"Who Killed Jesus? A Personal Reflection" with Dr. Michael Rydelnik Transcripts
Also it wasn't all of Israel present there. It was a crowd at 6 A.M. in the morning. Probably assembled for the purpose of condemning Jesus. They were "ringers," so to speak. They weren't representing the entire nation. And even if they did indeed call guilt upon themselves, it wasn't for all Jewish people. They said, "Upon us and upon our children." Well, certainly by the year 70, when the temple was destroyed for the Jewish people's rejection of the Messiah, when that had come about, there was no further guilt to be found.
So I want to make it clear that the temple was destroyed, and Jerusalem was destroyed, not for killing the Messiah. But Jesus Himself said because "you didn't recognize the day of your visitation." And so therefore He was talking about His rejection. So Matthew 27:25 certainly was not understood and particularly when you hear what Jesus said on the cross, "Father forgive them, they don't know what they're doing." Peter said to the very members of that crowd, in the book of Acts, he says, "Brethren, I know you acted in ignorance."
"Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers." Acts 3:17
And so it seems inappropriate to take Matthew 27:25 and apply it to the Jewish person that's your neighbor today on the street.
"…a conspiracy…"
The New Testament teaches that there wasn't unique Jewish guilt, but that Jews and Gentiles together participated in the death of Jesus. It wasn't an uniquely Jewish sin, it was an unison, composed of Jews and Gentiles operating together. Jesus foretold this. He said in the book of Mark, that the Son of Man is going to go to Jerusalem, and He'll be condemned by the Jewish leaders. And then turned over to the Gentiles who will kill Him.
Jesus said, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." Mark 10:33-34
In the book of Acts, in chapter 4, it says, "For truly they were gathered together in this city." The word "gathered together" there indicates a conspiracy. And who were gathered together? What peoples were conspiring against your holy servant, Jesus? The answer is given. The conspiracy consisted of Herod, a Jewish king by conversion. Pontius Pilate a Roman governor, a Gentile. The Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, referring to the Roman soldiers and the Jewish leadership.
"For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel…" Acts 4:27
All together participating in a conspiracy of guilt in that day. Humanity was responsible.
"…under God's plan…"
And then most interesting, the next verse says, "To do whatever your hand and your will predestined to occur." The crucifixion of the Messiah was something that was part of God's plan.
"…to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.." Acts 4:20
It had been predicted in the prophets. It had been predicted in the Hebrew Bible. And now it was coming to pass. And it was under God's sovereign plan and will that it was going to happen. That's why Jesus said, "No man takes My life. But I lay it down freely." This is what God intended all along.
"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and I lay down My life for the sheep. Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one 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." John 10:14-15, 17-18
Because of this New Testament perspective of a conspiracy of guilt, limited to those people in that day, it seems highly inappropriate today to place blame on any one people group. Jewish or anyone else for that matter.
"…recognized as Messiah…"
Just a few days before the crucifixion Jesus made His entry, presenting Himself as the Messiah to Israel. The crowds gathered. They had their palm branches. They were shouting, "Hosanna, save now to the Son of David." They recognized He was the Messiah. And this was His presentation to Israel that He was indeed the Messiah.
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!" Matthew 21:9
And it is interesting that it was also on the day that the lambs were examined to see if they were acceptable sacrifices. And on that very day, Jesus presented Himself to Israel to be examined as an acceptable sacrifice. And as He did that, He was recognized that this is indeed the Messiah. He was coming in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, riding on a lowly donkey, just as Zechariah had predicted.
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey." Zechariah 9:9
And as He made His entrance, the people were calling for Him to save them as an acceptable sacrifice. Now just a few days later, the crucifixion takes place. Having been arrested, a mob cries, "Crucify Him, crucify Him." I think it is essential that we understand that this is not a mob like the crowd that was there welcoming Him. The crowd was there in public, in daylight, welcoming Him. The one that shouted "Crucify Him," they gathered at 6:00 A.M., they were put together, probably by the chief priest to back themselves up. It was just a small microcosm of the people of Jerusalem shouting, "Crucify Him, crucify Him." The vast majority of the people had been out there calling for Him to save them. And there is a dramatic shift, there's no question about it. But it is not exactly the same people making that shift.
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