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filled either during Jesus’ lifetime or after his death.51 The author affirms that Je- sus believed he was the Messiah, evident in what he said (John 17:3),52 but Isaac ben Abraham recognizes that elsewhere Jesus openly challenged his Messianic identity (Matthew 10:34).53 According to Isaac ben Abraham, the Messiah is a human figure, descended from the paternal Davidic line. He will save and gather all the Jews, ruling over them. The contradiction in Jesus’ self-understanding does not undermine the po- lemical power of the work: the author’s intent seems to be focused on discred- iting the Gospel accounts for their discordances. We find a similar kind of inco- herence when the author deals with topics related to Mosaic Law. The Christian argument underlined that Jesus had brought about a new law, but according to Isaac ben Abraham, Jesus was largely a devoted Jew who followed Mosaic prescriptions. The argument is so central to the author that he anticipates his main conclusion in the presentation of the second part, recording: it is renowned and popular that Christians said that the Gospel is a new law given to them by Jesus the Nazarene, but we do not find anywhere in the Gospel that Jesus gave them a new law, indeed we find the contrary: (Jesus) himself ordered the com- mandments written in the law of Moses be observed and said this is eternally valid and never to be invalidated.54 Isaac ben Abraham cites Jesus’ own words from the Gospel accounts (e.g. Mat- thew 5:17–19)55 to reinforce his conviction: A Christian opinion against divine law reports that the Mosaic Law was not estab- lished to last forever, but only for a limited period of time, up until [the coming of] Jesus, who would then abrogate the Mosaic Law and give to his disciples and follow- ers a new law, which freed them from the commandments and ordinances of Mosaic Law. […] Response: this claim is not true and also their gospel refutes their words because we can find in Matthew, chapter 5 verse 17 and following, that Jesus said these words to his disciples: “think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets; I have not come to destroy but to fulfil”.56 51 Deutsch 1873, 30–38, 45–66. 52 Deutsch 1873, 326. John 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. 53 Deutsch 1873, 295. See also 300. Matthew 10:34: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword”. 54 Deutsch 1873, 283. 55 Matthew 5:17–19: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven”. 56 Deutsch 1873, 124. See also 293, 296. 22 | Miriam Benfatto www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/1