The Christian attack rooted in the sense of degraded Jewish circumstances was potent and threatening; it required extensive Jewish response. The first prong of this response was to rebut Christian readings of biblical verses that suggested displacement of the Jews or that at least made such a notion conceivable. More important was establishment of the Jewish counter-case, the creation of an argument that Jewish redemption is irrefutably grounded in biblical revelation.

Let us begin with Rabbi Meir bar Simon of Narbonne. We recall that, at one point in the dialogue he composed, Rabbi Meir has his Christian protagonist point to lengthy Jewish exile under Christian rule and conclude that “we [the Jews] should acknowledge that their faith is more correct and better than ours.” Rabbi Meir has his Jewish spokesman respond by pointing to the biblical legacy, with its highlighting of both frightful punishment for Israel's sins and eventual redemption. The Jew cites a number of biblical verses that predict lengthy and difficult exile, meaning that the reality of lengthy and difficult Jewish exile highlighted by the Christian should simply be understood as fulfillment of divine prediction. These same passages conclude with God's redemption of his people. Just as the punishments have in fact materialized, so too will the eventual redemption.

Let us look closely at the very first of the passages adduced by Rabbi Meir – Leviticus 26. The passage opens with brief indication of the blessings attendant upon observance of the covenant.