The Reformation and the Jewish People: Part IV

by Jeffrey Gutterman

In Part III we read of the Bar Kochba Revolt against Rome by the Jewish people. After early military successes, the Jewish forces were utterly defeated by the Roman Army. All Jews were expelled from Jerusalem. The church became more and more Gentilized. When Constantine became the first Christian Emperor of Rome, Christianity changed drastically. Christianity was now accepted and Judaism and Jews lost most of the freedoms that they had once enjoyed.

   Let’s look at how some of the early Church Fathers saw the Jewish people.

   Eusebius of Caesarea said that the promises of the Tanakh were for the Christians while the Jews were left with the curses. In 325 A.D. he wrote that the destruction and dispersion of the Jewish people were caused by their part in the crucifixion of Jesus, which Eusebius characterized as “daring crimes against the Saviour.” Here we see the first written evidence of Replacement Theology where Israel is said to be replaced by the Church, in God’s Plan.

   This seed of Anti-Semitism exists to this very day even though the Scriptures speak of God NOT rejecting His people, Israel. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 11:1 I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Paul also speaks of the Gentiles as being grafted into “the rich root of the olive tree” in Romans 11:17. Paul is very direct when he admonishes the Gentile believers in Romans 11:18 to not be “arrogant toward the branches” and that, “it is not you who supports the root but the root that supports you.”

   As to Eusebius’ claim of the Jews being criminal accessories to Jesus’ death, we read what Jesus said in , John 10:17- 18 17 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

      John Chrysostom (ca 344-407): At the end of the 4th century, Chrysostom, the Bishop of Antioch wrote about the Jews, “They know only one thing, to satisfy their stomachs, to get drunk, to kill.” He went on to write that, “The synagogue is worse than a brothel…. A place of meeting for the assassins of Christ…the refuge of devils.” This description of Jews as the assassins of Christ or Christ Killers was a slogan used by many “Christians” throughout history to validate their anti-Semitic actions. Matthew 27:25 is the passage cited to support this view. 25 And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”

One should refer back to John 10:17-18 where Jesus said that He lays down His life. This Scripture is conveniently ignored by those who accuse the Jews of killing Messiah. One other point should be made at this time. Jesus, on the Cross, forgave His executioners. Luke 23:34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”

   Saint Ambrose (340-397) was the Bishop of Milan when in 388 A.D. a bishop in Mesopotamia “instigated the burning of a synagogue.” The Emperor, Theodosius the Great, ordered this bishop to pay for the replacement of the synagogue but Ambrose interceded and protested the decision to Theodosius. Emperor Theodosius stood by his decision until he attended a service officiated by Ambrose. Ambrose refused to celebrate the Mass until Theodosius rescinded his order. Ambrose told the Emperor that his order was unusual punishment for the people who did the burning of the synagogue since it is clear that the Jewish Synagogue is a home of unbelief that God Himself has condemned.

   Justin Martyr (114-168) wrote in his work, Dialog of Justin, Philosopher and Martyr, with Trypho, a Jew, “but now you are become twofold more the children of Hell, as He said Himself."

THE CRUSADES

   Medieval Europe was not the best society for the Jews. In 1096, the time of the First Crusade, we see a period of seemingly constant persecution of Jews. On the way to the Middle East, the Crusaders “warmed up” by slaughtering Jewish communities, which the Christian armies saw as equivalent to the Muslim infidels that they originally marched out to defeat.

   In 1099 when the armies reached the land of Israel, the Crusaders encircled the city of Jerusalem, which was controlled by Moslems. They breached the walls of the city and killed the Moslems and gathered the Jewish population into the synagogue. These “Christian soldiers then piled wood on all sides and burned the synagogue to the ground with the Jews inside while they sang, “Christ We Adore Thee.” Even today songs like “Onward Christian Soldiers” still brings a reaction in a Jewish person.

   It might help to understand that when a Christian sees a Cross, he/she sees salvation. When, a Jew sees a Cross, he/she sees a sword of persecution.

   The Crusades lasted for approximately 300 years. Over this period, the incidents of Jewish slaughter diminished but never completely stopped. When the Jews heard that the Crusader mobs were near they would first make every effort to avoid death, such as seeking protection from Lords and Clergy or even taking up arms to defend themselves. When it became apparent that they would be defeated they accepted their fate as a judgment from God. They would say a prayer of martyrdom and then cut the throats of their wives and children then commit suicide.

   In many countries where the Jews were once permitted, the welcome mat was removed The Jews were expelled from England in 1290, from France in 1394, and from Spain in 1492.

   At the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 the doctrine of transubstantiation was formalized. It was stated that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are actually the Body and the Blood of Jesus. This led to accusations against the Jews of Host Desecration and The Blood Libel.

   Host Desecration: Throughout history Jews were accused of stealing the consecrated wafer and then they would stab it repeatedly to crucify Christ yet again.

   Blood Libel: This is an accusation that Jews murder Gentiles, especially Christians, so that they can use the blood of the victim in preparing the unleavened bread for the Passover celebration. Another accusation is that Jews need to drink this blood to maintain a human appearance as well as to eradicate the particularly foul smell that emanated from a Jew’s body. Of course, this flies in the face of Leviticus 17:14b 14……Therefore I said to the sons of Israel, ‘You are not to eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off.’

   This Fourth Lateran Council is also memorable for requiring Jews to wear a badge or a three cornered or pointed hat that would identify them as Jews. Hitler, who was a student of history, instituted this procedure when he came to power in Germany.