(I speak historically only. I have no interest in your personal religious beliefs)
I have heard that "Jews" were responsible for killing Jesus. I have also heard it was the Roman emperor that killed of Jesus. Which is it? I am fairly ignorant of this. Someone please explain.
Anonymous
Favorite Answer
The Sanhedrin, who were Jewish high priests and leaders of the Jewish people, convinced the Romans to arrest Jesus for claiming he was "King of the Jews," suggesting sedition and treason against the Roman Empire. The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, thought the whole matter foolish, wasn't convinced Jesus was any kind of threat to the Romans, and didn't like being coerced by the Sanhedrin, so he came up with a scheme to keep from having to crucify Jesus by saying in honor of Passover he would free one prisoner at the will of the masses and then giving them the choice between Jesus and a notorious murderer named Barabbas, thinking all the Barabbas haters would call for Barabbas to be executed. However, the Sanhedrin sent ringers into the crowd to silence anyone calling out for Barabbas and then they yelled to crucify Jesus. Pontius Pilate seeing the fix was in but now being cornered into having Jesus executed then famously uttered that he was washing his hands of the matter. Barabas was set free and Roman soldiers crucified Jesus.
Long Story Short: Jesus' death was a plot by Jews and carried out by Romans.
m.
several times the jews plotted to kill Jesus. they arrested Him, and demanded his death, despite the pronouncement by apathetic roman authorities that they found no just cause to have Him executed. following His crucifixion, the apostle paul stated outright that the jews killed Jesus.
Cc
So, basically, most of the Pharisees (leaders of the synagogue) at the time really hated Jesus because people liked him better than them. They were losing power among the people. The Sanhedrin (a Jewish judicial body), tried him, but then passed him over to Pontius Pilate who was essentially the governor of the province of Judea (where this was all happening) since they didn't really have the power to punish Jesus. Pilate didn't find anything wrong with Jesus, and turned him over for the Jewish people to decide. This happened to be the day that the governor would release one prisoner - it was an annual occasion, a sort of holiday. The Pharisees had by then riled up the crowd to beg the release of Barabbas, who was the leader of the rebellion against the Romans. They thus asked for Barabbas's release, and when Pilate asked what they wanted him to do to Jesus, they replied, "Crucify him!" Pilate thus washed his hands of the matter, and Jesus was flogged and crucified. So, you could say the Jews were responsible, but in my opinion, the Pharisees were more responsible.
Steven
You/all did.
Jesse The Human
The Roman Empire. They killed him by nailing him to a cross, hence the reason that the cross is the symbol of Christianity.