a. Constantine
b. Martin Luther
c. Pope Benedict XIV
d. Tucker Carlson.
The correct answer is b – Martin Luther.
While Luther was initially favorable toward the Jewish people, his attitude changed drastically toward the end of his life when he realized they were not converting to Christianity. As a result, his writings became strongly anti-Jewish.
In a sermon delivered on February 15, 1546, Luther even referred to the Jews as “our public enemies.”
As scholar Isaac Kalimi notes: “After Luther… many Christians repeated Luther’s criticism of Esther and the Jews, and as if that were not enough, they even added further negative words and anti-Jewish assertions of their own.”
(Isaac Kalimi, The Book of Esther)
This reminds us that the Book of Esther is not merely an ancient story. It reveals a pattern that continues throughout history: whenever hatred rises against the Jewish people, the message of Esther remains, and those who seek Israel’s destruction ultimately place themselves in opposition not only to a people but also to the purposes of God Himself.