Jews In The Middle Ages Essay Sample

The treatment of the Jews during the Middle Ages changed depending on their role in society. They were either persecuted as foreigners and people to be considered enemies of the State. Or the Jews were treated with utmost respect in other areas as they were the money lenders. In many areas they financed infrastructures, wars, such as the Crusades and other necessities for the lords.
Initially, the Jews in Rome were courted by Paul to convert to Christianity in Paul’s famous Letter to the Romans. Many did and Rome ended up becoming the seat of the Christian church. Those that did not convert were found to be out of their element in Europe. And many people continued the work of Paul to convert the Jews to Christianity. As in the Letter from a Pope this time, to the Bishop, he maintains the fact that the Jews need to become Christians. But the Pope reiterates the idea that even if the Jews get Baptized it does not mean that they are converted unless they accept Jesus Christ in their hearts. Just going through the motions to become Christian without having faith in the Three Persons in God is an attempt to loss more souls than to save them.
Pope Gregory does encourage the Christians to treat the Jews fairly and not to persecute them in their temples. The Pope encourages efforts to convert the Jews but if they chose not to they should not be punished. The thoughts are parallel to the sentiments of Pope Francis and his treatment of the people of other religions in that He wants them treated with mercy and love as they are god’s children also.
Bernard of Clairvaux advised that the Jews be respected as the chosen race of Jesus. He suggested that efforts to convert be continued but the Jews deserved respect for having come from the blood line of Jesus. He quoted the Bible and said “Slay them not, lest my people forget” (Psalms 46).
However this was not the sentiment of many who had been lent money by the Jews. The Jews practiced a system of lending called usury which was to charge interest on any monies lent. If the landowner had borrowed money and had not repaid it they would loss the property just like today in a foreclosure of sorts. People were not happy about this process and this hold that the Jews had on people. The practice of usury was considered sinful but retribution was not permitted.
Martin Luther felt that they should be punished and made to pay for all the injustices that the Jews had been responsible for including the killing of Jesus. Prayer books and the temples should be burned according to Martin Luther and no amount of teaching and attempts to convert are useful because they are not worth the effort.
Jews in the Middle Ages were treated very differently depending on their location or the sentiment of the local area. In the German areas where Martin Luther was from the tolerance of the Jews was very limited. However in the Roman area in Italy the Jews were treated as separate to the Christian but still worthy of the mercy and love of Christians and all attempts to convert them was encouraged. The role of the Jews as a money lender gave them a privileged role in some areas as money was needed for the Crusades and the Jews had the money. The Jews were treated with ambivalence in the Middle Ages as in the history of time. Pope Frances is again in this year asking for mercy and love for all.