This Article: (5 Pages)
- 1. About the Crucifixion
- 2. An early Serious upset of the... leaders in Judea
- 3. Stones to kill
- 4. The hour of Darkness
- 5. Where the love was shown
2) An early Serious upset of the leaders in Judea
John records Yeshua going up to Jerusalem for one of the feasts. While there on the Sabbath he heals a man who could not walk, and tells him to take up his bed. The man is seen carrying the bed and told he can't carry it on the Sabbath. He says the one who healed him said to take up his bed.
The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
But Jesus answered them, My Father works hitherto, and I work.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. (John 5:15-18)
John speaks of the 'Jews', as meaning the leaders of Judea. John was, like his Lord, a Galilean. After this and a few other incidents John summarises,
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him. (John 7:1)
This shows that John meant by 'Jews' the jurisdiction of the Jews in Judea. They were so upset over him breaking their sabbath rules and on top of it having such powers that they were going to kill him. It was well known that there was an intent to kill. The following quote shows the debate not long after John the Baptist endorsed him as the son of God,
Jesus answered them (the Jewish leaders in the Temple), and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but he that seeks his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goes about to kill thee?
Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel. Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
It was indeed well known some sought to kill him.
Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill? But, lo, he speaks boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ? Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ comes, no man knows whence he is.
Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. But I know him: for I am from him, and he has sent me.
Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man has done?
The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take him.
Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, there ye cannot come. Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? What manner of saying is this that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come? In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water..
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knows not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he does? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee arises no prophet. And every man went unto his own house. (John 7:16-53)
Nicodemus having come secretly by night had confessed that none could do such miracles unless they be sent by God, but the leaders of the Pharisees did not know this. This shows that the whole people were divided, from bottom to top, but that the balance of power, the leadership of the Pharisees and the chief priests were against him and sought to take him (to judgement ending in his death).
Reason at an Unnamed Synagogue in Galilee
The kind of environment is explained in one place where Jesus (Iesous Yesou, Yeshua) heals a woman bowed with infirmity 18 years.
And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.
The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? (Luke 13:14-15)
In this case his adversaries are ashamed as they understand the argument. They all accept the leader of the Synagogue being rebuked.
Herod didn't like him
After some acceptance in Galilee he heads to Jerusalem again.
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee. And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which kills the prophets, and stoned them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. (Luke 13:31-35)
As is revealed later in the record Herod had a desire to see him to no good end. But though Herod would wish him dead, there is a distance which suggests the source of active hatred was somewhere else, and it was diffuse.
Nothing in the records is clear cut as to who it is who is driving the 'kill-campaign', as soon after this he eats bread at the house of one of the chief Pharisees, where the bone of contention seems to be unanswered when someone seeks to be healed,
And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? And they could not answer him again to these things. (Luke 14:2-6)
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