Why Did They Crucify Jesus Christ

Why was Jesus crucified?

QuestionAnswer There is an earthly cause for Jesus’ death, as well as a heavenly motive for his death. Simply expressed, the worldly explanation for this is that mankind is a bad bunch of people. God is good, and this is the heavenly reason for this. The reason Jesus was crucified on this world was because mankind is bad. Men of evil plotted against Him, falsely accused Him, and assassinated Him. The officials of Israel had a variety of motives for wanting Jesus to be put to death on the cross.

Because they were concerned that Jesus would garner an excessive following, the Roman authorities may descend on the nation, forcing them to lose their positions, they sought to prevent this from happening (John 11:48).

And when He claimed to be the Son of God, they felt He was blaspheming (Luke 22:66–71).

Because the Romans were in charge of carrying out Jesus’ crucifixion, he was crucified rather than stoned, hung, drowned, or otherwise punished.

  • It was customary to affix the accusations against the condemned to the cross of the condemned.
  • The Jewish leaders manufactured this claim in order to provoke the Roman governor into ordering Jesus’ execution.
  • The divine cause for Jesus’ crucifixion is that God is good.
  • Despite the fact that the act of crucifying Jesus was wicked, the crucifixion was nonetheless God’s intention to atone for sin on the part of mankind.
  • In the instance of the crucifixion, it was not a matter of evil getting out of hand.
  • The powers of darkness were given heavenly authorization to carry out their plans (Luke 22:53).
  • God exploited the bad desires of evil men to accomplish the greatest good possible: the provision of redemption for all of mankind via the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

There is nothing in the Old Testament prophesy that necessitates that the Messiah be crucified in order to save the world.

When Paul writes in Galatians 3:13, he is referring to the death of Christ and applying Deuteronomy 21:22–23.

John 19:37).

Leviticus 17:11).

John 19:36).

Every one of us has committed crimes, and we are all deserving of death; nonetheless, Christ died in our place.

In order to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus, he did this in order to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, because he had forbeared in leaving the sins committed previously unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time in order to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” After all is said and done, the reason that Jesus was crucified is the explanation that each of us must come to comprehend and accept by faith: Jesus was killed to pay the penalty for my sin, allowing me to be forgiven and restored to right standing with God.

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Why Did They Crucify Jesus?

When I hear the various sweet-sounding clichés that are thrown about nowadays, one that I hear frequently is that Jesus was crucified because he was incredibly inclusive and gentle. It is reported that Jesus was crucified because he welcomed the outcasts. He was slain because he was hanging around with prostitutes and half-breds, among other things. He was slain because he was showing such bravery in his love, and his opponents couldn’t take it any longer. There is a lot of truth in these remarks.

However, this does not imply that the platitude is accurate, nor does it imply that it is harmless.

Jesus was executed because of his godlike behavior and his wild claims to deity, which is something that the gospel authors all across the world strive to downplay or embellish.

But Jesus remained deafeningly silent.

Nevertheless, I assure you that from this time forward, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and ascending on the clouds of sky.” Then the high priest tore his garments and cried out, “He has spoken blasphemy against the Most High.” What further witnesses do we require?

“How do you feel about it?” They said, “He is deserving of death.” In Luke 15:2, the people expressed displeasure with Jesus for dining with sinners and tax collectors (Luke 15:2), but they executed him because he claimed to be God’s Son and the King of Israel.

Let us know whether you are the Son of God by coming down from the crucifixion.” Likewise, the top priests, together with the scribes and the elders, made fun of him, saying: “He rescued others, but he cannot save himself.” His title is “King of Israel,” and if he can come down from the cross today, we will accept him as our Messiah.

  • Because Jesus declared, “I am the Son of God.” Although Jesus’ teachings on Torah repeatedly infuriated Jewish rabbis, it was his self-identification that prompted them to murder him.
  • Rather of assuming that Jesus was most despised because he was so kind and forgiving, we should remember that the Jews stated unequivocally, “It is not for a good job that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you have declared yourself to be God” (John 10:33).
  • Yes.
  • Yes.
  • He did, in fact, do so.

The claims to Lordship, the posture of authority, the exalted titles, the exercise of Messiahship, the presumed right to forgive, the way in which Jesus placed himself at the center of Israel’s story, the delusions of grandeur, the acceptance of worship, and the audacity of man claiming to be God were the things that infuriated the establishment the most.

The reason he died was because he behaved and talked in the manner of the incarnation Son of God, and because he refused to deny that he was the incarnate Son of God when the world despised him for being that Son of God.

He is married and has two children (Charlotte).

Kevin and his wife, Trisha, have nine children: Ian, Jacob, Elizabeth, Paul, Mary, Benjamin, Tabitha, Andrew, and Susannah. Kevin and Trisha have nine children: Ian, Jacob, Elizabeth, Paul, Mary, Benjamin, Tabitha, Andrew, and Susannah.

Why Did Jesus Die?

According to EveryStudent.com The killing of Jesus Christ through crucifixion was reserved for the most heinous of offenders. In Jesus’ situation, it seems that almost everyone helped in some way. All of the Jewish religious authorities, the Gentile Roman authority, and an enraged crowd of people demanded his execution. Why? It all began in a little town in Israel, not far from the capital city of Jerusalem. Having reached the age of thirty, Jesus began to educate others about life and God. He drew a large number of people to him.

  1. He accepted not only the affluent and powerful, but also prostitutes, the impoverished, the sick, and others who were excluded in society.
  2. “He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will be illuminated by the light of life,” Jesus says.
  3. As a result of what they witnessed.
  4. He started with a handful of fish and a few loaves of bread and worked his way up to feeding a 4,000-person hungry gathering.
  5. At sea, Jesus arose and ordered the wind and rain to cease, bringing about a brief respite from the storm.
  6. 3On several occasions, he was able to bring the dead back to life.

So Why Was Jesus Crucified?

As Jesus taught the masses, he was also critical of the religious authority in power at the time. They made a show of their authority, insisting on strict adherence to their stringent rituals, rules, and cultural customs. “They bind together huge loads that are difficult to carry and place them on people’s shoulders,” Jesus remarked of them. 4 “You hypocrites!” he said, in a direct challenge to their position. Isaiah accurately saw your future when he declared, “This nation respects me with their lips, but their hearts are distant from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching the laws of men as doctrines.” 5 In the case of the Sabbath, for example, they were very rigid.

  1. It was more limiting than it was soothing in its effects.
  2. In response, Jesus instructed the guy to take up his mat and walk.
  3. “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to be carrying your mat,” the Pharisees told him when they spotted him.
  4. He did not take a break on the Sabbath.
  5. 6

Jesus Was Clear about His Deity.

Knowing Jesus, according to him, was to know God. 7To behold him was to behold God. 8Believing in him was the same as believing in God. 9To accept him was to accept God as well. 10To despise him was to despise God. 11And to honor him was to worship God, for he was the embodiment of holiness. Following Jesus’ popularity, the Jewish Pharisees and Sadducees determined that they needed to get rid of him in order to restore control over the people’s hearts and minds. They captured Jesus and took him before the high priest, who questioned Jesus, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” (Are you the Son of the Blessed?) I am,” Jesus said, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, descending on the clouds of sky to meet you.

  • And they all agreed that he was a murderer who deserved to die.
  • This means that both Jewish and Gentile people took part in Jesus’ murder.
  • He thought that Jesus should be freed from his imprisonment.
  • “Crucify him!” they cried out in unison.
  • The judgment was death by crucifixion, the form of torture and execution used by the Roman authorities.

Jesus Knew This Would Happen

Jesus was completely unsurprised by all of this. Jesus informed his followers several times previous to his crucifixion that he was going to be arrested, beaten, and crucified, and he was right. His predictions included the possibility of a resurrection three days after his burial. By physically returning to life, Jesus would be able to demonstrate what he had declared about his deity. The soldiers grabbed Jesus and beat him after making a wreath of long thorns and pressing it into his head to serve as a false crown for him.

  1. In many cases, forty lashes were enough to bring down a person.
  2. He died of gradual asphyxia and heart failure while hanging there.
  3. Death on the cross was not only a natural result of Jesus’ miracles and teachings; it was also a deliberate act.
  4. Jesus had previously demonstrated that he has complete control over nature, illness, and even death.
  5. Jesus might have walked away from the crucifixion at any point, given the circumstances.

Jesus made the decision to die. “No one can take my life away from me,” Jesus declared just before his arrest. “I choose to lay it down of my own own.” 14 The decision to do so was deliberate on his part. It had been arranged in advance. Intentional.

Why Did Jesus Allow His Crucifixion?

We operate in ways that are diametrically contrary to God’s methods to varied degrees. Take a short look at the news on any given day and you will see what I mean. Racism, murders, sexual abuse, falsehoods, greed, corruption, terrorism, and wars, to name a few examples of wrongdoing. As individuals, we have a proclivity for causing havoc in our own and other people’s lives. God views us as lost and blind, and he holds us accountable for our actions. Consider how appalled and heartbroken we are to learn that a 6-year-old child has been taken from her family and is being subjected to sexual exploitation.

  1. All of human sin, on the other hand, is an insult to a holy God.
  2. We don’t even live up to our own expectations, let alone those of another person.
  3. So, what would a God who is absolutely holy see?
  4. 15 God instructs the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb once a year for the remission of their sins in the Old Testament, which explains why they must do so once a year.
  5. However, this was just a momentary reprieve.
  6. When Jesus arrived, the prophet John the Baptist proclaimed about him, “Behold, the Lamb of God who wipes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) 16 Jesus came to earth to bear the penalty for humanity’s sin, namely for our sin, on the cross in our place.
  7. To save us from God’s wrath, condemnation, and punishment for our sin, Jesus came to earth as our Savior in order to save us from ourselves.
  8. It was Jesus who bore the penalty for our sins on our behalf.
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DaVinci’s Last Supper

You’ve probably seen the iconic artwork by Leonardo da Vinci depicting the “Last Supper,” in which Jesus sits at a long table with the disciples seated next to him on each side of him on either side of the table. The supper that Jesus shared with his followers the night before he was captured and killed was shown by Da Vinci in this painting. As part of that “Last Supper,” Jesus promised his followers that his blood would be shed “for the remission of sins” for all people. 17 On the cross, Jesus, who had done no sin, paid the penalty for our sin.

We weren’t deserving of him taking our position in the world.

The Bible tells us that “God demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 18

Our Response to the Crucifixion of Jesus

What is it that he expects of us? In order to make amends and gain our forgiveness? No. We will never be able to repay Jesus for all he has done for us. What he demands of us is straightforward. to put their faith in him He urges us to embrace his dying on our behalf, as well as his total and unconditional forgiveness, as a gift from him. Surprisingly, many people do not want to go through with it. They desire to put up an effort to win their salvation. They must earn their way into paradise.

  • In response to their rejection of everything Jesus has done for them, Jesus stated they will die in their sin and face judgment.
  • Moreover, everlasting life and an intimate, personal contact with God are also available now, while we are living on the earth.
  • Jesus was not simply absorbing the consequences of our wrongdoing.
  • He was extending far more than just forgiveness to those who needed it.
  • This is analogous to a wealthy billionaire not only canceling a debt owed to him, but also transferring ownership of his whole estate to the individual who was unable to pay the amount back in full.

It is entirely up to us whether or not we accept the gift of a connection with him that he is presenting to us. It was described by Jesus in the following words: “I am the only way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” 21

His Offer to Us

Anyone who would invite Jesus into their lives and accept his free gift of forgiveness and eternal life will establish a relationship with him that will last for the rest of their lives. Following Jesus’ crucifixion, they buried him in a tomb and stationed a trained Roman guard of soldiers at the tomb to keep watch over him. Why? Jesus had stated on several occasions that he will rise from the dead three days after his his body. Everything he had declared about himself will be proven correct.

  1. After then, Jesus appeared physically to the disciples several times, first to a throng of 500 people, then to individuals.
  2. Each of them was murdered for it, in separate parts of the world from one another, because they were so sure of Jesus’ identity.
  3. “We have come to know and believe in the love that God has for us,” says the apostle John in his book of Revelation.
  4. Whoever lives in love is a part of God.
  5. Here’s how you can do it.
  6. Please accept my apologies.
  7. You have complete control over my life.
  8. Amen.” In the case of someone who has only recently asked Jesus into their lives, his crucifixion signifies that you have accepted his gift, that you have been forgiven, and that you have an eternal connection with him.

Footnotes: (1) John 8:12; (2) Matthew 9:35; (3) (3) 4:41 (Matthew 4:41) (4) Jesus said in Matthew 23:4 (5), Matt 15:9 (6), and John 5:18 (7) John 8:19 (eighth) John 12:45 (eighth) John 14:9 (ninth) (9) John 12:44 and 14:1 are two of the most important passages in the Bible (10) 9:37 (Matthew 9:37) (11) 15:23 (John 15:23) John 5:23 (12) (13) Mark 14:61,62 (KJV) (14) 10:18 (John 10:18) (15) Acts 10:43 (16) Romans 6:23 (17) John 1:29 (18) Matthew 26:28 (19) Romans 5:8 (20) Acts 10:43 (20) Paul writes in Romans 6:23 that (21) 14:6 (John 14:6) (22) (23), John 5:24 (24), John 17:25,26 (23) 1John 4:16,17 (24)

Why Was Jesus Crucified?

The tale is well-known among Christians: how one of Jesus’ closest companions, His disciple Judas, betrayed Him in exchange for a sack of silver pieces, and then orchestrated Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. After being mocked, beaten, and tormented, Jesus was forced to carry His own cross to the summit of Golgotha, also known as Calvary, where He was nailed and hung to die in a terrible and humiliating death, similar to that of a regular criminal, as punishment. The guards mocked him, telling him to get off the cross.

  1. I guess you aren’t all that fantastic after all.
  2. But why was Jesus killed in the first place?
  3. And, more importantly, how does His death offer significance to my own existence?
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Why Was Jesus Crucified?

There are a variety of possible explanations for Jesus’ crucifixion, ranging from those addressing practical, human, and political problems to those involving the divine. First and foremost, Jesus was crucified—that is, put to a cross to die—because it was the customary method by which the Roman government dealt with public executions of non-Romans. “Only slaves, the most heinous criminals, and those who were not Roman citizens were killed in this method,” according to the NIV Study Bible, which also notes that the convicts were chained to a pole or cross before having heavy wrought-iron nails hammered into their wrists and heel bones.

As for the reasons why the Roman authorities consented to crucify—or otherwise execute—Jesus, it appears to have been motivated by political considerations and public demand.

According to Luke’s Gospel, Pilate then summoned all of the religious leaders and members of the public together and declared, “You have brought me this man as one who is inciting the people to revolt.” I have examined him in your presence and have determined that there is no foundation for your allegations against him to be true.

  • As a result, I shall punish him first and then free him” (Luke 23:14-16).
  • A number of factors contributed to his decision to order the crucifixion.
  • In reality, Pilate “took water and washed his hands in front of the throng,” according to Matthew.
  • The obligation is entirely on you!'” (Matthew 27:24; Mark 10:24).
  • Last but not least, from a human standpoint, Jesus was killed because people did not accept that Jesus was God’s son, as the Bible teaches.
  • God’s answer is this: What was the purpose of this element of God’s plan?
  • Was it truly necessary for Him to be crucified or executed in the first place?

Another thing to keep in mind is that Jesus had to die in order to be raised from the dead. And, yes, the resurrection is the most important thing.

What Does the Bible Say about Jesus’ Crucifixion?

The tale of Jesus’ crucifixion and death is told in all four Gospel accounts: Matthew (27:32-56), Mark (15:21-41), Luke (23:26-49), and John (19:17-37). “They came to a spot named Golgotha (which literally translates as “the site of the skull”),” Matthew relates. They offered Jesus wine laced with gall to drink there, but after tasting it, he refused to take any more from the cup. After Jesus had been nailed to the cross, they divided his clothing by drawing lots for it. They sat down and kept a close eye on him from that position.

  • Throughout the day, he was crucified with two convicts, one on his right and the other on his left, who were the accounts detail.
  • “Darkness descended upon the entire region from midday to three o’clock in the afternoon,” Matthew’s narrative continued.
  • (Matthew 27:45-46; Mark 10:45-46).
  • They carried a sponge filled with wine vinegar to Jesus and placed it on a long pole to present it to him.
  • The ground trembled, the rocks cracked, and the tombs burst into flames.
  • All four reports are almost identical in terms of what transpired, albeit there are minor variances in tone, specifics, and what was stated in each story.
  • Nonetheless, the fundamentals of the tale are same in all three Gospels.
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How Does Jesus’ Crucified Life Give Meaning to My Life?

According to John 1:29, Jesus is referred to be “the Lamb of God, who wipes away the sin of the world.” A variety of animals, mainly lambs, were offered to God throughout the Old Testament, including as a thank you, as a payment for sin, as an acknowledgement of His awesome might, and a variety of other reasons. We are, nevertheless, weighed down by our sins, and there is nothing we can do to earn a position in paradise. In addition, there is no sacrifice we can make that will be sufficient to do this.

  • Jesus, on the other hand, offered himself in our place as the sacrifice.
  • Priests give blood sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people on a daily basis.
  • “When this priest had completed his one sacrifice for sins for all time, he was seated at the right side of God, and he has been there ever since, waiting for his adversaries to be made his footstool.
  • In his epistle to the Romans, the apostle Paul describes how we may all be forgiven of our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus.
  • “Through the shedding of his blood, God offered Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, to be accepted only through trust in him.
  • The magnificent gift of eternal life is explained by Jesus himself to the people in John 3: “Just as Moses brought up the serpent out of the desert, so the Son of Man must be hoisted up, so everyone who believes in him may have eternal life in him” (NIV) (John 3:14-15).
  • Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe already has their judgment passed against them because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).

He gave his life as a sacrifice for us.

We will be able to go on in the spiritual realm with the Father indefinitely.

Although His death was a tragic event, we believe that it was part of God’s plan, a piece in the larger puzzle of God’s design.

Then He was raised from the dead.

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Her novel, The Memory Garden, was nominated for the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award, which she received for her work as a Christian novelist.

Jessica Brodie’s fiction may be found at jessicabrodie.com, as well as her religious blog.

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6 Facts Surrounding the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the most horrible, agonizing, and shameful method of lethal punishment ever utilized in the ancient world, and it remains so to this day. Binding the victim’s hands and feet together with nails, and nailing the victim’s hands and feet together with nails, was this form of execution.

Crucifixion Definition and Facts

  • The word “crucifixion” (pronounced krü-se-fik-shen) derives from the Latin crucifixio, orcrucifixus, which literally translates as “attached on a cross. ” Crucification was a cruel type of torture and death in the ancient world that entailed tying someone to a tree or a wooden post with ropes or nails, and then hanging them from the tree or post. Preceding the actual crucifixion, convicts were subjected to torture including floggings, beatings, burning, racking, mutilation, and verbal abuse directed at the victim’s family. Crucifixion in the Roman tradition involved driving stakes into a person’s hands and feet before tying him or her to a wooden cross. The crucifixion was the method of execution employed by Jesus Christ.

History of Crucifixion

Although the crucifixion was considered to be one of the most shameful and painful ways of death in ancient times, it was also considered to be one of the most dreaded means of execution in ancient times. Extant records of crucifixions date back to prehistoric times, with the Persians most likely being the first to record them, before spreading to the Assyrians, Scythian, Carthaginian, Germanic, Celtic, and British cultures. Crucifixion, as a form of capital punishment, was reserved largely for traitors, captive armies, slaves, and the most heinous of offenders, among others.

Forms of Crucifixion

It is possible that secular historians were unable to explain the tragic events of this heinous practice because they could not bear to do so because of their religious beliefs. A great deal has been learned about this early form of the death punishment, however, thanks to archaeological discoveries made in first-century Palestine. For the crucifixion, four fundamental constructions or types of crosses were employed:

  • There are several types of cruxes: the simplex (one upright stake)
  • The commissa (a capital T-shaped structure)
  • The decussata (an X-shaped cross)
  • And the immissa (the well-known lower case t-shaped structure of Jesus’ crucifixion).

Bible Story Summary of Christ’s Crucifixion

Several biblical passages, including Matthew 27:27-56, Mark 15:21-38, Luke 23:26-49, and John 19:16-37 (all from the New International Version), describe Jesus Christ’s death on the Roman crucifixion. Christians believe that Christ’s death served as the perfect atonement for the sins of all humanity, which has resulted in the crucifix, also known as the cross, becoming one of the most recognized symbols of Christianity. As recounted in the Bible’s account of Jesus’ execution, the Jewish high council, known as the Sanhedrin, convicted Jesus of blasphemy and determined that he should be put to death.

  1. Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman ruler, who determined that he was innocent.
  2. Jesus was ordered to be executed by the Sanhedrin; thus, Pilate, fearing the Jews, handed Jesus over to one of his centurions to carry out the death sentence.
  3. On his head was a crown of thorns, which he refused to take off.
  4. Jesus was given a concoction of vinegar, gall, and myrrh, but he turned down the offer.

A cross was erected on which Jesus was crucified between two criminals, and stakes were hammered through his wrists and ankles to secure him to the structure. “The King of the Jews,” according to the inscription on the wall over his head.

Timeline of Jesus’ Death by Crucifixion

From roughly 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Jesus hung on the cross for approximately six hours. People were passing by yelling obscenities and scoffing as soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments during this time. When Jesus ascended to the cross, he addressed his mother Mary and the disciple John. “My God, my God, why have You left Me?” he screamed out to his father as well. At that point, the entire landscape was enveloped in darkness. Soon after, as Jesus took his final excruciating breath, an earthquake struck the Earth, tearing the temple curtain in two from top to bottom, shattering it.

The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy individuals who had died were brought back to life by the might of God.” In order to demonstrate mercy, it was customary for Roman troops to break the criminal’s legs, so speeding up the process of execution.

Rather than shattering his legs, they punctured his side with a knife.

Good Friday – Remembering the Crucifixion

Christians celebrate the passion, or suffering, and death of Jesus Christ on the cross on Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, which is observed on the Friday before Easter. Many Christians spend this day in fasting, prayer, repentance, and contemplation of Christ’s anguish on the cross, among other things.

Sources

  • Crucifixion. The Lexham Bible Dictionary (p. 368)
  • The Crucifixion (p. 368)
  • The Lexham Bible Dictionary (p. 368)

Why the Romans Crucified Jesus

Jesus was most likely crucified by the Roman authorities, who were in control of Israel and Palestine at the time, since he was viewed as a political danger by the authorities in Rome. It was inevitable that anyone who caused a commotion at the Temple, which served as a significant focal point of Jewish life and a symbol of Jewish national independence, would attract the attention of the rulers. I believe that Pilate, based on what we know about him from other sources, such as Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived during the time period, was a pretty brutal and effective ruler who would not allow the rise of resistance against Rome and his realm.

As a result, I believe they cooperated with the Roman authorities, but Pilate made the choice to crucify Jesus.

While there is a tendency to whitewash the Roman involvement, particularly in Luke’s Gospel, there is also a tendency to suggest that Christianity was not a politically dangerous movement and that whenever Roman authorities encountered it, they determined it to be so, that Christianity is not dangerous.

My understanding is that the Roman authorities in first-century Jerusalem were extremely sensitive to political risks, and they perceived Jesus to be a threat, leading them to condemn Jesus to death.

Contributors

Harold W. Attridge is the Sterling Professor of Divinity at Yale Divinity School, where he has taught for over 30 years. He is a graduate of Boston College, Cambridge University, and Harvard University, and has served on the faculties of Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, the University of Notre Dame, and Yale Divinity School, where he served as dean from 2002 to 2012. He is married with two children and lives in New York City. Essays on John and Hebrews are only a few of examples of his writings (Mohr-Siebeck, 2010; repr., Baker, 2012).

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The Crucifixion of Jesus and the Jews

Jesus was executed because he was a Jewish victim of Roman persecution. On this point, all documented authorities are in agreement. His execution was ordered by the Gentile Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate, who had him tortured and killed by Gentile Roman troops before he was executed. In fact, Jesus was one of thousands of Jews who were executed by the Romans. The New Testament not only attests to this fundamental reality, but it also provides for Jewish participation in two ways. A small group of high-ranking Jewish officials who owed their positions and authority to the Romans colluded with the Gentile leaders to have Jesus executed; they are claimed to have been envious of Jesus and to have regarded him as an existential danger to the status quo.

The number of individuals in this mob is not specified, nor is there any explanation provided for their actions (other than the fact that they had been “stirred up,” as stated in Mark 15:11).

As recorded in Matthew, the Roman ruler wipes his hands of Jesus’ blood, as the Jews exclaim, “His blood be upon us and upon our children!” (Matthew 27:25.) Throughout Jesus’ mission, the Jews are shown as desiring to murder him in John’s Gospel (John 5:18,John 7:1,John 8:37).

This shift in emphasis is not entirely clear, but one obvious possibility is that as the church spread throughout the world, Romans rather than Jews became the primary targets of evangelism; as a result, there may have been some motivation to “off-the-hook” the Romans and blame the Jews for Jesus’ death rather than the other way around.

However, by the middle of the second century, the apocryphal Gospel of Peter presents the Romans as Jesus’ supporters, and the Jews as those who crucify him, according to tradition.

As a result, anti-Semitism has fed such beliefs for ages, culminating in the crude demonization of Jews as “Christ-killers.” Christians have traditionally held, in opposition to such predictions, that the human actors responsible for Jesus’ execution are irrelevant: he offered his life voluntarily as a sacrifice for sin (Mark 10:45;John 18:11).

“Let his blood be upon us and upon our children!” cries out the congregation in most liturgical churches when Matthew’s PassionNarrativeis read during a worship service.

In most liturgical churches, when Matthew’s PassionNarrativeis read during a worship service, all members of the congregation are invited to echoMatt 27:25aloud, crying out, “Let his blood be upon us and upon our children!”

Contributors

Mark Allan Powell is a professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota (Columbus, Ohio). He is the editor of the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary and the author of Introducing the New Testament (Baker, 2009) andJesus as a Figure in History (Westminster, 2009). He received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University. John Knox Publishing Company, 2012). A gathering of individuals who are participating in religious services and are worshiping. The proclamation of “the good news” of Jesus Christ to the entire world.

  • spurious gospel purporting to have been authored by the apostle Peter, but which was rejected by the early Roman Catholic Church as part of the canonical New Testament canon because of its apocryphal nature.
  • A narrative that has been written, spoken, or recorded.
  • God’s character and actions are discussed through writing, conversation, or contemplation.
  • 15:1111 (Mark 15:1111) The leading priests, on the other hand, incited the mob to demand that Jesus release Barabbas for them instead.

27:2525 (KJV) Following that, the entire population exclaimed, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 5:1818 (John 5:1818) In order to assassinate him, the Jews increased their efforts even further, believing that he was not only violating the Sabbath but also referring to God as his own Father in the process.

  1. He did not want to travel about in Judea since the Jews were searching for an occasion to attack him and his family.
  2. 1 2:14-1514 (Thess 2:14-1514) Because you, brothers and sisters, were models for the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are located in Judea, because you experienced the same things from your own compa, you became imitators of those churches.
  3. Observe further information 10:45:45 (Mark 10:45:45) The Son of Man, after all, did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” 18:1111 (John 18:1111) “Put your sword back into its sheath,” Jesus instructed Peter to do.
  4. God, on the other hand, demonstrates his love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
  5. More details may be found at1 Tim 1:515 p.m.

When it comes to Christ Jesus coming into the world to help sinners—of which I am the foremost—the phrase is certain and deserving of complete acceptance. Matt. 27:2525 (KJV) Following that, the entire population exclaimed, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

crucifixion

Crucifixion was a popular means of capital punishment for several centuries, notably among the Persians, Seleucids, Carthaginians, and Romans, from around the 6th century BCE to the 4th century CE. Because of reverence for Jesus Christ, the most famous victim of the crucifixion, Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, banned it throughout the Roman Empire in the early 4th centuryceout of veneration for him.

Punishment

There were a number of different approaches to carrying out the execution. Ordinarily, after being beaten, or “scourged,” the condemned man would pull the crossbeam of his cross to the location of punishment, where the upright shaft of the cross had already been embedded in the ground. He was stripped of his garments, either at the time of his scourging or earlier, and either tied tightly to the crossbeam with his arms spread or nailed securely to it through the wrists. Afterwards, the crossbeam was hoisted up against the upright shaft and fastened to it at a height of around 9 to 12 feet (nearly 3 metres) above the ground.

A ledge placed around halfway up the upright shaft provided some support for the torso; however, evidence of a corresponding ledge for the feet is uncommon and late in the archaeological record.

Death happened as a result of a combination of factors including restricted blood circulation, organ failure, and asphyxiation as the body strained under the force of its own weight.

Crippling people to death was most commonly employed to punish political or religious agitators, pirates, slaves, or anyone who did not have the right to vote.

Crucifixion of Jesus

The tale of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion in the Gospels begins with the scourging of the Messiah. The Roman soldiers then insulted him as the “King of the Jews” by dressing him in a purple robe and a crown of thorns, and they took him slowly to Mount Calvary, also known as Golgotha; one Simon of Cyrene was permitted to assist him in bearing the cross on his back and shoulders. At the execution site, he was stripped and nailed to the crucifixion, or at the at least affixed to the cross by his own hands, and above him, at the very top of the cross, was a condemnatory inscription proclaiming his crime of professing to be King of the Jews, which he had committed.

The troops split his clothing and drew lots for his seamless robe, which was the winner.

Two guilty thieves were crucified on either side of Jesus, and the soldiers dispatched them at the conclusion of the trial by breaking their legs.

It is possible that one of the soldiers thrust a spear into Jesus’ side, causing blood and water to flow out. However, it seems unlikely that this was the case. To comply with Jewish tradition, he was hauled down before sundown and buried in a rock-hewn grave on the grounds.

Crucifixion in art

Beginning in the early Middle Ages, the image of Christ on the crucifixion has been a popular topic in Western art. Early Christians were preoccupied with simple symbolic affirmations of salvation and eternal life, and they were repulsed by the ignominy of the punishment. As a result, the Crucifixion was not depicted realistically until the 5th century; instead, the event was represented first by a lamb, and then by a jewelled cross after Christianity was recognized by the Roman state in the early 4th century.

  • These early Crucifixions, however, were triumphal representations, depicting Christ as alive and well, with wide eyes and no sign of agony, having triumphed over death and the grave.
  • Following the prevailing mysticism of the time, this narrative was embraced in the West in the 13th century, with an ever-increasing emphasis placed on his suffering as a result of it.
  • Giraudon/Art Resource is based in New York.
  • It is common for the major mourners, the Virgin Mary and St.

However, in various expanded versions of the theme there are a number of other pairs of figures, both historical and symbolic, who traditionally appear to the right and left of the cross: the two thieves, one of whom was repentant, who were crucified with Christ; the centurion who pierced Christ’s side with a lance (and later acknowledged him to be the Son of God) and the soldier who offered him vinegar on a sponge; and small personifications of the Sun and Moon, which were eclipse Other people that might be depicted are the soldiers who cast lots for Christ’s clothing and St.

Mary Magdalene, among others.

Intended to inspire piety in the viewer, this spectacle became the primary concern of artists, who depicted the scene with gruesome realism and occasionally included the horror of a crowd of jeering spectators.

John the Baptist appears on a number of Crucifixions from this period, pointing to Christ and his sacrifice in the same way that he had previously foretold Christ’s arrival on earth.

In common with much Christian religious art, the theme of the Crucifixion declined in popularity from the seventeenth century; some twentieth-century painters, on the other hand, generated very distinctive interpretations of the subject.

Those in charge of editing the Encyclopaedia Britannica Melissa Petruzzello was the author of the most recent revision and update to this article.

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