The Latin Bible and Jewish Tradition

Abstract

Abstract Abstract: References to Jewish exegesis feature throughout Christian commentaries, and textual criticism of the Vulgate had recourse to the Hebrew Scriptures on more than one occasion. This chapter examines the methods and means by which Latin Christian exegetes were able to gain knowledge of Jewish tradition and the ways in which this was deployed for exegesis. Earlier centuries relied on personal connections with Jews, converts, and polemics. The eleventh-century Rabbi Solomon (Rashi) served as an authority for subsequent generations, mediated from the fourteenth century through the writings of Nicholas of Lyra. The sixteenth century saw a steep rise in knowledge of Hebrew and the use of Jewish commentaries, as exemplified by Johannes Reuchlin, even though such practices encountered fierce opposition from Reformed circles. Although the principal exegetical value of Jewish tradition was often for the literal understanding of Scripture, more speculative interpretations (such as midrash) also left their mark on Latin scholarship.