Antisemitism and the New Testament

The following list of apparently verses criticizing Jews in the New Testament was compiled by Norman A. Beck, professor of theology and classical languages at Texas Lutheran University. On this subject he has written an article available online at the Jewish Christian Relations website [1].

Dr. Beck identifies about 40 anti-Semitic polemics in the Gospel of Mark.

3:6 The Jews are said to have begun to plan to destroy Jesus

7:6-13 Condemnation of the Jews for rejecting the commandments

8:15 Beware of the yeast of the Jews

10:2-5 The Jews are said to be hard-hearted

14:55-65 The chief priests and council condemn Jesus as deserving death

15:1-15 The crowd demands that Jesus, not Barabbas, be crucified.

Dr. Beck identifies about 80 anti-Semitic polemics in the Gospel of Matthew.

(Many scholars believe that the Gospel of Matthew was aimed at a Jewish audience.)

3:7 The Jews are called poisonous snakes

12:34 The Jews are called evil poisonous snakes

15:3-9 Condemnation of the Jews for rejecting the commandments

15:12-14 The Jews are called blind guides leading the blind

16:6 Beware of the yeast of the Jews

19:3-9 The Jews are said to be hard-hearted

19:28 The disciples of Jesus will judge the twelve tribes of Israel

22:18c The Jews are called hypocrites

23:13-36 The scribes and Jews are repeatedly vilified as hypocrites

23:38 The house of Jerusalem is to be forsaken and desolate

26:59-68 The chief priests and council condemn Jesus as deserving death

27:1-26 The people demand that Jesus, not Barabbas, be crucified

27:62-66 The chief priests and Jews request a guard at Jesus' tomb

28:4 The guards tremble and become like dead when the angel appears

28:11-15 The chief priest bribe the guards to lie about their actions.

Dr. Beck identifies about 60 anti-Semitic polemics in the Gospel of Luke.

3:7 The multitudes are called poisonous snakes

4:28-30 The members of the synagogue in Nazareth try to kill Jesus

7:30 The Jews are said to have rejected the purposes of God

11:39-54 The Jews and Torah scholars are repeatedly condemned

12:1b Beware of the yeast of the Jews, which is hypocrisy

13:14-17 The ruler of the synagogue is condemned as a hypocrite

13:35a The house of Jerusalem is to be forsaken

22:63-71 The chief priests and council condemn Jesus as deserving death

23:1-25 The people demand that Jesus, not Barabbas, be crucified.

Dr. Beck identifies about 130 anti-Semitic polemics in the Gospel of John.

5:16-18 The Jews are said to have persecuted Jesus and wanted to kill him

5:37b-47 It is said that God's word and God's love is not in the Jews

7:19-24 It is said that none of the Jews do (what is written in) the Torah

7:28d It is said that the Jews do not know the One who has sent Jesus

8:13-28 It is said that the Jews know neither Jesus nor the Father

8:37-59 The Jews are said to be descendants of their father, the Devil

9:13-41 The Jews and other Jews are condemned as guilty

10:8 The Jews are said to be thieves and robbers

10:10a The Jews are depicted as those who steal and kill and destroy

10:31-39 The Jews are said to have picked up stones to throw at Jesus

11:53 It is said that the Jews realized that they would have to kill Jesus

11:57 It is said that the chief priests and Jews wanted to seize Jesus

12:10 It is said that the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus and Jesus

12:36b-43 It is said that most Jews loved the praise of men more than of God

16:2-4 (The Jews who) kill Jesus' disciples will think they are serving God

18:28-32 The Jews are said to have demanded that Pilate sentence Jesus to death

18:38b-40 The Jews are said to be demanding that Jesus, not Barabbas, be crucified

19:4-16 The Jews are depicted as insisting to Pilate that Jesus be crucified.

Dr. Beck identifies about 140 anti-Semitic polemics in the Acts of the Apostles.

2:23b Peter tells the men of Israel that they crucified Jesus

2:36b Again Peter tells the men of Israel that they crucified Jesus

3:13b-15a Peter tells the men of Israel that they killed the originator of life

4:10a Again Peter tells the men of Israel that they killed Jesus

5:30b Peter tells the members of the Jewish council that they killed Jesus

6:11-14 Some Jews are said to have brought false accusations against Stephen

7:51-60 Stephen shown as condemning the Jews for betraying and killing Jesus

9:1-2 Paul is depicted as planning the arrest of disciples of Jesus

9:23-25 Jews are said to have plotted to kill Paul

9:29b Jewish Hellenists are also said to have tried to kill Paul

12:1-3a It is said that the Jews were pleased when Herod killed James

12:3b-4 Herod is said to have seized Peter also to please the Jews

12:11 Peter is said to have realized that the Jews wanted to kill him

13:10-11 Paul is said to have condemned the Jew Elymas as a son of the Devil

13:28-29a It is said that the Jews had asked Pilate to crucify Jesus

13:39d It is said that Jews cannot be forgiven by means of the Torah

13:45-46 Jews are said to have spoken against Paul

13:50-51 Jews are said to have encouraged persecution of Paul and Barnabas

14:1-6 Many Jews opposing Paul and Barnabas and attempting to stone them

14:19-20 Jews are said to have stoned Paul, thinking that they had killed him

17:5-9 Jews are said to have incited a riot, looking for Paul and Silas

17:13 Jews are said to have stirred up turmoil against Paul

18:6 Paul said to have told the Jews, "Your blood will be on your own heads!"

18:12-17 Jews are said to have brought accusations against Paul

19:13-19 Jewish exorcists are shown to be condemned

21:27-36 Jews are depicted as seizing Paul and as trying to kill him

22:4-5 Paul says that when he was a Jew he had persecuted Christians

23:2-5 Paul is said to have condemned the chief priest for striking Paul

23:12-22 Jews are said to have plotted to eat nothing until they kill Paul

23:27-30 Paul is said to have been nearly killed by the Jews

24:9 The Jews are said to have accused Paul of many crimes

25:2-5 Jews are said to have plotted to kill Paul

25:7-11 Jews are said to have continued to bring accusations against Paul

25:15-21 Jews are said to have spoken repeatedly against Paul

25:24 All Jews are said to have shouted that Paul must be killed

26:21 The Jews are said to have seized Paul and tried to kill him

28:25-28 Paul is said to have condemned the Jews for never understanding God.

/Talk