Marcel Simon (historian)
Marcel Simon (1907-1986) was a French historian specializing in the history of Judaism in the Graeco-Roman world and early Christianity. He is considered a leading figure in the study of Jewish-Christian relations during the first centuries of the Common Era.
Born in Alsace, France, Simon pursued his studies at the University of Strasbourg, where he later became a professor of Roman History and then History of Religions. His academic career was largely dedicated to examining the complex interaction between Judaism, Hellenism, and the burgeoning Christian faith.
Simon's scholarship is characterized by its meticulous analysis of primary sources, including the writings of Jewish, Greek, and Christian authors. He explored the diverse forms of Judaism prevalent in the Roman Empire, the impact of Hellenistic culture on Jewish thought and practice, and the processes by which Christianity emerged as a distinct religion with its own theological identity.
His most influential work is arguably Versus Israel: A Study of the Relations Between Christians and Jews in the Roman Empire (135-425), originally published in French as Verus Israel, which remains a standard text in the field. In this book, Simon meticulously documented the developing animosity and theological arguments that fueled the separation between Christians and Jews during the later Roman period. He demonstrated how Christian apologists constructed an "Israel" distinct from the contemporary Jewish community, portraying the latter as having rejected Christ and forfeited its covenant with God.
Other notable works by Marcel Simon include Jewish Sects at the Time of Jesus, which examines the diverse religious and political factions within Judaism in the first century CE, and Early Christian Literature, a comprehensive overview of the literature produced by the early Christian communities. His scholarship has significantly contributed to our understanding of the religious landscape of the ancient world and the complex historical roots of Jewish-Christian relations. His work is still consulted and debated by scholars today.