TERTULLIAN…155-222.. In his “Adversus Judaeos” he asserted that the Jews “have ever been guilty of the crime of idolatry”, but that the Mosaic system had now fallen into disuse because the law and the old spiritual truths were now completed in Christ. The prophecies of His first coming were ignored by the Jews, who are now hateful towards Christians and they are “seed plot of all calumnies against us.
THE DIALOGUE OF TIMOTHY AND AQUILA, circa.200.. an anonymous work , which claimed that the Jews are now rejected by God and are being punished by expulsion from their land. The writer conceded that Jews who repent may be baptised into the Christian faith.
IRENAEUS OF LYONS, 125-202…His thesis was that the Jews are being punished as Cain was because their worship was not true to the pattern God had given them, and that they had finally rejected their Messiah. They had denied the Eternal King and had chosen a robber instead. All Jews are responsible for this deicide. The church is now the “true Israel”. Christians are the sons of Abraham, while Jews occupy the place of Esau, who was supplanted by his younger brother, Jacob. Christians have a spiritual understanding of the law, but Jews are the slaves of the law and the traditions they have created. The Jews as a race are hard of heart, disobedient before God, and destined for destruction.
ARISTIDES, circa.170…He understood the Jews to be superstitious and indulging in angel worship and customs controlled by the phases of the moon.
MELITO OF SARDIS, circa.190…He claimed that the Jewish people are exclusively responsible for the crucifixion and the Gentiles actually welcomed Jesus as the Christ of God. Judgement has befallen the Jews as a result of their rejection of Jesus as their Messiah. Their privileged place has now been taken by the Gentile church.
ORIGEN OF CAESAREA, –183-253. His verdict on the Jews was that they are being punished because of their unbelief and deicide. They have been rejected by God and their place is now taken by Christians…..(See summary later).
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, circa. 210…His view was that the Old Testament scriptures belong to the church and were fulfilled in Christ. Although the Jews were guided by God through the centuries they have been unfaithful and hard-hearted and lazy, and their understanding of God is that He is their Master, but not a loving Father.
CYPRIAN, circa. 246…He considered that the Jews had failed to understand the scriptures, and had in consequence rejected their Messiah. The old law was now cancelled and a new dispensation had begun, in which the church will enjoy greater privileges and power than the Jews ever knew. The Jewish people and Judaism have no assured future, but even so, Jews may obtain forgiveness and then enter the church.
HIPPOLYTUS, circa. 230…In his “Adversus Judaeos” he claimed that the present and future sufferings of the Jews are due to their treatment of Christ,- “For the prophet says as in the person of God,-“Let their table become a snare and a retribution”. Of what retribution does he speak ? Manifestly of misery which has now got hold of thee.” The whole of the Jewish people are guilty, and they have latterly corrupted the scriptures and contributed to a Christian heresy ,-i.e.- gnosticism. Their punishment will be eternal blindness and everlasting bondage to the Gentiles,- “their back do Thou bend down always-“ as slaves to other nations. The Jews as a people are cunning, proud, ungrateful and without fear. They are destined to serve the Antichrist, who will revive the Jewish kingdom amidst much suffering and persecution inflicted upon the Christian church. Even so, Jews may enter the church through conversion, faith and good works.
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