Exploring the history of early Christianity in it's original Jewish context. This is an exegesis which delves deep into archaeology and ancient texts in order to uncover the colorful and richly cultural world of the Gospels. What were times like in...
On 3 April, in the year 30 A.D, coinciding with the Jewish calendar; the 14th of Nisan, 3790 (י״ב בְּנִיסָן ג'תש״ץ) -- a Jewish street preacher and miracle worker from Galilee, named Jesus (יֵשׁוּעַ - yéšûaʿ), was handed over to the governor Pontius Pilate that he might be crucified. The execution also fell upon the Preparation day of the Passover. Crucifixion was probably by far the most horribly painful and disgraceful form of capital punishment used in the ancient world. This method of torture and execution involved binding the victim's hands and feet and nailing them to a crucifix (שְׁלִיבָה, šalivāʾ).
From the perspective of the Sanhedrin in the first century (i.e. the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisaic leaders), there are a number of reasons why they felt that this man needed to die...
• First off, He claimed to be the Messiah, at least indirectly. His disciples and later many of the poor or common people - i.e. the "am-ha'aretz" - believed Him to be the promised Saviour. But as the Jewish leaders saw it, this obviously could not be the case. How could a Messiah come from a small backwater village such as Nazareth of Galilee? He was obviously misleading the common people (John ⅤⅠⅠ. 52; Mark ⅩⅠⅤ. 61-64).
• He was subverting the Jewish leadership. He did not act like they expected the Messiah to act. Should He not have recognized their authority? And He overturned their interpretations of the Torah (the Law of Moses), putting his own interpretations above that of the traditions handed to them from their forefathers (Matt. Ⅴ-ⅤⅠⅠ; ⅩⅤ. 1-8).
• What's more, this man boldly proclaimed himself to be one with God. In the Pharisaic understanding - which was beginning to become the Jewish orthodox view - this was blasphemy of the highest order. Especially considering that they didn't even see him as being any kind of Messiah (John ⅤⅠⅠⅠ. 58; Ⅹ. 30-38, Matt. ⅩⅩⅠⅠ. 41-48, Mark ⅩⅠⅤ. 61-64).
• With the growing popularity of Jesus among the common people, believing Him to be the Messiah, there was a very real danger that the Romans might react in violence against the whole Jewish people, destroying the temple-along with their influential positions within Jerusalem (John ⅩⅠ. 47-53).
The Roman's Perspective
The Romans who were occupying Judaea at the time - particularly the governor Pontius Pilate - had Jesus crucified for different reasons altogether...
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• Although his brief dialogue with Jesus made it abundantly clear that He was not involved in any plans of rebellion, nor did the Sanhedrin offer any proof of their accusations, it was an opportunity to make an example to undermine the confidence of any future claims to Messiahship which could start a revolt.
• By crucifying Jesus under the title "King of the Jews", Pilate was mocking the whole Jewish community. At the same time, he had the Sanhedrin publicly proclaim that they acknowledge no other king apart from Caesar (John ⅩⅠⅩ. 14-15; 4-6; 19-22).
