Who Killed Jesus?
I already bought my tickets to see Mel Gibson's controversial movie, The Passion of the Christ. In case you have not heard, the movie is controversial because some believe it is anti-semitic; that it blames Jews for killing Jesus. I bought my tickets because I already know the answer to the question, "Who killed Jesus?" But rather than give you my words, let's see what Jesus says on the subject:
John 10:17-18 says, Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Part of the answer is, Jesus was responsible for His death because He laid down his life willingly. But that is only part of the answer. Here's the rest of the story:
Isaiah 53:3-6 says, He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
In the movie, Mel Gibson appears one time: those are his hands that nail Jesus to the cross! The answer then is simple: Who killed Jesus? I did, Mel Gibson did, the Jews did, the Romans did, the Christians did, the atheists did, and, you did.
When I see the movie, I will report in much more detail but, you see, I already read the Book! I urge you to see the movie. If you are a Christian, bring someone else who is not. If you are not a Christian, I hope you will consider the message of the movie: Jesus willingly went through the shame and pain of the cross for you. God demands payment for our sins and the payment He demands is death. God allowed His Son to take our place. That means we are forgiven and none of us is guilty for our sins nor Jesus' death on the cross. We are forgiven. As John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, that whosover believes in Him should not die but have everlasting life.
If you are a Jew I realize these words may be challenging to you. Please understand, I have no hatred for you. Jesus is a Jew. My grandmother was a Jew who escaped from Russian persecution by becoming a Roman Catholic. I understand that in history some "Christians" persecuted the Jews and forced them to convert or die. But keep in mind that a Christian is to be known by "his fruits", that is, by what he does. It is my opinion that these people who did these atrocities were not Christians but were hypocrites. Christians are called to love Israel (He who blesses Israel, I will bless; He who curses Israel, I will curse, says the LORD).
As to who is to be held responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus (Jews? Romans?), Jesus put the issue to rest when from the cross He stated, "Father, forgive them. They know not what they do." But please read what one of your prophets said:
Zechariah 12:9-10 says, And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.
There will come a day when Jesus the Messiah will return to earth. The people of the earth will receive Him as their King or their Judge. I pray that all of you reading this will receive Him as your King, now, before the horrible events of the end times happen. There will come a day when the people of the earth who have rejected the Messiah, will call on the rocks to fall on them to hide them from God because of the horrible judgements coming on the earth. I pray that no one reading this will be among them, but that all of you will receive Jesus the Messiah today. May God bless your decison.
~Gary~(February 13, 2004)