Who killed Jesus Christ?
We did!
Or did we?
Who Killed Jesus Christ? We Did! Or did we?
Make sure you understand that “Belief” and “Faith” are a process, a journey, a search for the truth. Throughout our journey, hopefully we also “mature” in our faith. Some things that we accepted uncritically but honestly in the beginning become a challenge (not doubt) when we more maturely look critically at familiar scripture again. At first we are given milk (some understanding); as we mature we are given more solid foods (deeper understanding).
Who killed Jesus Christ? The worldly powers that were at that time. A domination system, an unjust system dominated by the Roman Empire and with collaboration of the unjust priestly rulers of the Jewish Temple.
Who killed Jesus Christ? (I’m getting there!) Throughout the Gospels we are told that the Pharisees and Sadducees conspired to kill Jesus but were afraid to arrest Jesus because of the large crowds which followed Jesus. The priest were afraid to arrest Jesus because they were afraid that the crowds would overthrow their authority and power and/or cause a revolution which the Roman authorities would also take away their authority and power and that the Roman empire would crush and destroy the revolution (and the Temple) by the crowds which followed Jesus.
This is one reason why there was “a need” for a traitor to betray Jesus. The Pharisees needed a way to arrest Jesus away from the crowds, which followed Jesus!
From Calaphas, to King Herod, to Pontius Pilate. Who were these crowds who were bearing false-witness? Who were these crowds yelling, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him?” Are these the same crowds, which followed Jesus? Or were these the crowds, which followed the Pharisees, Sadducees, the priestly rulers, teachers of the Law, and scribes?
I now believe that there were TWO different crowds on that solemn day. One was the unjust priestly rulers and the other was a crowd of true believers which followed Jesus, the women and the children, and those that followed at a safe distance, and even those that had run away, those who hid behind closed doors, and even those who had denied Jesus.
This is the crowd to which I belong! I also have fears and hesitate to follow Jesus to Jerusalem to the Cross. I also hesitate to help Jesus carry the Cross. I have also turned away from Christ. I hate to admit it but I to have denied Christ, and have fallen short, and have run away.
Thank God that Jesus came into the world to save sinners and not to condemn the world. Thank God for the Love, Mercy, and Grace of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!
But still I have to take responsibility for the death of Jesus Christ! I/We like Jesus Christ... we are here living in the world to fight against the injustices in this world. Jesus Christ has sent us out as His Church, to be His hands, His feet, His spokesman, to share the Good News of the Gospels to the World; to the ends of the earth.
I pray that people will recognize us as followers of Jesus,
Disciples of Jesus
by our LOVE.
Amen
Question: Which crowd do you belong to?
"The Last Week"
By Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan.
What the Gospels really teach about Jesus's final days in Jerusalem.
This book is about the last week of Jesus's life. It is a week of extraordinary importance for Christians. With its climax on Good Friday and Easter, it is "Holy Week," the most sacred time of the Christian year. And because of its centrality for the lives of Christians, how this story is told matters greatly. What was the last week of Jesus's life about? And because this story is seen as revelatory, as speaking to us today, what is it about?
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