The wandering jew

Arachne

Member
This is a legend that originated some time in the Middle Ages, but has sporadically continued up to at least the 20th Century.

Supposedly, as Jesus Christ was being whipped and abused as he was led out of the city, a particularly cruel man in the crowd spit on him, or punched him the face, or commited some other vicious act against him. Jesus allegedly responded by cursing him, saying that he would never rest and would walk the earth until Christ's Second Coming.

This story is of course just a legend, and a pretty implausible one considering what the Bible says about how Jesus spoke about the people who killed him. But during the Middle Ages and more recent centuries, it was commonly believed (at least in Christian Europe) that there was a Jew living somewhere in the world who had not aged a day since the death of Christ over a millenium before.

This Jew - his real name is either unknown, or else varies in the different versions of the legend - simply became known as the Wandering Jew. He hasn't converted to Christianity, but is terribly guilt-ridden because of what he did to Jesus. All of his family and friends are long-dead; no longer having any reason to live in Jerusalem, he eventually left and wandered all across the world. He generally avoids people for fear of bonding with somebody, only to watch them grow old and die while he remains young.

"Sightings" of the Wandering Jew have been reported for the past 1000 years on every inhabited continent. He has supposedly participated in battles, sailed on famous ships, and accompanied explorers in the New World. Of course the story has only been told by Christians of European origin, and there is no reason to believe it is more than a story.

Most "sightings" of the Wandering Jew were likely based on random encounters with rogues, adventurers, or outcasts who may or may not have even been of Jewish origin.
 

mythlvr

New Member
WOW What a powerful legend!! I have never heard this story before but now will look it up to find out more about this wandering jew. Thanks for opening my eyes to another new and interesting topic.
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Cooleridge is a wonderful poem that also uses the idea of a great sin resulting in a man wandering forever telling his story.
 
This is one of my favourite legends.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Cooleridge is a wonderful poem that also uses the idea of a great sin resulting in a man wandering forever telling his story.
Likely based upon the legend of the Flying Dutchman, a sea-captain that Christ purportedly damned to wander the oceans till the Second Coming; I'm not sure if the specific of the Flying Dutchman identify the captain as the Wandering Jew, but the similarities betwixt the two legends cannot be missed. Another use of the Flying Dutchman motif is found in Lord Dunsany's short tale, The Last Pirate, I think was the title. It seems like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise also did something with this legend.

Also along the "wandering" motif, I once read on Wikipedia (for what it's worth) that some Mormons even believe in a "Wandering Cain."
 

Myrddin

Well-Known Member
It seems like the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise also did something with this legend.
Yes, Disney did. In there Pirates of the Caribbean movies, the Flying Dutchman served as the ship that Davey Jones (the pirate monster, not the lead singer of the Monkees) captained.
 
I've never heard that legend before. It is interesting but as Arachne said, implausible given the accounts written in the Bible. But no one said you have to have facts for a legend to flourish and spread. ;)
 

Nadai

Active Member
That's an interesting legend; I've never heard of it before.
I wonder what goes along with these "sightings". How can someone know that they've seen the wandering Jew? Just any Jewish person seen loitering alone?
 
I wonder what goes along with these "sightings". How can someone know that they've seen the wandering Jew? Just any Jewish person seen loitering alone?
Who knows. I suspect the alleged sightings were chiefly found in the Middle Ages when people still believed in Prester John, used as marketing ploys "splinters" from the Cross and nails from the crucifixion. The Wandering Jew likely served as a sort of Bogeyman that parents would use to threaten their children to behave, or stay indoors after nightfall.

In other matters, the Wikipedia article on the Wandering Jew has greatly increased in size since I read it last. I'll have to read it closer when I get some time.
 

Insights

New Member
I also have never heard of this legend. I was wondering if the 'Wandering Jew' plant was named after this legend, so I did some research. If you cut out its roots and plant it in other soil, it will regenerate itself and start anew. The Patriarchs and Matriarchs in Jewish history were nomads who wondered through the Sinai desert outside of there realm. By traveling through the desert it gave them a higher spiritual awareness. Are there two different 'Wandering Jews' or one in the same with different versions?
 
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