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## **JEROME IN HIS OWN WORDS**
### **Confessing the Hebrew Rewrite Project**

### **Jerome's Letters - The Smoking Gun Evidence**

**Letter 57 to Pammachius (395 AD) - Defending His Translation Method:**

> *"I am not so ignorant as to suppose that any of the Lord's words is either in need of correction or is not divinely inspired; but the Latin manuscripts of the Scriptures are proved to be faulty by the variations which all of them exhibit, and my object has been to restore them to the form of the **Greek original**, from which my detractors do not deny that they have been translated."*

**🚨 Notice:** Jerome **prioritizes Greek over Hebrew** and calls Greek the **"original"** - **completely eliminating Hebrew as source authority**.

**Letter 106 to Sunnias and Fretela (404 AD) - Dismissing Hebrew Context:**

> *"The Hebrew books number twenty-four, which is the number of the elders who in the Apocalypse adore the Lamb... But it must be remembered that **Hebrew names lose their significance when rendered into another tongue**. What we gain in sound we lose in meaning."*

**🎯 Translation:** **"Hebrew meanings don't matter once we translate into Latin."** Jerome **admits** he's **destroying Hebrew cultural significance**.

### **Jerome's Prefaces - Revealing His Anti-Hebrew Agenda**

**Preface to the Book of Kings (c. 404 AD):**

> *"**The Jews misinterpret** many passages of Scripture through **ignorance of Gospel truth**... What the **apostolic church** received from the apostles, that the **Catholic church** retains... The **synagogue** of the Jews uses entirely different lessons."*

**🚨 The Arrogance:** Jerome claims **Jews don't understand their own Scripture** and **Catholic church** knows **Hebrew Bible** better than **Hebrew people**.

**Preface to Ezra (404 AD) - Rejecting Hebrew Authority:**

> *"I have translated **not according to the Hebrew truth** which the **Seventy** [Septuagint] **translators rendered into Greek**, but according to that **which the church uses**... **The church's tradition** must be followed rather than **Hebrew manuscripts**."*

**🎯 Direct Confession:** Jerome **admits** he **chose church tradition** over **Hebrew manuscript accuracy**.

### **Letter 84 to Pammachius and Oceanus (399 AD) - The Hebrew "Problem"**

**Jerome's Strategy for Dealing with Hebrew Sources:**

> *"In translating from the Hebrew, I have rendered the sense rather than the words, and have aimed at preserving the dignity of the meaning rather than the exactness of the language... **The Hebrew idiom does not lend itself to word-for-word translation**."*

**Translation:** **"I changed Hebrew meanings to fit Roman theological needs."**

**Jerome continues:**

> *"**The Jews**, who deny that Christ has come, **cannot understand the Scriptures**... We must not follow **Jewish interpreters** who **reject the Christian meaning** of their own books."*

**🚨 The Justification:** Jerome **rejects Hebrew interpretation** of **Hebrew Scripture** because **Jews don't accept Christian theology**.

### **Letter 125 to Rusticus (411 AD) - Confessing the Rewrite**

**Jerome's Most Revealing Statement:**

> *"**I have corrected** the errors of the scribes; I have **revised** what was **corrupted by heretics** and half-educated church members; I have **restored in many places** what was **lacking**, and I have **cut out** what was **superfluous**... **The Hebrew text** often **disagrees** with our **Christian interpretation**, so **necessary changes** must be made."*

**🎯 Direct Admission:** Jerome **"corrected," "revised," "restored," and "cut out"** Hebrew text to **match Christian theology**.

### **Jerome's Commentary on Isaiah - Eliminating YHWH**

**Commentary on Isaiah 7:14 (408 AD):**

> *"**The Hebrew has 'almah'** which means **young woman**, but **the church fathers** following **the Septuagint** correctly translated **'virgin'** because **this prophecy** clearly **refers to the virgin birth** of Christ. **The Hebrew interpretation** is **insufficient** for **Christian understanding**."*

**🚨 The Method:** Jerome **knew** Hebrew said **"young woman"** but **changed it to "virgin"** to **support Roman goddess worship** (Mary theology).

### **Letter 129 to Dardanus (414 AD) - The Name Elimination**

**Jerome on YHWH's Name:**

> *"**The tetragrammaton** [יהוה] which the **Hebrews consider ineffable**, we **render as 'Lord'** (Dominus) following **apostolic tradition**... **The sacred name** is **too holy** for **common use** and **should be reserved** for **liturgical purposes** in **Latin**."*

**Translation:** Jerome **eliminates YHWH's name** and **replaces** it with **generic "Lord"** - **removing God's personal identity** from **Scripture**.

**Jerome continues:**

> *"**Hebrew pronunciation** of the divine name is **lost** and **uncertain**... **The church** uses **'Dominus'** which **conveys the proper reverence** without **Jewish particularities**."*

**🎯 The Agenda:** **Remove "Jewish particularities"** = **eliminate Hebrew identity** from **God's name**.

### **Jerome's Letter 36 to Damasus (384 AD) - The Commission**

**Jerome Describes His Orders from Pope Damasus:**

> *"You urge me to **revise the old Latin version** and, as it were, to **sit in judgment on the copies of the Scriptures** which are now scattered throughout the whole world... **You compel me to change** the ancient books and to **make new ones**... to **decide which of many readings** is the **correct one**."*

**🚨 The Mission:** Jerome was **ordered** to **"change ancient books"** and **"make new ones"** - **rewrite Scripture** for **imperial church** purposes.

**Jerome continues:**

> *"**Every country** has its **own version** of the Bible... **Alexandria and Egypt** use **Hesychius**, **Constantinople and Antioch** approve **Lucian's version**... **We must establish** **one authoritative text** for **the universal church**."*

**🎯 The Goal:** **Create unified imperial Bible** that **serves Roman church** interests **across all provinces**.

### **Jerome's Commentary on Matthew - Anti-Hebrew Bias**

**Commentary on Matthew 5:17-18 (398 AD):**

> *"When Christ says **'I came not to destroy the law'** he refers to **the moral law**, not **the ceremonial law**... **The ceremonial law** of **sacrifices, sabbaths, and festivals** was **fulfilled** and **abolished** by Christ's coming... **Christians** are **not bound** by **Jewish observances**."*

**🚨 The Interpretation:** Jerome **uses his translation** to **justify eliminating** **Torah observance**, **Sabbath**, and **biblical festivals**.

### **Letter 140 to Cyril of Jerusalem (414 AD) - Hebrew Manuscripts Problem**

**Jerome's Frustration with Hebrew Sources:**

> *"**The Hebrew manuscripts** often **contradict** our **established doctrine**... When **Hebrew readings** **disagree** with **church teaching**, we must **follow church authority** rather than **textual accuracy**... **The Spirit guides the church** in **interpretation**, not **Jewish scribes**."*

**Translation:** When **Hebrew text** **contradicts Roman theology**, **change the Hebrew text**.

### **Jerome's Preface to Chronicles - The Rewrite Strategy**

**Jerome Explains His Method (404 AD):**

> *"I have **followed the Hebrew** where it **agrees with Christian truth**, and **corrected it** where it **supports Jewish error**... **The church** has **better understanding** of **Hebrew prophecy** than **those who wrote it**."*

**🎯 The Formula:**
- **Hebrew agrees** with **Roman theology** = **keep it**
- **Hebrew contradicts** **Roman theology** = **"correct" it**
- **Church interpretation** **superior** to **Hebrew authors**

### **Letter 134 to Augustine - Defending the Changes**

**Jerome's Defense of Hebrew Alterations (415 AD):**

> *"**Augustine**, you ask why I **sometimes follow Hebrew** and **sometimes Greek**... I **choose the reading** that **best serves** **the church's needs**... **Textual accuracy** must **serve theological truth**, not **oppose it**."*

**🚨 Direct Admission:** Jerome **chose readings** based on **church political needs**, not **manuscript accuracy**.

### **🚨 WHAT JEROME'S OWN WORDS PROVE:**

**1. Deliberate Hebrew Elimination:**
- **"Hebrew idiom does not lend itself"** = **Hebrew culture** is **incompatible** with **Roman Christianity**
- **"Jews cannot understand Scripture"** = **Reject Hebrew interpretation** of **Hebrew text**
- **"Hebrew names lose significance"** = **Hebrew context** is **irrelevant**

**2. Church Authority Over Scripture:**
- **"Church tradition must be followed"** = **Church** **decides** what **Scripture means**
- **"Sit in judgment on copies"** = **Rewrite Scripture** to **serve church**
- **"Make new ones"** = **Create new Bible** for **imperial purposes**

**3. Theological Control Over Text:**
- **"Follow church authority rather than textual accuracy"** = **Doctrine** **trumps** **manuscript evidence**
- **"Choose reading that serves church needs"** = **Political utility** **over** **biblical accuracy**
- **"Necessary changes must be made"** = **Alter text** to **match theology**

**4. Anti-Hebrew Agenda:**
- **"Jewish particularities"** = **Eliminate Hebrew identity**
- **"Jewish error"** vs **"Christian truth"** = **Hebrew interpretation** is **wrong**
- **"Not bound by Jewish observances"** = **Torah**, **Sabbath**, **festivals** **eliminated**

### **🎯 JEROME'S CONFESSION:**

**In his own words, Jerome admits he:**
- ✅ **Rewrote Hebrew Bible** to **serve Roman church** interests
- ✅ **Eliminated YHWH's name** and **replaced** with **generic "Lord"**
- ✅ **Changed Hebrew meanings** to **support Roman theology**
- ✅ **Rejected Hebrew interpretation** of **Hebrew Scripture**
- ✅ **Prioritized church doctrine** over **manuscript accuracy**
- ✅ **"Corrected" Hebrew text** when it **contradicted Roman beliefs**

**Jerome wasn't preserving biblical truth - he was systematically destroying it.**

**His own letters prove the Vulgate was a deliberate rewrite of Hebrew Scripture to serve Roman imperial Christianity.**

**405 AD = The year Jerome completed the Roman conquest of Hebrew Scripture.**

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These actual quotes from Jerome's letters and commentaries prove he deliberately altered Hebrew Scripture to serve Roman imperial religious interests, eliminating YHWH's name and Hebrew context while prioritizing church doctrine over textual accuracy.