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Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews

Cyprian of Carthage

Book 2 · Introduction

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

In the Wisdom of Solomon: “Let us lay

‹ Book 2 · Section 13 Book 2 · Section 14 ›

hold

of

the

righteous

,

because

He

is

disagreeable

to

us

,

and

is

contrary

to

our

works

,

and

reproacheth

us

with

our

transgressions

of

the

law

.

He

professeth

that

He

has

the

knowledge

of

God

,

and

calls

Himself

the

Son

of

God

;

He

has

become

to

us

an

exposure

of

our

thoughts

;

He

is

grievous

unto

us

even

to

look

upon

,

because

His

life

is

unlike

to

others

,

and

His

ways

are

changed

.

We

are

esteemed

by

Him

as

frivolous

,

and

He

restraineth

Himself

from

our

ways

,

as

if

from

uncleanness

;

and

He

extols

the

last

end

of

the

righteous

,

and

boasts

that

He

has

God

for

His

Father

.

Let

us

see

,

then

,

if

His

words

are

true

,

and

let

us

try

what

will

come

to

Him

.

Let

us

interrogate

Him

with

reproach

and

torture

,

that

we

may

know

His

reverence

and

prove

His

patience

.

Let

us

condemn

Him

with

a

most

shameful

death

.

These

things

they

considered

,

and

erred

.

For

their

maliciousness

hath

blinded

them

,

and

they

knew

not

the

sacraments

of

God

.

”

Also

in

Isaiah

:

“

See

ye

how

the

righteous

perisheth

,

and

no

man

understandeth

;

and

righteous

men

are

taken

away

,

and

no

man

regardeth

.

For

the

righteous

man

is

taken

away

from

the

face

of

unrighteousness

,

and

his

burial

shall

be

in

peace

.

”

Concerning

this

very

thing

it

was

before

foretold

in

Exodus

:

“

Thou

shalt

not

slay

the

innocent

and

the

righteous

.

”

Also

in

the

Gospel

:

“

Judas

,

led

by

penitence

,

said

to

the

priests

and

elders

,

I

have

sinned

,

in

that

I

have

betrayed

the

innocent

blood

.

”

Notes

1
The Oxford translation here inserts from the Apocrypha, without authority even for its text, “and objecteth to us the transgressions of the law.”
2
Wisd. ii. 12–22.
3
Isa. lvii. 1, 2. [Justin, vol. i. 203.]
4
Ex. xxiii. 7.
5
Matt. xxvii. 3, 4.