Zoroastrianism and Judaism/Chapter 6

IN the Zoroastrian creed the term Saoshyant is used to denote priest, deliverer, Saint.^[1] It designates the leader of the goodly company who will aid at the general resurrection in renovating the world. The birth of the Saviour, Soashyant, is miraculous. “Zaratust went near unto his wife Hvov three times, and each time the seed went to the ground; the angel Neryosang received the brilliance and strength of that seed, delivered it with care to the angel Anahid, and in time will blend it with a mother. Nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine, and nine myriads of the guardian spirits of the righteous are entrusted with its protection, so that the demons may not injure it.”^[2] The seed is preserved in Lake Kasava, till at the end of the earthly cycle, the maid Eredat-fedhri, bathing in the lake will conceive by that seed and bring forth the Saviour, Saoshyant. His two fore-runners, Ukhshyat-ereta and Ukhshyat-Nemah, will be born in the same way of Srutat-fedhri and Vanghu-fedhri.^[3]

“The victorious Seoshyant with his helpers shall restore the world, which henceforth never will grow old and never die, never decaying and never rotting, ever living and ever increasing, and master of its ​wish, when the dead will rise, when life and immortality will come, and the world will be restored at its wish; when the creation will grow deathless,—the prosperous creation of the Good Spirit,—and the Drug shall perish, though she may rush on every side to kill the holy beings; she and her hundred-fold brood shall perish, as it is the will of the Lord.”^[4] In bringing to pass the wonderful and happy future, Saoshyant will be assisted by fifteen men and fifteen damsels. Together they perform a final sacrifice, the virtue of which will bring about the resurrection and the blessings of immortality. There will be a long conflict with evil but Saoshyant will be victorious.^[5]

Are we to suppose that any of these conceptions were borrowed from Judaism? In the earliest Iranian literature there is expressed the hope of a coming Saviour.^[6] The idea is certainly Zoroastrian. The worshipping Magi that centuries later came from the East to honor the Babe of Bethlehem were familiar with the conception. There are striking resemblances to the Judaeo-Christian ideas. The conquering Saoshyant is preceded by two personages who prepare the way, he is born of a virgin mother, who conceives him in a miraculous manner. His coming will bring immortality to the righteous, ​destruction to the powers of evil, and will establish the sole sovereignty of Ahura Mazda.

Parallel conceptions are found in individual prophets, but they do not represent the beliefs of the Jewish people. The earlier Jewish ideas of a Messiah were political and temporal. When in later times, ideal and spiritual conceptions are more frequently found, they do not even then displace the hopes of a political and temporal Saviour. The expectations centre about the nation. The deliverer is to be an ideal King and the viceroy of Yahveh. From their rulers they had realized only a partial good. As the years passed the fascination of the Messianic hope grew more hallowed and became the deepest passion in the heart of the nation. For a time Cyrus seemed to fulfil the role of deliverer. Zerubbabel in his turn became the centre of Messianic hopes. Simon Maccabaeus was made high-priest-king, “until there should arise a faithful prophet.”^[7] Feeling themselves to be without any present, the Jewish people threw themselves on the future. In contrast with this, the Zoroastrian conception of a Messiah, Saoshyant, who will give immortality and blessedness to all the righteous, is a lofty and spiritual hope.

With the Jews, a spiritual interpretation of the Messianic hope was confined to the prophets and a few devout children of Yahveh. In following the expression of this hope, truth rather than theological ​prepossession is to be our guide. The spiritual and universal elements were only slowly recognized. The happy future of the righteous in contrast with the appalling misery of the wicked, through the coming of the Messiah, was a late doctrine with the masses of the people.^[8] It is probable that the Zoroastrian faith, may have had influence in bringing this belief into prominence. A striking passage is in the book of Enoch. It is in answer to the question, who was the son of man. “This is the Son of man, to whom righteousness belongs, with whom righteousness has dwelt; and who will reveal all the treasures of that which is concealed; for the Lord of spirits has chosen Him. This Son of man whom thou beholdest, shall raise up kings and the mighty from their couches, and the powerful from their thrones; shall loosen the bridles of the powerful, and break in pieces the teeth of sinners.”^[9] The date of this passage has been questioned, yet it probably was written in pre-christian times.”^[10]

A Redeemer who would rule in righteousness and bring peace to earth, was promised by Jewish prophets, but he was expected to be a national hero who would deliver Israel first. ‘The nations were to be blessed through Israel and Israel’s Redeemer.