Jews Did Not Kill Jesus, Contradictory New Testament Gospels Admit - RSNT.Org
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Here is an article you will find interesting: http://www.rsnt.org/contents/jews-did-not-kill-jesus.html Jews Did Not Kill Jesus, Contradictory New Testament Gospels Admit by Dan Allen Irreconcilable differences and contradictions in the account of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, and in the ethics and the theology of the New Testament, cast severe doubt on the blame of Jewish responsibility for the murder of Jesus. Yet centuries of repeating the baseless accusation of "Christ-killers" against the Jews could not but leave its mark. Untouched by all advancements of science and reason, the accusation is still the gospel truth in the Bible. The sad part of all this is, many Jews are, also, "unconsciously culturally conditioned" by the constant repetition of this baseless slander. The damage the four Gospels cause in "bearing false witness" against the Jews created the "roots" for centuries of persecution and murder of Jesus’ kinsmen, the Jews. Centuries of pogroms and oppression of Jews finally reached its peak in the murder of 6,000,000 Jews during the "Holocaust." One can by now, imagine, Jesus at the cross, moaning shrieking, and writhing in pain, at what the Gospel writers did and are still doing to his people. Quite appropriately, then, several questions arise. What are examples of the conflicting trial stories in the entirely "human and not divine," accounts of the four Gospels, of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, in the New Testament? Before pursuing this discussion, it is important to note two things: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -2- -This article is not an interpretive essay It is the Bible's own evidence- an absolute confession about itself. -Anyone, including believers in the New Testament can fall victim and be socialized or trapped by what one is taught in childhood, school, church or the general environment. By calling the attention of good people of all faiths to the inconsistencies in the New Testament, this writer hopes for a movement away from hate to a love and an appreciation of Jesus’ people, the Jews. The inconsistencies and contradictions in the Jewish trial of Jesus, accordingly, are: The Jewish authorities conduct a Passover night trial in Matthew 26:59-66 and Mark 14:55-64; a morning trial in Luke 22:66-71, and a pre-Passover night trial in John 8:19-29. The same trial, of course, cannot occur in the morning and at night, during Passover and before Passover. Conflicting accounts of this nature places believers in the Bible as the "word of God" in the religiously unacceptable position of declaring God to be a self-contradictory liar! As if this were not enough, the Jewish interrogation at the trial is, irritatingly conducted by entirely different authorities: A trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin or Supreme Court apparently occurs in Matthew 26:59-66 and Mark 14:55-64. The same trial occurs in the presence of a lower level Council composed of Jewish elders, chief Priests, and scribes in (Luke 22:66-71. No mention of a Sanhedrin or Supreme Court occurs in almost all versions of the New Testament. The Roman Catholic version in the New Jerusalem Bible, however, mentions a Sanhedrin, as an editorial addition to the Bible itself. As for John, a Sanhedrin or Council does not even exist! John’s Jesus, summarily appears, before, a high Priest only (John 18:19-29) Believers in the Bible, as the word of God, here, once again find themselves in a religiously indefensible position. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -3- Can God the author of the commandment, "Thou shall not lie," so openly tell different stories about who conducted the trial of Jesus? Clearly not. As if these ear-splitting contradictions were not enough, there is, also, a different Jesus in the four Gospels. Jesus, in fact, talks differently, acts differently, and dies differently. To the question posed in the trial by alleged Jews," are you the Christ," "the Son of God" the answer is different in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and radically so in John. Not affirming he is the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus responds in Matthew 26:64: "the words are your own, and from this time onward you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the power and coming on the clouds of heaven." "I am, and you will see the Son of God seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven," Jesus replies affirmatively in Mark 14:6l-63. "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on, the son of man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God," and "it is you who say I am, the Son of God," is the startling different reply in Luke 22:67-71. Luke's Jesus in this alleged trial sells the evangelistic claim to his divinity short. Jesus does not, as in Mark, affirm he is the Son of God or the Messiah. In John, as mentioned before, there is no Sanhedrin or Supreme Court meeting. The High Priest poses a general question about Jesus’ disciples and teachings. There is no reference to a specific question, "are you the Christ, the Son of God?" Jesus’ answer is, consequently, also general. "I have spoken openly for all the world to hear; I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple where all the Jews meet together, I have said nothing in secret, But why ask me? Ask my hearers what I taught: they know what I said." (John 18:19-23). John’s Jesus, in short, does not answer any questions but directs the high priest to get answers from those who heard Jesus speak. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -4- Even more important is the foreign nature of the question to a Jew, "are you the Christ," "the Son of God?" This question is so Christian, and unJewish, it, clearly, cannot even occur to anyone who believes in Judaism. God, after all is indivisible. His indivisible nature, therefore, excludes the Trinity or any literal father-son relationship. God is so holy; His very name is unspeakable. Religious Jews, touched by a total sense of awe, maintain a respectful distance and call him "Hashem.," or "the Name." God, the Creator, moreover, can never be a human Messiah. The above interrogation of Jesus, consequently, is put in the mouth of the High Priest. To make matters even worse, there are no witnesses in the Jewish trial of Jesus either. The reasons for this are also, quite clearly, different in some of the gospels. The disciples flee when Jesus is arrested in Matthew 26: 56 and Mark 14:50-52. Mark, in contrast to Matthew even indicates one young follower run away "naked." Jesus, in a totally different story tells the Romans in John 18:8-10,"if I am the one you are looking for let these others go." As for Peter, the celebrated "rock" of the church he is soft as putty. He denies his master Jesus and completely disqualifies himself as a future witness.(Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke: 22:56-61). Pilate’s trial of Jesus, one must add, is distinct from the Jewish trial of Jesus. Even the outcome of this so called Jewish trial by different authorities is strikingly different. The Sanhedrin in unison pronounces a guilty verdict in Matthew 26:65 and Mark 14:64-65. A Council of Jews, but not the Sanhedrin, however, declares a guilty verdict, although, not unanimous. (Luke 23:50-52) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -5- The High Priest in John 18:28-29, and not a Sanhedrin or Council interrogates Jesus, and sometime later Jesus is delivered to Pilate, the Governor in charge of the occupation of Judea. "Another apparent contradiction is the Gospel’s report of a popular Jesus, with no adoring devotees at the trial. For an incredibly famous man, this virtually impossible "secret trial." "... The whole world is gone after him, "John 12:19-20 reports the Pharisees telling each other of Jesus’ incredible following." The entire city was moved," Matthew recounts of Jesus when He came in Jerusalem. 21:8-12. The multitude, the missionary relates, cries joyfully," Hosanna in the highest" for the newly arrived "Messiah." Mark adds," the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Jesus by craft, and put Him to death." But they warn: "not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people."(Mark: 14:1-3. But, if Jesus was so popular, where were the adoring crowds at Mark and Matthew's alleged Passover night trial? Where, moreover, were the "great multitudes" who followed Jesus almost everywhere? (Matthew 8: 1, Mark 11:9; Luke 5:1-19) And clearly if, Pilate was as the Gospel evangelists describe convinced of Jesus’ innocence (Luke23: 14; John18: 38) and wanted to release him, why were Jesus’ worshipful "multitudes" not at the trial to shout for Jesus’ release? The historical distortions in this trial are, also, legion and are an entirely separate subject. Still, it is important to briefly reduce, some of them to absurdity. A Jewish trial during Passover is ridiculous. The religious Jews, portrayed in the Gospels were not at the trial, but celebrating, perhaps their most important holiday. If Christians close shop for Christmas Eve or New Year's Day, then one can readily appreciate why Jews don't conduct trials on Passover. Pilate,like any despised conqueror,ruled by the sword,not the consent of the governed. He was not afraid of Jews, least of all,a surly crowd. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -6- See The Gospels' Imaginary Pilate and the Actual Historical Facts. The charge of killing Jesus, in the four gospels, quite briefly, constitutes, one of the most important causes of Jew-hatred to this day. The alleged Jewish trial of Jesus is contradictory, inconsistent, and absurd, in its most basic elements. Jewish authorities, in the Gospels, inconsistently conduct, a Passover night trial in two of The Gospels, a pre-Passover night trial in another Gospel, and a morning trial in still another. The trial itself occurs at the hands of different authorities, depending on which Gospel one reads. There is a different Jesus in the trial in all of the gospels. Jesus acts differently, talks differently, and dies differently. Because of all this, one can literally imagine Jesus at the cross, moaning, shrieking, and writhing in pain, at what the slanders in the Gospels did to his people, the Jews. Because of all this, one can imagine Jesus at the cross, moaning, shrieking, and writhing in pain, at what the slanders in the Gospels did to his people, the Jews. Rational behavior and the love of Jesus, therefore, asks our Christian brothers to wipe out this entire disgrace from the New Testament, print a full apology in the preface of the New Testament to the Jewish people, and make serious compensation for the sins committed against the Jews. Works Cited -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © 2004 Just Rebel, Inc. | written February 29, 2000 | by Dan Allen
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