Sabbatai Zevi
As previously mentioned, Nathan of Gaza envisioned Sabbatai Zevi as the next messiah for the Jewish people. However, Sabbatai Zevi's acceptance of this messianic role was not instantaneous. His first encounter with Nathan of Gaza was not about his position as the next Jewish savior, but rather as a patient to a doctor. At the time, Nathan of Gaza was becoming well known as a spiritual physician. Sabbatai Zevi visited him in hopes of curing him from an illness that he had contracted. (Gershom Scholem later believed that Sabbatai Zevi suffered from a psychological condition he identified as "manic-depressive psychosis", today normally called "bipolar disorder".) Instead of trying to aid him with his psychological sickness, Nathan of Gaza divulged to Sabbatai Zevi his prophetic vision. Initially, when "…Nathan addressed him as the messiah, 'he laughed at him and said, 'I had it [the messianic vocation], but have sent it away.' '" It was only through intense discussion and much persuasion that he was able to sway Sabbatai Zevi into accepting his messianic mission. Then, in May 1665, Sabbatai Zevi made the decision that would place Nathan of Gaza and himself in the public sphere forever. He exposed himself to the world as the true savior.