The Jews as “Children of the Devil” (John 8:44) in Nazi Children’s Literature

Abstract

Biblical interpreters have long wrestled with the vicious anti-Jewish rhetoric of John’s gospel including, mostly famously, when Jesus calls Jews “children of the devil” (8:44). Post-Shoah, the anti-Jewish rhetoric of John’s gospel is even more horrifying. This article seeks to highlight the use of John 8:44 and other anti-Jewish rhetoric from John’s gospel in children’s literature from Nazi Germany. The children’s books under consideration show a progression from advocating for forced displacement of the Jews to advocating for murder. Seeing the intensification and advancement of this rhetoric, even in something seemingly harmless like children’s literature, is a warning to biblical scholars who may try to downplay or overlook the hateful language of John’s gospel.