2003 Soap Box Archives

Passion 10/17/03

It seems that Mel Gibson’s new movie titled Passion which is not scheduled for release until next year is kicking up quit a fuss in some circles.

I haven’t seen the movie but it is about the death of Jesus on the cross and from all I can gather, it is done in strict accordance to the Scriptures. The rub seems to be a question about who actually crucified Jesus.

There are Jewish religious leaders who say that the picture will
cause a big wave of anti-Semitism because it depicts, rightfully so, that the Jewish religious leaders of the day were responsible for the crucifixion and that people will call the Jews Christ killers .

The fact of the matter is that the Jewish religious leaders of the day did have Jesus crucified. The Romans did the actual crucifixion but it was prompted by the insistence of the Pharisees and San Hedrin.

In fact Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, tried to release Jesus, even washed his hands symbolizing that he did not agree with them, but they insisted that Christ be crucified.

Now having said that, I defy anybody to call me an anti-Semite. One only has to peruse some of the earlier columns on this website to know that I love the Jewish people and stand staunchly in support the state of Israel.

Telling the truth does not make somebody anti-Semitic and the truth is that Jesus’ crucifixion was fomented and instigated by the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem.

How do I know this? Because it says so in The Bible. The Gospel of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John contain the facts leading up to Jesus’ death and they are very plain about what happened.

Why did the Jewish leaders want to kill Jesus? Because he threatened their very existence as leaders.

Jesus said that they were, “A brood of vipers, that they were like tombs containing dead men’s bones, that people would pass by them never knowing the corruption inside them. That they were clean on the outside but dirty on the inside.”

Jesus was a Jew and that’s some pretty strong talk for a jew to be making against the Pharisees, who were much respected by the masses and had the power to excommunicate those who disagreed with them. They were very religious people, who tithed to the temple and observed the Sabbath and so forth.

The trouble with the Pharisees was that they thought nothing of putting widows and orphans out on the street, after all there was not a specific law against it so why not.

Jesus was not afraid of them and had the temerity to call them on it. On top of that, he performed miracles, the blind were given sight, the lame walked, the deaf heard, he even raised people from the dead and a lot of people were starting to believe that he really was the long foretold Messiah.

He was the new covenant, preaching a salvation of heart and conscience,
of actually putting into practice what the laws of Moses were intended for. To love others as we love ourselves and to serve God on the inside as well as the outside.

He threatened the power of the Pharisees, a power that they relished and jealously guarded, up to and including having an innocent man crucified.

To say this is by no means anti-Semitic. It is well documented fact. It would be as unfair to blame present day Jews for the death of Jesus as it would be to blame present day Germans for the atrocities of Hitler or the present day southerners for slavery.

Pray for our troops.

What do you think?

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

 

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