Compiled from Patrologia Latina, Vol. 65 (ed. J.-P. Migne, Paris, 1847)
St. Fulgentius of Ruspe (c. 462–533) was Bishop of Ruspe in North Africa and one of the most important theologians of the late patristic period. A devoted disciple of St. Augustine, he wrote extensively in defense of Catholic orthodoxy against the Arians and Pelagians. His writings contain numerous passages dealing with the Jewish people in the classical patristic framework: their rejection and crucifixion of Christ, their spiritual blindness and hardness of heart, the transfer of the divine promises to the Gentiles, and the supersession of the Old Covenant. The passages below are drawn from his authenticated works and, where noted, from the Appendix of sermons preserved under his name. All Latin text is taken from PL 65. Translations are provided below each Latin excerpt.
I. Deicide — The Crucifixion of Christ by the Jews
“agnum verum et immaculatum pro salute humani generis immolatum, et ab impiis Judæis crucifixum…Ipse est, qui nos per admirabilem virtutem et ineffabilem potentiam divinitatis suæ redemit, rebellesque et superbos Judæos devicit, et claustra gehennæ exspoliavit.”
The true and spotless Lamb, immolated for the salvation of the human race, and crucified by the impious Jews…He it is Who redeemed us through the admirable power and ineffable might of His divinity, and Who conquered the rebellious and proud Jews, and plundered the bars of hell.
— Sermones, Sermo I; PL 65, col. 101–102
“Quam ob causam Filium hominis Judæi a Juda impio et sceleratissimo traditore traditum flagellant, et opprobriis insequuntur.”
For which reason the Jews scourge the Son of Man, betrayed by the impious and most wicked traitor Judas, and pursue Him with reproaches.
— Sermones, Sermo II; PL 65, col. 102
“Fugiat infelix Judæus: destruatur qui nativitatem Christi denegat hæreticus.”
Let the wretched Jew flee; let the heretic who denies the birth of Christ be destroyed.
— Sermones, Sermo III; PL 65, col. 103
“Propter hanc unitatem personæ auctor vitæ dicitur interemptus, sicut in Actibus apostolorum Petrus Judæos increpat dicens: Et petistis virum homicidam donari vobis, auctorem vero vitæ interemistis.”
By reason of this unity of person, the Author of life is said to have been slain, as Peter in the Acts of the Apostles reproves the Jews, saying: You requested that a murderer be granted to you, but the Author of life you put to death.
— Ad Trasimundum Regem Vandalorum, Lib. III, Cap. XII; PL 65, col. 277–278
“Dominus noster Jesus Christus novimus unde acceperit carnem, de Virgine Maria…a Judæis persecutionem passus est, ligno suspensus est, in ligno interfectus est, de ligno depositus est, sepultus est, tertia die resurrexit.”
We know whence Our Lord Jesus Christ received flesh — from the Virgin Mary…He suffered persecution from the Jews; He was hung upon the wood; He was slain upon the wood; He was taken down from the wood; He was buried; on the third day He rose again.
— Epistola XII; PL 65, col. 389–390
“Deum Unigenitus, incomprehensibilis et immortalis, a nullo factus, et rerum omnium factor æternus, suo dignatus est opere Christus fieri, ut Judæorum posset opere crucifigi: quia Redemptorem mundi traditum crux nulla ratione portasset, nisi mundi factorem conceptum virginis uterus edidisset.”
The Only-begotten God, incomprehensible and immortal, made by none, and the eternal maker of all things, deigned to become Christ through His own work, so that He might be crucified through the work of the Jews: for the cross could in no way have borne the Redeemer of the world delivered up to it, had not the womb of the Virgin brought forth the maker of the world.
— De Trinitate Liber Unus; PL 65, col. 501–502
“Illos crucifixerunt facinora sua, Christum crucifixerunt peccata nostra.”
Their own crimes crucified those two [thieves]; our sins crucified Christ.
— Sermones, Sermo VIII; PL 65, col. 741–742
“Judæi dederunt pretium, Judas accepit argentum, nec ipse possedit pretium, quia cucurrit ad laqueum: nec ipsi possederunt quem emerunt. Cantet Christus Redemptor, gemat Judas venditor, erubescat Judæus emptor. Ecce Judas vendidit, Judæus emit. Malum negotium egerunt, ambo damnificati sunt, seipsos perdiderunt. O tu Juda! o tu Judæe! venditor et emptor esse voluistis, quanto melius a Christo redempti fuissetis?”
The Jews gave the price; Judas received the silver; yet he did not keep the price, because he ran to the noose; nor did they possess the one they had bought. Let Christ the Redeemer sing, let Judas the seller groan, let the Jewish buyer be ashamed. Behold: Judas sold, the Jew bought. They conducted an evil transaction; both were ruined and destroyed themselves. O Judas! O Jew! you wished to be seller and buyer — how much better would it have been had you been redeemed by Christ!
— Appendix, Sermo XXVII; PL 65, col. 895–896
“O Judæi semper vani! Surgentis Christi abscondi non poterat sacramentum. Sine causa perdidistis argentum, ibi ad traditorem, hic ad milites. Sed riserunt de vobis angeli nuntiantes. Gavisæ sunt gentes, et crediderunt de Domino angelicæ potestates. Ubi est quem emistis? ubi est cui pecuniam numerastis? Gratis redimi potuistis: sed et modo si redimi vultis, bibite sanguinem quem fudistis.”
O Jews, ever vain! The mystery of the rising Christ could not be concealed. You lost your silver in vain — there to the traitor, here to the soldiers. But the angels who announced it laughed at you. The Gentiles rejoiced and believed in the Lord, as did the angelic powers. Where is He Whom you bought? Where is He for Whom you counted out your money? You could have been redeemed for nothing; but even now, if you wish to be redeemed, drink the blood you poured out.
— Appendix, Sermo XXVII; PL 65, col. 895–896
II. Jewish Spiritual Blindness and Rejection of Christ
“CAPUT IV. Errores hæreticorum ex malo intellectu circa mysterium Incarnationis. Inde etiam cæcitas Judæorum.”
CHAPTER IV. The errors of heretics arising from a wrong understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation. Hence also the blindness of the Jews.
— Ad Trasimundum Regem Vandalorum, Lib. I, Cap. IV (chapter heading); PL 65, col. 229–230
“In uno eodemque Christo, vero Dei veroque hominis filio, minus perspicientium tenebratur hactenus lippitudo, in quo illuminatis veri luminis claret manifesta cognitio. Inde est quod Judæus hominem Christum cæcus vidit, et cecidit, cui jam pridem Isaias non destitit prædicare: Aure audietis, et non intelligetis, et videntes videbitis, et non videbitis…Audiens ergo Judæus, remansit surdus, et videns, magis factus est cæcus; a quo nec veri Patris sempiternus atque unigenitus Filius creditur, et incorruptæ virginitatis fecunditas abnegatur.”
In one and the same Christ — true Son of God and true Son of man — the bleary-eyed vision of those who perceive less is darkened even now, whereas in Him the clear and manifest knowledge of the true Light shines for the enlightened. Hence it is that the Jew, blinded, saw Christ as a mere man and fell — he to whom Isaiah had not ceased long before to proclaim: With hearing you shall hear and not understand, and seeing you shall see and not perceive…The Jew, therefore, heard and remained deaf; and seeing, became the more blind; by whom neither the eternal and only-begotten Son of the true Father is believed, nor the fruitfulness of the incorrupt Virginity acknowledged.
— Ad Trasimundum Regem Vandalorum, Lib. I, Cap. IV; PL 65, col. 229–230
“Salvator noster cum Judæos increparet ostendit, dicens: Quomodo potestis vos credere, qui gloriam ab invicem accipitis: et gloriam quæ a solo Deo est, non quæritis?”
Our Savior showed [the nature of true glory] by rebuking the Jews, saying: How can you believe, you who receive glory from one another, and the glory which is from God alone you do not seek?
— Ad Monimum, Lib. I, Cap. XVI; PL 65, col. 165–166
“Christum crucifixum, Judæis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam, ipsis autem vocatis Judæis atque Græcis, Christum Dei virtutem, et Dei sapientiam.”
Christ crucified — to the Jews a stumbling block, to the Gentiles foolishness, but to those called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
— Ad Trasimundum Regem Vandalorum, Lib. III; PL 65, col. 273–274
“Nos autem prædicamus Christum crucifixum, Judæis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam: ipsis autem vocatis Judæis et Græcis, Christum Dei virtutem, et Dei sapientiam.”
But we preach Christ crucified — to the Jews indeed a stumbling block, but to the Gentiles foolishness; yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
— Epistola XIV; PL 65, col. 405–406
“Non est Deus Judæorum, qui eum non credunt Deum vivum, sed hominem mortuum.”
He is not the God of the Jews, who do not believe Him to be the living God, but a dead man.
— Contra Fabianum Fragmenta, Frag. XX; PL 65, col. 591–592
“Illuminatum est speculum cæci, et tenebris sunt operti Judæi. Nolunt videre in lumine alieno: ideo non potuerunt superbi verum aspicere lumen in Deo.”
The mirror of the blind man has been illuminated, and the Jews are covered in darkness. They refuse to see in a light not their own; therefore the proud were unable to behold the true Light in God.
— Appendix, Sermo XVIII; PL 65, col. 881–882
“Judæisque dicebat incredulis: Si verbis meis non creditis, saltem virtutibus et miraculis credere debetis.”
And He said to the unbelieving Jews: If you do not believe My words, at least you ought to believe on account of My mighty works and miracles.
— Sermones, Sermo II; PL 65, col. 102
III. Hardness of Heart and Stiff-Neckedness
“Dura cervice et incircumcisi corde et auribus, vos semper Spiritui sancto restitistis, sicut patres vestri et vos.”
Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you have always resisted the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did, so do you also.
— Contra Fabianum Fragmenta, Frag. XVII; PL 65, col. 769–770 (quoting Acts 7:51, as applied to the Jews by St. Stephen)
“Sed hanc in eis mansisse duritiam cordis, sicut supra jam diximus, beatus Stephanus, cum Judæos increparet, ostendit. In Actibus enim apostolorum, sicut ipse dicit, Dura cervice et incircumcisi corde et auribus, vos semper Spiritui sancto resistitis…Unde dura cervix in illo populo, qui ex omni mundo electus est, qui de servitute decem miraculis meruit liberari, cui lex data est, cujus saluti ora prophetarum omnium militarunt, ex quo factus secundum carnem, et ad quos missus est Christus, nisi quia cæcitas ex parte in Israel facta est, donec Israel adoptatus ex plenitudine gentium intraret in regnum?”
But that this hardness of heart remained in them, as we have already said above, blessed Stephen showed when he rebuked the Jews. For in the Acts of the Apostles he says: Stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you have always resisted the Holy Ghost…Whence this stiff neck in that people who were chosen from all the world, who merited to be freed from slavery by ten miracles, to whom the law was given, for whose salvation the mouths of all the prophets were enlisted, from whom Christ was born according to the flesh, and to whom He was sent — save because blindness in part has happened in Israel, until Israel, adopted from the fullness of the Gentiles, shall enter into the kingdom?
— Appendix, De Induratione Cordis; PL 65, col. 851–852
“Eia, sancte Stephane, dic aliquid de Judæis, ut incipias lapidari, quo possis coronari. Jaculare verba, et excipe saxa. Dic aliquid de incircumcisis cordibus, et morieris lapidibus. Dic aliquid de eo cujus nomen nolunt audire, et erubescant et sæviant, et muta fiant labia dolosa.”
Come then, holy Stephen, say something about the Jews, so that you may begin to be stoned and thereby be crowned. Hurl words, and receive stones. Say something about their uncircumcised hearts, and you shall die by stones. Say something about Him Whose name they refuse to hear — and let them blush and rage, and let their lying lips be made dumb.
— Appendix, Sermo I; PL 65, col. 857–858
“Nam stabat in medio luporum, et erat facies ejus tanquam facies angeli stantis in medio Judæorum. Quid agitis, o Judæi? non timetis ovem Christi primam pedisequam, quæ habet in fronte sua nomen Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti?”
For he stood in the midst of wolves, and his face was as the face of an angel standing in the midst of the Jews. What are you doing, O Jews? Do you not fear the first of Christ’s flock following in His steps, who bears upon his forehead the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost?
— Appendix, Sermo III; PL 65, col. 861–862
“Judæi lapidabant, iste ingemiscebat. Judæi cedebant caput, iste commendabat spiritum.”
The Jews were stoning him, while he was groaning. The Jews were striking his head, while he was commending his spirit.
— Appendix, Sermo III; PL 65, col. 861–862
“O magnum miraculum! cœli januæ aperiuntur, et Judæi mentes impias concluserunt.”
O great miracle! The gates of heaven are opened, and the Jews have shut their impious minds.
— Appendix, Sermo III; PL 65, col. 861–862
“Ideo pro tanta iniquitate lapidantium Judæorum genua figebat, lacrymas effundebat, dicens: Domine, ne statuas hoc illis ad peccatum.”
Therefore on account of such great iniquity of the stoning Jews he bent his knees and poured forth tears, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.
— Appendix, Sermo III; PL 65, col. 861–862
“Caiphas princeps Judæorum de hominis Filio patiente et omnia tolerante…Caiphas conscidit vestes, isti ipsas clauserunt mentes. Caiphas ut nudus remaneret, isti ut in sua malitia permanerent.”
Caiphas, the prince of the Jews, concerning the Son of Man suffering and enduring all things…Caiphas rent his garments; these men shut their own minds. Caiphas [did it] that he might remain stripped bare; they, that they might remain in their malice.
— Appendix, Sermo III; PL 65, col. 861–862
IV. Supersessionism — The Transfer of Grace from Synagogue to Church
“in Esau figuram esse populi Judæorum, ex futuris malis operibus condemnandi; in Jacob vero figuram esse populi gentium, ex futuris operibus bonis salvandi.”
In Esau there is the figure of the Jewish people, to be condemned on account of their future evil works; but in Jacob the figure of the Gentile people, to be saved on account of their future good works.
— Epistola XV (Epistola Episcoporum Africæ); PL 65, col. 271–272
“Certissime tenendum est quod et ille ut damnaretur, iram juste meruit: non enim injustus Deus, qui infert iram: et iste ut salvaretur, gratis donum misericordiæ prævenientis accepit.”
It must be held with absolute certainty that he [Esau] justly deserved wrath so that he might be condemned — for God who inflicts wrath is not unjust — and that he [Jacob] freely received the gift of prevenient mercy so that he might be saved.
— Epistola XV (Epistola Episcoporum Africæ); PL 65, col. 271–272
“Non enim qui in manifesto est Judæus, neque quæ in manifesto in carne circumcisio; sed qui in abscondito est Judæus et circumcisio cordis in spiritu, non littera; cujus laus non ex hominibus, sed ex Deo est.”
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not of men but of God.
— Sermones duo inediti, Sermo I (De Circumcisione Domini); PL 65, col. 833–834 (citing Romans 2:28–29)
“Per circumcisionem vero quam Dei Filius in carne suscepit, nostri cordis circumcisionem in spiritu præmonstravit.”
Through the circumcision which the Son of God received in the flesh, He foreshowed the circumcision of our heart in the spirit.
— Sermones duo inediti, Sermo I (De Circumcisione Domini); PL 65, col. 833–834
“primitiva illa in primis discipulis Ecclesia, a Judæis repulsa, ejusdem redemptionis dispensationem ad notitiam gentium perduxit.”
That primitive Church in the first disciples, driven away by the Jews, brought the dispensation of the same redemption to the knowledge of the Gentiles.
— Sermones duo inediti, Sermo II (De Purificatione Domini); PL 65, col. 841–842
“parvus in regno Judæorum, magnus in regno gentium.”
Small in the kingdom of the Jews, great in the kingdom of the Gentiles.
— Sermones duo inediti, Sermo II (De Purificatione Domini); PL 65, col. 841–842
“duo autem illa navigia duos populos significabant Judæorum et Gentium, Synagogæ et Ecclesiæ, circumcisionis et præputii.”
Those two boats signified the two peoples — of the Jews and of the Gentiles, of the Synagogue and of the Church, of the circumcision and of the uncircumcision.
— Appendix, Sermo XLII; PL 65, col. 905–906
“tertium præceptum observatio sabbati, quod Christiani spiritaliter observant, Judæi carnaliter violant.”
The third commandment is the observance of the Sabbath, which Christians observe spiritually, but the Jews violate carnally.
— Appendix, Sermo XLII; PL 65, col. 905–906
“exaltat confitentem gentilem, inclinavit ex hoc in hunc, id est a Judaico populo in gentilem populum…verumtamen fæx ejus non est exinanita, quia omnia sacramenta carnalia apud Judæos remanserunt.”
He exalts the confessing Gentile; He has inclined [the vessel] from the one to the other, that is, from the Jewish people to the Gentile people…yet its dregs were not emptied out, because all the carnal sacraments remained with the Jews.
— Epistola XIV; PL 65, col. 429–430
“Unus autem paries venit ex Judæis, alter adductus est a gentibus…Paries ex Judæis adductus est, quando pastoribus Judæis Christum natum angelus nuntiavit.”
One wall came from the Jews, the other was brought from the Gentiles…The wall from the Jews was brought in when the angel announced to the Jewish shepherds that Christ was born.
— Sermones, Sermo IV (De Epiphania); PL 65, col. 733–734
V. Theological Enmity — The Jews and Christ
“Propterea volebant eum Judæi interficere, quia non solum solvebat sabbatum, sed et Patrem suum dicebat Deum, æqualem se faciens Deo. Quam æqualitatem non malevola Judæorum adversitas (sicut quibusdam videtur) objecit, sed evangelistæ veridica prorsus auctoritas declaravit.”
Therefore the Jews wished to kill Him, because not only did He break the Sabbath, but also called God His own Father, making Himself equal to God. This equality was not charged against Him by the malevolent opposition of the Jews — as some suppose — but was declared by the entirely truthful authority of the Evangelist.
— Contra Arianos (fragment); PL 65, col. 205–206
“Per caritatem Dei sævientibus Judæis non cessit…Caritas quippe in Stephano superavit sævitiam Judæorum.”
By the love of God he did not yield to the raging Jews…For charity in Stephen overcame the savagery of the Jews.
— Sermones, Sermo III (De S. Stephano); PL 65, col. 729–730
“quem Judæi graviter persequentes, et usque ad invidiam Pilati regis, cum acrius sibi tradi Christum nefandis vocibus postularent, continuo rex nequitiam populi et divini hominis apud se silentium cogitans, aquam ad lavandas manus accepit, et innocentem se ab ejus sanguine pronuntiavit.”
The Jews, persecuting Him severely and even to the point of stirring the envy of King Pilate, demanding with their wicked voices that Christ be delivered up to them more harshly, the king, considering the wickedness of the people and the silence of the divine man before him, straightway took water to wash his hands and declared himself innocent of His blood.
— Appendix, Sermo X; PL 65, col. 869–870
“De Judæis enim quos increduli cordis impietas possidebat ita dicit: Veritatem dico in Christo, non mentior, testimonium mihi perhibente conscientia mea, in Spiritu sancto, quoniam tristitia mihi est magna, et continuus dolor cordi meo. Optabam enim ego ipse anathema esse a Christo pro fratribus meis, qui sunt cognati mei secundum carnem, qui sunt Israelitæ.”
Concerning the Jews, whom the impiety of an unbelieving heart possessed, he [the Apostle Paul] speaks thus: I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie, my conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Ghost, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ for my brethren, who are my kinsmen according to the flesh, who are the Israelites.
— De Remissione Peccatorum, Lib. I, Cap. XIII; PL 65, col. 529–530
“Tunc vere liberi eritis, si vos Filius liberaverit…Putabant enim se vere liberos, qui humanis occupationibus intentione vanissima serviebant.”
Then you will truly be free, if the Son shall have set you free…For they thought themselves truly free, who were serving human occupations with a most vain intention.
— Epistola XV (Epistola Episcoporum Africæ); PL 65, col. 281–282
VI. The Veil, the Diaspora, and Divine Judgment
“ut Judæis, ablato cordis velamine, lux veritatis appareat.”
That for the Jews, with the veil of the heart removed, the light of truth may appear.
— Epistola XV (Epistola Episcoporum Africæ); PL 65, col. 283–284 (citing the prayer of Pope St. Celestine I)
“quia cæcitas ex parte in Israel facta est, donec Israel adoptatus ex plenitudine gentium intraret in regnum.”
Because blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the adopted Israel from the fullness of the Gentiles shall enter into the kingdom.
— Appendix, De Induratione Cordis; PL 65, col. 851–852 (citing Romans 11:25)
“Judæi et gentes longe a se diversi erant, quia diversa credebant…circumcisionis nomine Judæos, præputii nomine gentes indubitanter ostendens.”
The Jews and the Gentiles were far apart from each other, because they believed different things…by the name of circumcision clearly denoting the Jews, and by the name of uncircumcision the Gentiles.
— Sermones, Sermo IV (De Epiphania); PL 65, col. 733–734
“fuissent Judæi repentina mirandaque ejusdem beati Petri prædicatione compuncti, et mutatione dextræ Excelsi ad fidem ex infidelitate conversi.”
The Jews, struck to the heart by the sudden and wondrous preaching of the blessed Peter, and changed by the right hand of the Most High, were converted from unbelief to faith.
— Epistola XVII; PL 65, col. 464–465
“Judæi nec Christi divinitatem nec Mariæ incorruptam fecunditatem credunt. Judæos incarnationem aure audituros et non intellecturos Isaias prædixit.”
The Jews believe neither in the divinity of Christ nor in the incorrupt fruitfulness of Mary. Isaiah foretold that the Jews would hear of the Incarnation with the ear and not understand it.
— Index (Migne’s editorial summary of PL 65); PL 65, col. 971–972
Sources
- Patrologia Latina, Vol. 65: S. Fulgentii Episcopi Ruspensis Opera Omnia, ed. J.-P. Migne (Paris, 1847). Digitized at Google Books: https://books.google.com/books?id=zBERAAAAYAAJ
Works of St. Fulgentius Cited
| Work | PL 65 Columns |
|---|---|
| Sermones (authentic) | col. 101–148 |
| Ad Monimum libri III | col. 153–218 |
| Ad Trasimundum Regem Vandalorum libri III | col. 223–302 |
| Epistolæ (I–XVII) | col. 303–474 |
| De Trinitate Liber Unus | col. 497–508 |
| De Remissione Peccatorum libri II | col. 529–586 |
| Contra Fabianum Fragmenta | col. 749–828 |
| Sermones duo inediti (De Circumcisione; De Purificatione) | col. 833–846 |
| Appendix ad S. Fulgentii Opera (authorship uncertain) | col. 847–984 |
Note on the Appendix: A significant number of the sermons in PL 65, cols. 847–984 are noted by the Maurist editors themselves as of uncertain or doubtful attribution to Fulgentius; some are shared with the Augustinian corpus. They are included here as they were transmitted under his name in the tradition and reflect the Augustinian-African theological milieu he represents. Passages from the Appendix are so labelled above.