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Who Really Deserves the Blame for the Death of Jesus?
Who Really Deserves the Blame for the Death of Jesus?
When Mel Gibson’s Passion movie came out, the Anti-Defamation League demanded that scenes which show the Jews’ cries for Jesus to be crucified be removed from the movie. They feared it would stir antisemitism.
Historically, there’s reason to be concerned. In 1934, Adolph Hitler went to see the passion play in Oberammergau, and came out of the theater calling it a “precious tool” in his campaign to exterminate the Jews. Many, from the Spanish Inquisition to today, have cherrypicked verses from the gospels to justify violence toward the Jews. Which is silly, since Jesus was Jewish (John 4:22)!
Who really is responsible for killing the Savior?
The Jews
The Jews had a role. Jesus came to His own people, and they rejected Him (John 1:11, Matt. 21:33-46). They rejected Him because He had come to help sinners (Matt. 9:10-11), and because He ignored their traditions (Matt. 9:14). They attempted to stone Him because He claimed to be God (John 10:33). As early as Matthew 12:14, “the Pharisees … conspired … as to how they might destroy Him.” They captured Him late at night while He prayed in the garden (Matt. 26:50). They held a mock trial before the Sanhedrin council (Matt. 26:65-68). They handed Him over to the governor (Matt. 27:1-2). They shouted “crucify” (Matt. 27:20-26). Both Peter and Paul mention their complicity (Acts 2:36, 3:12-15, 1 Thess. 2:14-16). For this, God’s punishment came to Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37-38ff).
Not all the Jews rejected Him, of course. Many became His disciples. As the gospel spread, Jews had first claim to the blessings of the gospel (Rom. 1:16; Acts 17:1-2).
The Gentiles
The Jewish nation was a possession of the Roman Government. The Jews were powerless to put anyone to death legally.
The Jews had to convince the Roman governor Pilate that Jesus deserved death. “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King” (Luke 23:2).
Pilate had the opportunity to free him, but did not. Roman soldiers mocked, beat, crucified Him (Matt. 27:27-31). It was Roman soldiers, Gentiles, who placed his hands upon the cross, and drove in the nails (Matt. 26:2).
Satan
Of course, if these men really knew what they were doing, they would not have done it. But Satan was misleading them. The adversary and deceiver shares some of the blame, just as he shares the blame for Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit.
It was Satan who entered Judas’ heart (Luke 22:3). It was Satan who deceived the Jewish mobs (John 8:44). Satan undoubtedly rejoiced to see Jesus take His last breath, not realizing how God’s plan would unfold. His part in this drama is predicted long ago, the serpent who bruised Jesus’ heel (Genesis 3:15), while Jesus crushed his head (Hebrews 2:14-15).
Me
Ultimately, it was our sins in general—my sins in particular—which demanded the cross. Jesus didn’t die just for the people of that generation, but for all humanity (1 Tim. 2:4-6; Heb. 2:9; Mark 10:45). If we’re looking to find someone to blame for Jesus’ death, we don’t have to go far; just look in the mirror!
God
The crucifixion was not a surprise to God (Acts 2:22-23). This was part of His plan from the foundation of the world. “The Lord was pleased to crush Him…” (Isaiah 53:10)! God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, as a type, but God did not spare His own Son (Romans 8:32).
Jesus Himself
Ultimately, it was His love which kept Him upon the cross! He was in total control (John 10:14-18) to lay down His life or keep it. At that moment he could have called the angels to destroy the world and set him free (Matt. 26:53). He chose those nails himself, and endured them willingly, suffering for our sake (Rom. 5:6-8). –John Guzzetta
