Wandering Jew

:See also Wandering Jew (plant) for information on the plants of the same name.

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The Wandering Jew is a figure from Christian folklore. The legend relates that a Jewish shoemaker, taunting Jesus on the way to crucifixion, was told by Him "thou shalt go on forever till I return". The shoemaker was thus punished for his indiscretion by being forced to wander the earth until the second coming of Jesus.

Related Topics:
Christian - Folklore - Jew - Jesus - Crucifixion - Second coming of Jesus

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Others trace it to the Matthew 16:28:

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:Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

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When some interpreters see the "wandering Jew" as a metaphorical personification of the Jewish diaspora, the subtext that links the two is that the destruction of Jerusalem was in retribution for Jewish responsibility for the Crucifixion. A more allegorical view claims instead that the "wandering Jew" personifies any individual who has been made to see the error of his wickedness, if the mocking of the Passion epitomizes the callousness of mankind toward the suffering of human beings.

Related Topics:
Personification - Jewish diaspora - Jerusalem - Allegorical - Wickedness - Passion

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A variety of names have been given for the Wandering Jew, including:

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• Ahasuerus (or Ahasverus)
• Buttadeus (or Buttadeu)
• Cartaphilus
• Juan Espera en Dios (span. {{IPA|}} 'hope-for-God John')

There also exists a Jewish family line with the surname Wander. They mostly originate from Galitzia (Ukraine, formerly Poland).

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Wandering Jew: Origin of the legend ►