Theodore of Mopsuestia's Hermeneutics of Judaism as Reflection of Intra-Christian Christological Dispute
Theodore of Mopsuestia's Hermeneutics of Judaism as Reflection of Intra-Christian Christological Dispute

Summary/Abstract: When an early Christian author polemicizes with Judaism, the question arises whether the polemic really attests to existing Jewish views or rather to intra-Christian doubts and uncertainties. Having surveyed some polemical strategies found with Justin Martyr and Aphrahat, the article uses them as backdrop for discussion of the late fourth century Theodore of Mopsuestia's portrait of "Jewish cognitive limitations" in his Commentary on John. Theodore's stance is found to be distinguished by an illuminating combination of low christology and what might be called mitigated supersessionism with regard to the Jews – especially noteworthy as it features in the Commentary on John, the Gospel generally viewed as both strongly anti-Jewish and propagating very high christology. It is suggested that Theodore's outstanding readiness – in contradistinction to Justin and Aphrahat – to show understanding of the "Jewish predicament" indicates that for him the "Jewish stance" actually reflects intra-Christian doubts. Theodore can identify with the unbelieving Jews because as a Christian he is aware of the difficulty to comprehend still developing and hard-to-digest concepts of the divine logos' incarnation.

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