Victor von Carben (c. 1422–1515) was a German Rabbi who converted to Christianity around 1472 and was ordained a Catholic priest. Having served as a Rabbi for decades, he possessed an insider’s knowledge of Jewish religious life, Talmudic teaching, and Synagogue practice. His Opus Aureum ac Novum in quo Omnes Judaeorum Errores Manifestantur (“The New and Golden Work in Which All the Errors of the Jews Are Made Manifest”), printed at Cologne by Heinrich von Nussia in 1509, is structured as a dialogue between a Christian (representing von Carben himself) and a Jew, and draws upon the author’s firsthand experience. The work was dedicated to Philip of Daun, Archbishop-Elect of Cologne.
Note on the source: The text below is drawn from a digitized copy of the 1509 Cologne edition, the original of which is preserved at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich. The scan suffers from the limitations of OCR applied to early Gothic typeface; the Latin has been lightly reconstructed from the digitized text where individual letters were corrupted by the scanning process, but no substantive words or meanings have been supplied. All passages are direct translations.
I. On the Nature and Character of the Jews
“Est enim iudeus omnis tam crudelis, tam impius, tam pertinax, tam perniciosus, tam atrox, tam avarus, tam impudens, tam cecus, tam denique infatuatus, ut scholasticorum doctorum scriptis vinci non velit.”
“For every Jew is by nature so cruel, so impious, so stubborn, so pernicious, so fierce, so greedy, so shameless, so blind, and so utterly infatuated that he refuses to be overcome by the writings of the most learned doctors.”
— Book I, Author’s Prefatory Letter
“Accedit praeterea ad ratam rei difficultatem: quod nulla gens fit sub celo pronior ad iracundiam et ad tolerandum impatientior quam iudeorum gens.”
“Added moreover to the difficulty of the matter is this: that no nation under heaven is more prone to anger and more incapable of bearing it than the nation of the Jews.”
— Book I, Chapter 7
“Hinc et tale apud eos adagium circumfert: Christianorum modestia et mansuetudine, paganorum industria et sapientia, et praemimeficta iudeorum fide, tria esse quibus mundus ipse sustinet ac stabilitur.”
“Hence among them circulates the following proverb: that the modesty and gentleness of Christians, the industriousness and wisdom of pagans, and the wholly feigned faith of the Jews — these are the three things by which the world itself is maintained and upheld.”
— Book I, Chapter 7
II. On Jewish Obstinacy and Hatred of Christianity
“Hic certus mos iudeis est ut per nullam rem mundi averti possint a sua fidei traditione. Nam si sponeres alicui ex iudeis ipsis vel cuicumque mille aureos quos illi sponte daturus esses si fidei suae nunciare vellet: certe citius saxum durissimum cavares quam illum inducere in tuam sententiam posses.”
“This is the fixed custom of the Jews, that they cannot be turned from their tradition of faith by anything in the world. For even if you were to promise one of the Jews himself, or anyone at all, a thousand gold coins which you would willingly give him if he were willing to renounce his faith — you could more easily hollow out the hardest rock than lead him to accept your view.”
— Book I, Chapter 3
“Etiam aureos poneres ad pedem crucifixi diceres ex illis uni alicui vel pauperrimo: Ecce hos aureos tibi dabo si procumbens sustuleris a terra: ea conditione ne pedem dimoveas. Mallet profecto ille in pauperrima carere tanta pecunia quam huic paci ad imaginem crucifixi inclinare.”
“Even if you were to place gold coins at the foot of the Crucifix and say to one of the Jews, even the poorest: ‘I will give you these gold coins if you pick them up from the ground, on the sole condition that you do not move your foot’ — he would rather remain in the greatest poverty than bow to the image of the Crucifix even for such a price.”
— Book I, Chapter 3
“Immo si ultimam etiam alicui ex iudeis minatus fueris poenam nisi christianus fieri velit: milies potius se concremari committeret quam semel Christi nomen profiteri vellet.”
“Indeed, if you were to threaten any Jew with the ultimate penalty unless he wished to become a Christian, he would a thousand times sooner allow himself to be burned than once profess the name of Christ.”
— Book I, Chapter 3
“Quapropter si vel vix dixeris iudeo aut mulieri iudeae servi aut iuveni: fore ut christianus ille, haec demum fiet christiana: mirabitur excandescit tam ut ostendat adeo ut supra modum videri possit. Nec per totam diem laeto vultu esse poterit.”
“Therefore, if you were to say even lightly to a Jew, or a Jewish woman, or servant, or youth, that he or she will become a Christian — they will immediately be inflamed with such rage that it surpasses all measure. Nor will they be able to show a cheerful face for the rest of the day.”
— Book I, Chapter 3
III. On the Daily Curse Against Christians
“Maledictio quidem haec hebraice sic ponit… Latine autem sic: Ad perdendum eos qui a nobis recesserunt nulla unquam spes erit. Et cum miseretur deus olim homini minime miserabitur istorum.”
“The curse is stated in Hebrew thus… In Latin thus: ‘For the destruction of those who have withdrawn from us, there shall never be any hope. And when God comes to have mercy upon mankind, He shall by no means have mercy upon these.'”
— Book I, Chapter 21
“Hac iccirco esse alurpa puacam a christianorum fide hactenus fuaverit: qui in se moderationes habeat suorum rituum ordinatissimas. Sua autem inter se immorales apparet sine capite fit.”
“This [curse] is accordingly always uttered, for they have harbored a great hatred of the Christian faith from of old, though among themselves they maintain the most orderly forms of their rites. But among themselves they appear as a people of corrupt morals, without a head.”
— Book I, Chapter 7
IV. On the Synagogue as Blind and Reprobate
“Gratias tibi ago Christe Iesu deus et salvator meus: qui me liberasti ab iudeorum synagoga: quae certe caeca est ac reproba: ac me collocasti in misericordiam tuam in lucem sanctae ecclesiae tuae catholicae.”
“I give thanks to Thee, Christ Jesus, my God and my Savior, who hast freed me from the Synagogue of the Jews, which is certainly blind and reprobate, and hast placed me in Thy mercy into the light of Thy holy Catholic Church.”
— Book I, Chapter 6 (Victor’s Thanksgiving)
V. On the Talmud
“Ante christianum adventum usus ei fuit inter iudeos: hic enim tum libellus erat modicus: qui nunc excrevit in tantam molem ut duplo maior videri possit quam sit biblia: quod hinc accidit. Nam postquod christianorum religio oriri ac in primis paulatim haberi cepit: formidauerunt iudeorum Rabbine forte sua religio inde in periculum incideret fieretque indies minor christianorum ar maior vim obtineret maioremque ut re ipsa factum esse videtur.”
“Before the coming of Christ it was in use among the Jews: for at that time it was a small volume, which has now grown to such a size that it appears more than twice as large as the Bible. And this came about as follows: For after the Christian religion began to arise and gradually gain acceptance, the Rabbis of the Jews feared lest their religion be thereby endangered and become increasingly smaller while that of the Christians gained strength and greater force — as has in fact come to pass.”
— Book I, Chapter 9
“Emit Talmud quod summe venerantur: traditiones nihil rem aggrediutur opus iudei nisi lotis prius manibus.”
“The Talmud, which they hold in the highest veneration, commands that the Jews undertake no work of any kind without first washing their hands.”
— Book I, Chapter 5
“Deinde autem cum paulo longius processerit in meras nugas prorumpit: ut qui dicunt Adamam a primo homine bimembrem qui a vi spirare ratam se silamvno corpore… atque aliud commentum adijciunt: Adamum ut pro re inter bruta atalia si positum adeo ut cum illis et conversaretur et cum illis coiret.”
“But then, having proceeded a little further, [the Talmud] breaks out into sheer nonsense: as those who say that Adam the first man was a two-membered being combined in one body…and they add another fabrication: that Adam was set among the brute animals to such a degree that he conversed with them and had intercourse with them.”
— Book I, Chapter 10
VI. On Jewish Enmity Toward the Blessed Virgin Mary
“Sed nunc redeo ad Mariam matrem virginem semper benedictam cuius vos pridie iudei ne nomen quidem audire potestis. Adeo amara ob est eius recordatio: eius agitatio atque intentio.”
“But now I return to Mary the ever-blessed Virgin Mother, whose very name you Jews cannot even bear to hear at this present time. So bitter to you is her very memory, the stirring up and mention of her name.”
— Book II [On the Virgin Mary]
“Ergo ipsi faciunt ut Mariam virginem semper benedictam ab intelligentia textus supra allegata omnino excludant. Bone Deus plurima sunt huiusmodi deliramenta illorum: quae narrare nimis longum esset ac plane redi[o]sum.”
“So they act to exclude the ever-blessed Virgin Mary entirely from the proper understanding of the above-cited text. Good God, there are very many ravings of this kind from them, which it would be too long to recount and entirely tedious.”
— Book II [On the Virgin Mary]
VII. On the Divine Punishment and Dispersion of the Jews
“Qui igitur mandata dei non vultis suare ac spernitis facitis vos ipsos deo odibiles. Hinc ut fit ut mala vos aliis gentibus facere vultis: faciat vobis illa deus. Qui appetet vos tande, et de medio vos delebit.”
“Those therefore who are unwilling to fulfil and who spurn God’s commandments make yourselves hateful to God. Hence it comes to pass that the evils you wish to inflict upon other peoples — God will bring those same evils upon you. He will pursue you at last, and will blot you out from the midst.”
— Book I, Chapter 4
“Manet scriptum est: Non habitabitis in ea longo tempore: delebit vos dominus et disperget vos in omnes gentes… Remanebitisque pauci in nationibus. Et assumam vos, unum de civitate, duos de cognatione.”
“For it is written: ‘You shall not dwell in it for a long time; the Lord will blot you out and scatter you among all the nations…You will remain few among the nations. And I will take one from a city and two from a clan.'”
— Book I, Chapter 4 (citing Deuteronomy and Jeremiah)
“Deut.ix. Scito ergo et non propter iustitias tuas Deus tuus dederit tibi terram hanc ad possidendum: cum durissimae cervicis sis populus. Dozipso ter in eodem loco Moysesipse vester reperit. Igitur & a deo gens electa fuistis ab initio & ante alias gentes: non id merita vestra exigerunt: propter Abraham patrem vestrum Deus vos potius elegit.”
“Deuteronomy 9: ‘Know therefore that it is not for your righteousness that the Lord thy God giveth thee this good land to possess, for thou art a stiff-necked people.’ And Moses himself repeats this in the same passage three times. Therefore, though you were chosen as a people by God from the beginning before other nations, it was not your merits that required it: rather God chose you on account of Abraham your father.”
— Book I, Chapter 4
VIII. On the Abrogation of Jewish Rites by Christ (Supersessionism)
“Verum mehercule in vestris scripturis manifeste legitur ubi venerit verus ille quem expectatis messias vester: omnia irrita fore nullius deinceps habenda momenti exceptis duntaxat decem preceptis decalogi.”
“But, by Hercules, it is manifestly read in your own scriptures that when the true Messiah you await shall have come, all things will be void and of no further account, except only the Ten Commandments of the Decalogue.”
— Book II, Chapter 35
“Non equidem id in ede debebat principatus ut propria membra genitalis precideretur: sed ut corda circumcideretis. Hinc illo Hieremiae.ix: Innovate vobis novale et nolite serere super spinas. Circumcidimini domino et auferte praeputia cordis vestri, viri Iuda et habitatores Hierusalem.”
“For God never intended by this commandment that the foreskin of the private parts be cut off — but that you should circumcise your hearts. Hence in Jeremiah 9: ‘Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem.'”
— Book II, Chapter 38 (On Circumcision)
“Erat quemadmodum de sabbato vos res habet: ita et de circumcisione hoc est quemadmodum acceperitis deo sabbatum vim: ita circumcisio viam… Proinde illo et Ezaiae lxv: Ne memineris priorum: antiqua ne intuemini. Ecce ego facio nova nunc orientur et cognoscetis ea.”
“Just as the matter stands regarding the Sabbath for you, so also does it stand for circumcision — that is, in the same way as you have received the force of the Sabbath from God, so also circumcision… And hence in Isaiah 65: ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?'”
— Book II, Chapter 38
IX. On the Crucifixion and the Typology of the Paschal Lamb (Deicide)
“Domus signatae olim sanguine insontis agni verum nostrum Messiam significant… Ligna enim illa duo et ysopon duorum postiuum est vera crucis Christi veri Messiae et unici Filii Dei figura in qua cruce pependit sanguis innocuus salvatoris nostri Iesu.”
“The houses marked of old with the blood of the innocent lamb signify our true Messiah…For those two pieces of wood and the hyssop of the two doorposts are a figure of the true Cross of Christ the true Messiah and the only Son of God, on which Cross hung the innocent blood of our Savior Jesus.”
— Book III, Chapter 83
“Elaie.i. De planta pedis usque ad verticem capitis non est in eo sanitas. Vulnus et livor et plaga tumens non est circumligata nec curata medicamine.”
“Isaiah 1: ‘From the sole of the foot to the top of the head there is no soundness in him. Wound and bruise and swelling sore — not bandaged, nor treated with ointment.'”
(cited in proof that the true Messiah had to suffer)
— Book III, Chapter 83
The chapter headings of Book II and III confirm the following additional topics treated at length in the dialogue:
“Capitulum lxvi. In quo christianus probat hebraice et deus verus crucifigi deberet pro salute omnium nostrum.”
“Chapter 66. In which the Christian proves from the Hebrew [Scriptures] that the true God had to be crucified for the salvation of all of us.”
“Capitulum lxviii. In quo christianus ridet iudeum de morte et sepultura veri Messiae.”
“Chapter 68. In which the Christian mocks the Jew [for his ignorance] regarding the death and burial of the true Messiah.”
X. On Jewish Usury and Avarice
“Capitulum xlv. In quo christianus exprimit quare iudei fenerent. Deinde enumerat quartuor maledicta hominum genera inter quae feneratorum genus precipuum est.”
“Chapter 45. In which the Christian sets forth why the Jews practice usury. Then he enumerates the four accursed kinds of men, among which the breed of usurers is the chief.”
“Capitulum xlvi. In quo iudeus ex quodam nomine convincitur et usuram capere non debet et iudei avarrissimi dicuntur.”
“Chapter 46. In which the Jew is convicted by a certain [biblical] name that he ought not to take usury, and the Jews are called most greedy and avaricious.”
XI. On Jewish Obstinate Refusal to Convert (Final Words of the Jew)
“Si ego erro libenter erro… Etsi ergo in infernum aptus esset omnes daemones paratos ut me deglutirerent: tamen christiane nollem. Rogo ergo te ut nihil amplius loquaris quia labor tuus inanis est.”
“If I err, I willingly err…For I say that even if hell were ready for me with all the demons prepared to swallow me up, still, O Christian, I would not [convert]. I therefore ask you to say nothing more, for your labor is in vain.”
— Book III, Chapter 84 (Final words of the Jew, closing the dialogue)
XII. On Jews as the Most Accursed People
“Capitulum xlvij. In quo fit sermo de ecclesia Dei magna de qua iudeus ante dixerat. Deinde iudei perditi primi homines esse dicunt.”
“Chapter 47. In which there is discussion of the great Church of God of which the Jew had spoken before. Then [the Christian shows that] the Jews, who claim to be the foremost of men, are in truth lost and damned men.”
Sources
- Victor von Carben, Opus Aureum ac Novum in quo Omnes Judaeorum Errores Manifestantur. Coloniae: Henricus de Nussia, 1509. Available at: https://books.google.com/books/about/Opus_aureum_ac_novum_de_Judaeorum_Errori.html?id=Zkk8AAAAcAAJ