(Presentation) Hayyim ibn Musa's Shield and Spear: A Late Medieval Intellectual Polemic and Its Context (original) (raw)

Because foolish people who do not know the way of dispute could be seduced by the words of Christians (ha-Notzrim), especially by the books of apostates of our religion (ha-memirim datenu), (…….) I said to write responses against them in a writing of truth. (pp. 1-3) Citation 2: Discussion on the verse Jer. 23:5-6 See, a time is coming-declares the LORD-when I will raise up a true branch (tzemah tzadiq) of David's line. (……) In his days Judah shall be delivered and Israel shall dwell secure. And this is the name by which he shall be called: "The Lord is our Vindicator (YHWH tzidqenu)." Nicholas questioned: Jeremiah-peace upon him-said "I will raise up a branch for David" (Jer. 23:5) because this was said on our Messiah who would come. [Our response]: Whence do we know that Jesus the Nazareth is from David's offspring? [It is not so] because even in his Gospels the relation is not brought but for Joseph, husband of Mary. Jews do not believe his testimony [as Jesus because] there are many changings between Matthews (1:1-16) and Luke (3:23-38) upon it in terms of names and numbers of people. (p. 27) Nicholas said: Maimonides wrote in part 1 of the Guide (1:61) that all the names [of God] are mentioned according to the actions and only exception is the name of four letters (Tetragrammaton) and brought derivations from God. And he (Nicholas) said: As for the verse saying, "The Lord is our Vindicator (YHWH tzidqenu)" (Jer. 23:6), it is no appropriate than to say that it is upon Jesus. [I respond]: I do not understand confusion in his words because in his commentary of 24 books (the Bible) Nicholas calls him once man, once God, once prophet, once Messiah, and here he calls him God. He relies upon "distorted copying" (ha'ataqah meshubeshet, i.e. Jerome's Vulgate) which is not true. (…….) This epithet which God calls is for Israel or Judah who is called "The Lord is our Vindicator." (pp. 29-31