Sefer Nestor ha-Komer
Encyclopedia
Sefer Nestor Ha-Komer or The Book of Nestor the Priest (c.600 CE) is the earliest surviving anti-Christian Jewish polemic
. The book is in Hebrew, but also exists in an Arabic translation. It cites extensively and critically from New Testament and Church sources. The title komer (כומר) describes an ex-Christian priest, rather than a kohen
or Jewish priest.
The text uses the spelling Yeshu
(ישו) for Jesus.
A modern edition פולמוס נסתור הכומר The Polemic of Nestor the Priest by Daniel J. Lasker and Sarah Stroumsa was published by the Ben-Zvi Institute for the Study of Jewish Communities in the East, 1996.
Polemic
A polemic is a variety of arguments or controversies made against one opinion, doctrine, or person. Other variations of argument are debate and discussion...
. The book is in Hebrew, but also exists in an Arabic translation. It cites extensively and critically from New Testament and Church sources. The title komer (כומר) describes an ex-Christian priest, rather than a kohen
Kohen
A Kohen is the Hebrew word for priest. Jewish Kohens are traditionally believed and halachically required to be of direct patrilineal descent from the Biblical Aaron....
or Jewish priest.
The text uses the spelling Yeshu
Yeshu
Yeshu is the name of an individual or individuals mentioned in Rabbinic literature. The oldest works in which references to Yeshu occur are the Tosefta and the Talmud, although some scholars consider the references to Yeshu to be post-Talmudic additions....
(ישו) for Jesus.
A modern edition פולמוס נסתור הכומר The Polemic of Nestor the Priest by Daniel J. Lasker and Sarah Stroumsa was published by the Ben-Zvi Institute for the Study of Jewish Communities in the East, 1996.
See also
- Toledot YeshuToledot YeshuSefer Toledot Yeshu is a medieval version of the story of Jesus from a Jewish perspective. The book concerns Yeshu, son of Joseph and Mary, born in Bethlehem, but also makes this Yeshu a contemporary of Queen Salome Alexandra...
- Milhamoth ha-ShemMilhamoth ha-ShemMilhamoth ha-Shem , "The Wars of the NAME", is the title of several Hebrew texts. Among these the most notable are:-Milhamoth ha-Shem of Salmon ben Jeroham, 10th C.:...
of Jacob Ben Reuben 12C - Sefer Nizzahon YashanSefer Nizzahon YashanSefer Nizzahon Yashan “The Book of Victory” is a 13th Century anonymous Jewish apologetic text. In medieval times this was known in Latin as the Nizzahon Vetus. A modern edition was published by Mordechai Breuer in 1978....
or Nizzahon vetus 13C - Sefer Joseph HamekaneSefer Joseph HamekaneSefer Joseph Hamekane the Book of Joseph the Official is a 13th C. Jewish apologetic text. The primary edition is by Judah Rosenthal...
of R. Joseph hen R. Nathan l'official 13C (Paris MS) - The Touchstone of Ibn ShaprutIbn ShaprutShem-Tob ben Isaac Shaprut of Tudela was a Spanish Jewish philosopher, physician, and polemicist. He is often confused with the physician Shem-Ṭob ben Isaac of Tortosa, who lived earlier...