An
alert reader submitted the account below of the origins of the term "Wandering
Jew" with an explanation of why the term may be offensive to some members of the
Jewish faith.
According to encyclopedia.com
"The Wandering Jew, in literary and popular legend, is a Jew who mocked or mistreated
Jesus while he was on his way to the cross and who was condemned therefore to a life of
wandering on earth until Judgment Day."
-- Editor. |
Niggardly
Terms |
An Adversity.Net reader wrote the following:
There is a reason why the term "Wandering Jew" may be offensive to some.
Originally, it referred to a local
citizen of Jerusalem who was watching the procession of Christ on the way to his
crucifixion. As Jesus leaned against this persons wall, the homeowner supposedly
told him to "keep moving" (probably out of fear of being labeled a sympathizer).
Jesus responded, "you keep moving too-- until I return," and the legend
is that this Jewish man was condemned to wander the Earth until Christ comes again.
He would not have been the only
person who behaved badly that day and was later forgiven. After all, the Simon who carried
the cross for a bit (and really resented it) is probably the same Simon from Cyrene who is
later featured in Acts of the Apostles. And Peter was swearing all around town that
he didn't even know the guy to save his own skin-- but he obviously worked out in the long
run. The Wandering Jew, however, is never redeemed, and that does not sound like
something Christ would forget to do.
Anyway, the Wandering Jew is
biblical lore and is not mentioned in any of the final accounts of the event (Mark,
Matthew, Luke or John). Some believe that it was a story (out of many) that was excised
from the Bible sometime after it was wrestled away from the early, more heretical
Christian groups who had first pieced together what would become the New Testament, and
before the Council of Nicea. But the myth has persisted for two millennia. The
book "A Canticle for Leibowitz," which is an excellent piece of Catholic science
fiction and a 1960's bestseller, featured the character as a recurring plot point and a
walking symbol of the historical tensions between the religious cultures.
For many Jews, the
"Wandering" figure personifies the hostility they perceive from some Christians.
As a Catholic and someone who normally has little use for political correctness, I
nevertheless believe it is a term best avoided out of respect for our Jewish friends and
ask that you provide your readers with the whole story so they can decide for themselves.
Thanks!
-- A Concerned Reader 9/10/02 |
