jesus is today considered by christians, bless their little hearts, to be the savior, or, as the greeks say, christ. that's supposed to be a translation of messiah, but in fact it is very VERY different from what messiah means. messiah is a jewish concept, and there is no jewish concept of being saved; saved from what? there is no jewish conception that someone can take on, or absolve, someone else's sins. in judaism, even god cannot forgive sins against another party. the messiah, in judaism, is a human being, a king, who brings about peace in his own time. that's all. that's pretty different from a savior, yes?

but of course the rest of what you say is spot on. i am quibbling ONLY with the use of the word "messiah."

g