Nestor ha-komer

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Nestor ha-komer (ספר נסתור הכומר) is one of the earliest Jewish anti-Christian polemics.

This writing in the form of a letter, which was created around 900, was allegedly written by a priest named Nestor who converted to Judaism and has come down to us in two versions ( Arabic and Hebrew ).

Citing numerous NT passages, she criticizes especially Christology and the doctrine of the Trinity , describes Jesus as a normal person and emphasizes the absurdity of a divine person's death on the cross .

Furthermore, saints and relic cults , monasticism , worship of images and the abandonment of the Torah fulfillment are criticized.

The non-fulfillment of the ethical demands of Jesus by the Christians themselves is emphatically demonstrated.

This text had a lasting influence on later apologetics .

literature

  • Joel E. Rembaum, The Influence of "Sefer Nestor Hakomer" on Medieval Jewish Polemics , in: Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research , Vol. 45, (1978)
  • Daniel J. Lasker, פולמוס נסטור הכומר
  • Daniel J. Lasker Jewish-Christian Polemics at the Turning Point: Jewish Evidence from the Twelfth Century , in: The Harvard Theological Review , Vol. 89, No. 2 (Apr., 1996)