Selections of Honorius Augustodunensis’ Writings on the Jews

1. On Christ Among the Jews as a Night-Raven in a Ruined Dwelling

Latin Text (lines 21712-21715): “Domicilium erat populus Judæorum destructus interius a turba dæmonum. In hoc domicilio Christus sicut nycticorax est factus, quia in cordibus Judaeorum ut peccator est reputatus.”

English Translation: “The dwelling was the people of the Jews, destroyed internally by a crowd of demons. In this dwelling Christ became like a night-raven, because in the hearts of the Jews he was regarded as a sinner.”

2. On the Jews as Shackled Sons of Death

Latin Text (lines 21922-21924): “Compediti gementes erant Judaei, filii interemptorum pagani. In Hebraeo scribitur filios mortis, ut solveret filios diaboli a peccatis.”

English Translation: “The shackled and groaning were the Jews, the sons of those slain, the pagans. In Hebrew it is written ‘sons of death,’ to release the sons of the devil from sins.”

3. On the First Generation of Jews Perishing Through Unfaithfulness

Latin Text (lines 24036-24039): “De generatione Judaeorum, et gentium dicit, recedit enim prima generatio Judaeorum, quoniam periit propter infidelitatem, et succedit ei generatio de gentibus congregata, videlicet sancta Ecclesia fidelium, quae per fidem Christi salvatur.”

English Translation: “Concerning the generation of the Jews and gentiles he says, for the first generation of the Jews departs, since it perished through unfaithfulness, and the generation gathered from the gentiles succeeds it, namely the holy Church of the faithful, which is saved through faith in Christ.”

4. On the Jews as Dead Lions Abandoned by God

Latin Text (lines 24868-24873): “Canis vivus gentilitatem significat, leo mortuus, populum Judaeorum a Deo derelictum. Melior est ergo canis iste vivus apud Deum, quam leo mortuus, quia nos qui de gentibus credimus, viventes per fidem, cognoscimus Deum Patrem et Filium et Spiritum sanctum. Judaei vero mortui per infidelitatem, nihil sciunt.”

English Translation: “The living dog signifies the gentiles, the dead lion, the people of the Jews abandoned by God. Therefore this living dog is better before God than the dead lion, because we who believe from among the gentiles, living through faith, know God the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. The Jews indeed, dead through unfaithfulness, know nothing.”

5. On the Jews Who Attacked the Church in Many Ways

Latin Text (lines 26792-26796): “…cujus mater erat Synagoga, ejusque filii Judaei, qui Ecclesiam multis modis impugnaverunt. Nam Christum occiderunt, Stephanum lapidaverunt, utramque Jacobum interfecerunt, alios flagellaverunt, alios persecuti sunt.”

English Translation: “…whose mother was the Synagogue, and her sons the Jews, who attacked the Church in many ways. For they killed Christ, stoned Stephen, murdered both James, scourged others, persecuted others.”

6. On Christ as a Lily Among the Thorns of the Jews

Latin Text (lines 27727-27729): “Et sicut ego fui lilium inter spinas, videlicet inter Judaeos me pungentes et lacerantes, sic eris tu Ecclesia amica mea inter gentes filias Babylonis…”

English Translation: “And just as I was a lily among thorns, namely among the Jews piercing and tearing me, so are you, Church my beloved, among the gentiles, daughters of Babylon…”

7. On the Jews as Trees of the Forest Fit Only for Fire

Latin Text (line 27811): “Silva vero est Synagoga, ligna silvae Judaei ad nihil nisi ignibus apti.”

English Translation: “The forest indeed is the Synagogue, the trees of the forest the Jews fit for nothing except fires.”

Key Themes Present:

Strong Supersessionism:

  1. Replacement by the Church – The Church from the gentiles replaces the unfaithful generation of Jews (passage 3)
  2. Internal Corruption – Jews portrayed as internally destroyed by demons (passage 1)
  3. Spiritual Death – Jews described as “dead through unfaithfulness,” knowing nothing of God (passage 4)
  4. Fit Only for Destruction – Jews compared to trees fit only for burning (passage 7)

Rejection and Violence Against Christ and the Church:

  1. Jews regarded Christ as a sinner in their hearts (passage 1)
  2. Jews killed Christ, stoned Stephen, murdered James (passage 5)
  3. Jews persecuted and scourged others in the Church (passage 5)
  4. Christ portrayed as suffering among the Jews who pierced and tore him (passage 6)

Demonic and Salvific Language:

  1. Jews called “sons of death” and “sons of the devil” (passage 2)
  2. Jews portrayed as “shackled and groaning” (passage 2)
  3. Living gentile believers superior to dead Jewish unbelievers (passage 4)
  4. The Synagogue as mother of those who attacked the Church (passage 5)

Imagery of Desolation:

  1. Jews as a ruined dwelling inhabited by demons (passage 1)
  2. Christ as a night-raven (bird of desolation) among them (passage 1)
  3. Jews as thorns that pierce and tear (passage 6)
  4. Jews as dead lions abandoned by God versus gentiles as living dogs (passage 4)

Source. Patrologia Latina – Translated by Claude.AI. Honorius Augustodunensis, Writings. Migne, PL 172. 1895.