and Isaiah is dancing at the news.

FORBES: How foie gras was my valley

It featured some iconic lines, most famously the verdict by Brian's mother on her son: "He's not the messiah - he's a very naughty boy".

BBC: Vicar supports Life of Brian ban

Is Zynga the Second Coming of the Messiah?

FORBES: Zynga's a Real Company But Here Is the Big Risk

In Istanbul he placed in a cradle a fish dressed in infant's clothing, dramatising a prophecy that the messiah would be born under the sign of Pisces.

ECONOMIST: Jewish mysticism

In Columbus' day, Jews widely believed that Jerusalem had to be liberated and the Temple rebuilt for the Messiah to come.

CNN: Was Columbus secretly a Jew?

In Christian commentaries on the Hebrew Scriptures, it is stressed that Sukkot was associated with the advent of the Messiah and with the coming of all nations to worship in Jerusalem.

ECONOMIST: Whatever happened to the Hebrew Christians?

In 1741, the German-born English composer George Frederick Handel finished his "Messiah" oratorio, after working on it non-stop for 23 days.

CNN: Monday,

He's adopted by the indigenous tribe (the Fremen), which is looking for a messiah.

CNN: Career - 'Dune,' rising

He founded the church in 1954, claiming he was the New Messiah.

BBC: Obituary: Sun Myung Moon

For the haredim, the ultra-Orthodox, who believe that the Jews should return to their Biblical homeland only after the appearance of the mashiach, the Messiah, Zionism was a threat, even an apostasy, which ran counter to the traditional attachment to Jewish law.

NEWYORKER: The Party Faithful

Folk in Maharashtra are looking for a messiah, and Mr Chavan is the only sensible candidate around.

ECONOMIST: Cleaning up Mumbai and Maharashtra