2256. About a certain conversation with Jews
When they left, having gone some distance toward the filthy Jerusalem, some of the foremost Jews were lamenting because they were leaving, for they want to be present, to talk and to scheme together. Finally they did contrive, as customary with that nation, to tell me something, but it was just made up, and they said that they had come across a certain Jew who likewise speaks with them, and who told them (they spoke in waves, as if from afar) that their Messiah is now known, who is about to lead them into Palestine with greater miracles than Moses did. But I was prompted to ask them in reply whether he would live to eternity, as predicted by the Lord about the Messiah [Is. 9:6-7, Mic. 4:6-7, cf. Ps. 21:4].
They did not know what to say to this, and consulted for a long time, not knowing what they should reply because he was a man. I did not hear their consultations about how to reply, only the murmuring among themselves for quite a while. Finally they answered that he would live to eternity, thinking that God would preserve his life to eternity.
2256. CONCERNING A CERTAIN DISCOURSE WITH THE JEWS.
When they departed some distance off, towards the city Jerusalem, some of the principal men [primores] of the Jews, lamenting that they departed, for they desire that they should be present, and speak, and make plots [machinari], at last, as is customary with that nation, plotted that they would say something to me which yet was a fiction; and they said that they have found a certain Jew, who speaks similarly with them, and that he says to them (they spoke by undulating, as it were, from afar), whether have I known their Messiah, who should lead them into Palestine with greater miracles than Moses. But it was given to reply to them, whether should he live to eternity, as is predicted by the Lord concerning Messiah. Thereupon they were ignorant what to say, and they consulted a long time, not knowing what they should answer, because [Messiah was] a man. Their consultations how they should reply, I did not hear, but [there was] a murmur amongst them for some time. At last they replied that he would live to eternity, thinking that the Lord would preserve his life to eternity.
2256. De quodam sermone cum Judaeis
Cum discederent, aliquantum longinque, versus Hierosolymam spurcam, quidam Judaeorum primores, lamentantes quod discederent, nam cupiunt adesse, loqui, et machinari, tandem, ut solitum est isti genti, machinati sunt, ut mihi quoddam dicerent, quod tamen erat figmentum, dicebantque, quod invenerint Judaeum quendam 1
, qui similiter 2
cum iis loquitur, et quod is iis dicat, (loquuti undulando sicut e longinquo) nunc nosci 3
eorum Messiam, qui ducturus eos in Palaestinam miraculis majoribus, quam Moses; sed respondere iis dabatur, num is victurus in aeternum, sicut praedicitur a Domino, de Messia [Jes. IX: 6-7, Mic. IV: 6; cf. Ps. XXI: 4]; ad hoc nesciebant quid dicerent, et diu consultabant, nescientes quid responsuri, quin homo; consultationes eorum, quomodo responderent, non audivi, sed murmur inter se, aliquamdiu; tandem respondebant, quod victurus in aeternum, cogitantes quod Deus conservaturus vitam ejus in aeternum; sed tunc iterum iis regerere 4
dabatur, num etiam reliqui Judaei, victuri in aeternum,
(2257.) si enim ii morerentur post aliquos annos sicut reliqui, quid lucri haberent a Messia suo? nam nihil est, nisi quod aeternum, reliquum omne 5
quia temporale et momentaneum, est nihil, quod exspirat et fit nihil; respondebant, quod morituri, sed messias iste usque recturus eos in altera vita, quia docturus eos, quod sit altera vita, et persuasurus: nunc iterum eis dicere dabatur, num messias is sicut Esaias dicit, et alii prophetae, tam humilis fieret, et contemtus, et super pullo asini [Jes. LIII: 3, Sach. IX: 9, Matth. XXI: 5, Joh. XII: 15]; vel an magnificus: annon exscinderetur, ut propheta dicit [Jes. LIII: 8], praeter alia quae prophetae dicunt; tandem cum ulterius non scirent quid fingerent, dicebant, quod fieret cum eo, sicut prophetae dicunt; dicentes, quod aliter respondere nequeant, nam quod venturus, ex prophetis habent. 1748, 9 Junius.
Footnotes:
1. The Manuscript has quendem
2. The Manuscript has simiter
3. The Manuscript has manuscript nunc nosi sed in J.F.I. Tafel's edition num novi: "novi pro noli"
4. imperfectum in the Manuscript
5. The Manuscript has omni