Early and later Jewish influence on Christianity ties together the three essays of this volume. Featuring the work of F. C. Burkitt, Antoine Meillet, and Laurie Magnus, this collection of essays explores the influence of Jewish tradition and scriptures on European Christian communities in the patristic and modern eras. Based on his extensive knowledge of early Christianity, Burkitt’s essay reviews the influence of Jewish ideology on early Christian theology and delves into how the Old Testament was treated from the Church Fathers up until the nineteenth century. Meillet’s contribution explores the influence of the Hebrew Bible on European languages of the modern period. As a renowned linguistic scholar, his essay artfully examines individual words and concepts that entered into common European usage. Revisiting the same concept, but on the broader basis of literature, Magnus considers the influence of the Old Testament on European literary works. Together these three essays demonstrate at a glance the breadth of Jewish influence on Christianity in its earliest days and in post-Renaissance European usage.

Francis Crawford Burkitt (1864-1935) began his academic career as a student of mathematics. While at Cambridge University he moved to the study of Divinity, eventually becoming the Norrisian Professor. His interest in the text of the New Testament led him to study Syriac manuscripts and to publish widely in the field. He was a fellow of the British Academy.

Paul-Jules-Antoine Meillet (1866-1936) was a French linguist. He studied at the Sorbonne and taught at the École des Langues Orientales before being appointed to a professorship at the College de France. He is considered one of the most influential French linguists of the early 20th century.

Laurie Magnus (1872-1933) was a well-regarded scholar of European literature. He also held the post of warden for the West London Synagogue of British Jews. He authored several books on literary subjects and was active against the Zionist movement.