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What is the Jewish view on the Messiah and of Jesus?
Judaism defines several objective criteria that help us discern who the real Messiah is. The criteria are mostly a definition of the "Messianic Age".
If a person is of Messiah quality, but does not live in the Messianic age, he cannot be the Messiah. Indeed, Judaism posits several great people throughout history who had real Messiah potential, but lived at the wrong time. The most famous of these people is Bar Kochba, but more recent candidates include the Lubavitche Rebbe, Rav Schneerson. History has shown all these people to be possible potential Messiahs, but not the actual Messiah. As a result, Jesus is not the true Messiah.
Let me stress that this does not reflect Judaism's attitude towards any particular individual. It's just that the objective criteria have not been met.
Among these criteria, is an affirmation that the Messiah will be a catalyst for world peace, harmony and prosperity. That all the nations of the world will live side by side, recognize the sovereignty of G-d and there will be no more wars.
Unfortunately, we live in a world of continued suffering - be it the natural disasters of Mozambique or man-made disasters of the Balkans. So we await the Messiah eagerly day be day.
May he come speedily in our days.
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