Antisemitism and Christianity
There is good evidence that anti-Semitism in Europe (and later America) has its roots in this verse: Matthew 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. The author of the gospel was probably trying to exonerate Pilate, to make the text palatable to the gentiles, and was probably refering to the destruction of the Temple when he said his blood was on their hands. However, the effect was to have the whole Jewish race pronounced guilty of deicide. The so-called "Blood Curse", the Jews as the "Christ killers". We can see the early church fathers took it that way in many quotes: If someone had killed your son. could you stand the sight of him or the sound of his greeting? Wouldn't you try to get away from him as if he were an evil demon; as if he were the Devil himself? The Jews killed the Son of your Master......... Will you so dishonor Him as to respect and cultivate His Murderers, the men who crucified Him? - John...