“Christianity makes much of the credibility of its theology because it is rooted in history.”

“Of all the questions regularly asked about Jesus, the question ‘Why did Jesus die?’ must be among the most frequent. It is certainly the most fascinating.” ~ N. T. Wright, Historian & Theologian

“Christianity makes much of the credibility of its theology because it is rooted in history.” ~ John Gilmore, Professor, Spurgeon’s School of Theology, London

“It should now be clear, not only that Jesus was executed by the Romans on a charge of being a messianic pretender, but also that this charge was brought to the Roman authorities by the Jewish leaders, who had extracted from Jesus a confession of what they had already inferred from his actions: he did indeed suppose himself to be the Messiah. … We are here on firm historical ground.” ~ N. T. Wright, Historian & Theologian

“Standing before the High Priest of his own nation, Jesus claimed a status by comparison with which that High Priest was as nothing. Clearly threw was here a fundamental and irreconcilable clash. The city was not ‘big enough for the both of them.’ One of them had to go.” ~ Peter Walker, Professor of History, Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University

“For the leadership, Jesus’ claim to be their judge and to intimately share God’s authority had not only offensive religious overtones but also political overtones. A disruptive religious dispute within Judaism was an invitation to the Romans to assume even tighter control of Israel. In their view, to act against Jesus was to protect not only their religion and power base but also the nation” ~ Darrell L. Bock, First-Century Historian

“Their religion was getting in the way, as law-bound and respectable religion sometimes still does. Two hundred metres from where the interrogation took place, God was being religiously worshipped in the temple sanctuary. But where they stood, that same religion was leading to the execution of God’s Son.” ~ Derek Tidball, Theologian

“It is true, or it is blasphemy. Christ was God or godless.” ~ John Piper

“The crucifixion of Jesus Christ followed a trial that was more sensational than even the most spellbinding legal dramas of our time. This kind of event today would be front page news from start to finish. People all over the world would talk about the witnesses, the evidence, and the defendant’s strangely calm demeanor in the face of incredible charges.” ~ David A. Skeel, Professor of Law, University of Pennsylvania

“Jesus was condemned to death, not by the irreligious and uncivilized, but by the highest representatives of Jewish religion and Roman law.” ~ Vinoth Ramachandra, Philosopher

“The only perfect man who ever lived was physically abused and brutally murdered. From a legal standpoint, the whole thing was a travesty, the greatest miscarriage of justice in the history of the world. Yet, strangely, it was all done in the name of justice.” ~ James Montgomery Boice, Bible Scholar

As Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him. "When we get to Jerusalem," he said, "the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.” ~ Matthew 20:17-18 (NLT)

The Motive The Conspiracy Theory The Unusual Suspects The Missing Body The Death Wish The Murder The Set Up

“Our just man will be thrown into prison, scourged and racked, will have his eyes burnt out, and, after every kind of torment, be impaled.” ~ Plato, The Republic

History as Self-Criticism… Point #1: Admitting that the Jewish Religious leaders are chiefly responsible for Jesus’ murder. Point #2: Noting that it was their blind religious convictions, not their Jewishness, that was the root of their motivation. Point #3: Applying the lesson to ourselves as potentially religious people at odds with the message and mission of Jesus.

Jesus was arrested by: …“officers of the Temple guard” …who were “sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders” …probably with the back up of “a battalion of Roman soldiers”. ~ Luke 22:52; Mark 14:43 (TNIV); John 18:3 (NLT)

When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, "You must die!” ~ Jeremiah 26:8 (NASB)

LET’S PLAY: BIBLE TRIVIA! Q: Where was Jesus arrested? The garden (John) of Gethsemane (Matthew & Mark) on the Mount of Olives (Luke).

After his arrest, Jesus is… - First taken to Annas (the former High Priest) for questioning. - Sent to Caiaphas (the High Priest) and the Great Sanhedrin. - Taken to Pontius Pilate for execution. - Sent by Pilate to Harod Antipas, governor of Galilee. - Sent back to Pilate where he is finally condemned.

“Annas and family had managed to turn the high priesthood into an incredibly profitable business, and they had amassed enormous wealth through it. They did this chiefly by collecting license fees and commissions from the brokers who changed money and sold sacrificial animals on the temple grounds.” ~ John MacArthur Jr., The Murder of Jesus

“In the last analysis, it is not Jesus who is on trial. That is over. You are the one who is on trial now, and the question before you is: What will you do with Jesus?” ~ James Montgomery Boice, Bible Scholar

“Christianity makes much of the credibility of its theology because it is rooted in history.”