It has never really been crystal clear to me what Jesus was actually charged with, and what the crime was that brought about His crucifixion.
Pilate found Him not guilty.
The thief on the cross said "this man did nothing wrong".
Blasphemy? Claiming to be God?
Forgiving sins?
In today's society, blasphemy isn't really a crime, especially one worthy of death.
Yes, I've read the accounts in the Bible, but it's still a bit unclear, to me, what the actual crime was.
@chaney3 saidSedition.
It has never really been crystal clear to me what Jesus was actually charged with, and what the crime was that brought about His crucifixion.
Pilate found Him not guilty.
The thief on the cross said "this man did nothing wrong".
Blasphemy? Claiming to be God?
Forgiving sins?
In today's society, blasphemy isn't really a crime, especially one worthy of death.
Yes, I've read the accounts in the Bible, but it's still a bit unclear, to me, what the actual crime was.
@chaney3 saidIn his hearing before the Sanhedrin he was accused of:
It has never really been crystal clear to me what Jesus was actually charged with, and what the crime was that brought about His crucifixion.
Pilate found Him not guilty.
The thief on the cross said "this man did nothing wrong".
Blasphemy? Claiming to be God?
Forgiving sins?
In today's society, blasphemy isn't really a crime, especially one worthy of death.
Yes, I've read the accounts in the Bible, but it's still a bit unclear, to me, what the actual crime was.
1 violating the Sabbath law (by healing on the Sabbath)
2 threatening to destroy the Jewish Temple
3 sorcery, exorcising people by the power of demons
4 claiming to be the Messiah.
They then took Jesus to Pontius Pilate, and ask that he be tried for claiming to be the King of the Jews. After questioning Jesus Pilate could find no crime to execute him for, but realised he was a Galilean and could be tried under Herod’s jurisdiction, so he passed the buck to Herod.
Herod had previously had John the Baptised executed at the behest of his sister who had gotten her daughter to dance provocatively. Herod was curious about these religious men and questioned Jesus who said nothing. Herod has him flogged and sent back to Pilate.
Pilate is probably getting the hump by now and calls the Jewish leaders in for a chat, he says:
"I having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him: no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him."
There are further talks and eventually Pilate agrees under pressure from the Sanhedrin to have Jesus crucified.
The Romans were very clear in their laws about what was an executable offence and what wasn’t, so it seems that the charge against Jesus was trumped up and manipulated in order to satisfy the Sanhedrin’s desire to end him.
As FMF says it was probably documented as a Roman version of sedition.
@chaney3 saidSedition could not have been the charge...because Jesus preached peace? That is a non-sequitur.
Jesus was not that sort of Messiah, as was expected by the Jews.
Jesus preached peace.
Sedition could not have been the charge.
Firstly Jesus didn’t preach peace, in fact he said “do not think I have come to bring peace of earth” going on to say that he had brought a sword (the word) and that his message would divide even families.
Secondly the Roman leaders just wanted an easy life and executing Jesus clearly became easier than keeping him alive. They could have executed him for painting the temple red and no one would have cared, they could do what they liked and the Sanhedrin assured them that there would be no trouble.
@divegeester saidI don't see how it was "trumped-up" from the Roman perspective. If they thought Jesus had the potential to disrupt society, then that is what it was.
The Romans were very clear in their laws about what was an executable offence and what wasn’t, so it seems that the charge against Jesus was trumped up and manipulated in order to satisfy the Sanhedrin’s desire to end him.
@fmf saidAccording to the biblical accounts neither Herod nor Pilate found any capital crime he was guilty of and yet Pilate had him executed. Whatever the final death penalty charge was, it was therefore manufactured to some extent.
I don't see how it was "trumped-up" from the Roman perspective. If they thought Jesus had the potential to disrupt society, then that is what it was.
Edit: I expect Pilate took the word of the Sanhedrin, that Jesus was a trouble maker and would continue to be a trouble maker.
@divegeester saidIf the Romans decided that Jesus was a troublemaker among the people they ruled, I don't see how a charge of sedition was "trumped-up". The Romans even attached a mocking 'title' to the cross. It was a message to the local people. It was a political message. Sedition is a political crime.
I expect Pilate took the word of the Sanhedrin, that Jesus was a trouble maker and would continue to be a trouble maker.
There is an interesting point that comes out of this thread. That is that the only people who were fair and just and on the side of Christ were the Romans. Pilate and his wife called Jesus a just man and did not want to have anything to do with his crucifiction. Being an outsider to the Jewish laws and customs Plate chose to step aside saying he is washing his hands of this matter.
I have come across many a Christian pastor who condemned Pilate and ignored the attitude of the Jewish leader who were supposed to be Gods people and therefore more just and fair in their deliberations. Those two Romans, Pilate and his wife will fare better in the day of judgment that all these Jews. Jesus said he does not forget those who helped him.
Christians now are the very same predicament. The church doctrine which they follow have caused them to make all kinds of derogatory remarks about Christ and His teachngs and commandments when they are supposed to be the ones supporting Christ and preaching Christ. Atheist and non Christians have commented openly that the teachings of Christ are good and expressed admiration for Christ and His ministry.
"Now, what do you think? There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the older one and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' 'I don't want to,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. 'Yes, sir,' he answered, but he did not go. Which one of the two did what his father wanted?" "The older one," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "I tell you: the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of God ahead of you. (Matthew 21:28-31 GNB)
I guess it comes down to tradition at that time. Along with the fact that the Pharisees were more interested in their own power than actually considering who Jesus actually was. In one case, they witnessed Jesus heal someone, but instead of taking a moment to realize that enormity, they immediately started to plan a way to kill Him. It seems unbelievable how closed minded and selfish they were.
In one instance, Jesus "forgave" the sins of someone, in front of the Pharisees, which obviously caused an uproar because only God is supposed to be able to forgive sins.
Still, blasphemy being a cause for death is difficult to imagine, especially in this era.
I appreciate your posts.
@fmf saidThen Pilate would have surely found Jesus guilty of sedition, but he did not. He found Him guilty of nothing, as we know.
The Romans would have seen him as a threat as, to them, he was either ruffling the feathers of, and/or rabble-rousing, the local people to whom the crucifixion was a demonstration of raw power.