THE DEATH OF JESUS

THE DEATH OF JESUS WHO KILLED JESUS? The Brandon Thesis

INTRODUCTION • For many years Jews were held responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. • The information in the Gospels seem to suggest that. • The Jews arrested Jesus and brought him to the Roman officials.

1. The Romans tried and found Jesus innocent. 2. The Jews demanded that Jesus be executed by crucifixion. 3. And so, he was killed. • This perspective has led to the growth of the spirit of anti-Semitism. • Many scholars have revisited the New Testament to try to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ death and identify the really perpetrators.

THE BRANDON THESIS SAMUEL GEORGE FREDERICK BRANDON (1907 – 1971) • Books, Jesus and the Zealots, 1967. • The Trial of Jesus of Nazareth, 1968

MAJOR THESIS • Jesus was crucified by the Romans for sedation and insurrection. • The Gospel writers tried to shift the blame from the Romans to the Jews. • Jesus was killed by the Romans because he led a politically dangerous movement which had Zealotic principles and tendencies. • Zealots were politically against Romans and were ready to die for the establishment of theocracy.

REASONS 1. The Zealot and the Jesus’ movement had similar objectives, so both were enemies of the Roman Government. 2. Some of Jesus’ disciples had zealotic tendencies: • At least one disciple who is referred to as a zealot (Simon the zealot (Lk6:15). • Peter was a fiery fellow who had great zeal for the work of the group.

(c) The sons of Zebedee, John and James are referred to as the sons of thunder. (d) If he were no zealot himself why did he allow zealots to be part of his inner circle? 3. The Jesus movement was related to the John movement, and were politically dangerous (Mtt14:5). 4. Jesus preached the kingdom of God and this was a political threat to the ruling Romans.

5. In the gospels there are statements that portray Jesus as a politically dangerous man (Not peace but the sword, Mtt10:34). 6. In the original text of (Mark12:13-17, tax to Caesar) Jesus told Jews not to give tax to Caesar because God was the owner and ruler. 7. Jesus urged his disciples to be armed with swords in preparation for a battle (Lk 22:35-38).

8. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the temple by Jesus was a coup d’état. 9. He attacked the temple authority and the money changers who were doing legal business. 10. In John 6:15, people wanted to make Jesus their king because Jesus’ appearance aroused popular enthusiasm and acclamation.

CRITIQUE BY DAVID CATCHPOLEBOOK: Trial of Jesus, 1971 • Catchpole rebutted Brandon point by point. • His critique is generally regarded as fair and warranted. • However, liberation theologians think that the Brandon thesis did not receive a fair dealing.

1. The idea that there is an affinity between Jesus and the Zealots is very weak: • Zealots were not always associated with political violence. • Zealots became more political around AD 60. • A Zealot was a devout religious person not necessarily a politician.

2. Apocalyptic movements were known for their religious utterances not political harangues and were never taken as politicians. 3. It was of no political consequence at this time if Jesus’ movement contained zealots. They were not political at this period. 4. Jesus’ association with John was not dangerous because John was not a politician because his quarrel with King Herod was moral.

5. The statement “not peace but the sword,” has religious meaning: • Religious matters and differences can cause serious family feuds; • Some people can be killed because of their religious affiliation; • Religious loyalties can bring friction in societies. 6. Brandon’s argument about not paying tax to Caesar is a dangerous speculation and unbiblical.

7. Concerning the buying of swords,Brandon has a very strong point. • However, Jews were supposed to carry swords wherever they went. • While Jesus was still alive, he allowed his disciples to move without swords, but since he was about to die he wanted them to be like any other Jewish man. • They had to carry all the necessary provisions. 8. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem was a religious procession because he didn’t temper with the political leaders. 9. Jesus refused to be installed a king. This passage is quoted out of context.

CATCHPOLE’S CONCLUSION • Jesus was a man of peace and it is not likely that he was killed for subversive reasons.

GRAHAM STANTON, (The Gospel and Jesus) • There is no doubt that Jesus was crucified. • There is a controversy as to the identity of his executioners and the reasons for his death. WHY WAS JESUS KILLED?

CHALENGES 1. Issues surrounding Jesus’ death are complex. 2. There are gaps in our historical records. 3. The writers of the gospels are not concerned with the legal or constitutional details, but theology. 4. The passion narratives are told very selectively. 5. The Jewish and Roman evidence may fill in the gap, but it is difficult to select the most appropriate pieces of evidence.

QUESTIONS HE ASKS 1. If the Romans were primarily responsible for Jesus’ death, did they act reasonably with good cause? 2. Was there a gross miscarriage of the Roman legal system? 3. To what extent was there Jewish involvement in the downfall of Jesus?

WHO KILLED JESUS? • The gospels are explicit enough that two groups had a hand in the death of Jesus; Romans and Jews. • They seem to point more to the Jews. • The gospels try to prove that the Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus. • This has created the spirit of anti-Semitism.

JEWISH INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEATH OF JESUS • The Jews cannot be held responsible for the death of Jesus because of the following observations: 1. If Jews were allowed to carry out capital punishment, they would have stoned Jesus to death as per their law. 2. Crucifixion was a Roman form of punishment therefore Jewish involvement must have been minimal. 3. The gospel accounts of the passion are erroneous.

ERRORS IN MARK’S PASSION NARRATIVES 1. The Sanhedrin met at night, which was very uncommon. 2. The Sanhedrin met on the eve of the Passover feast, which was not permitted. 3. There was no second hearing to confirm the death sentence. 4. The trial was held in the house of the high priest. 5. Mark says that Jesus was guilty of blasphemy, but lacks the evidence that Jesus had uttered the Divine name, a form of blasphemy punishable by death.

SOLUTIONS 1. We do not know the exact laws which Jesus infringed. 2. The trial before the Sanhedrin is a creation of the early Christian church which wanted to shift the blame from the Romans to the Jews. 3. Be that as it may, the earliest Jewish writings do not deny Jewish involvement in the death of Jesus.

ACCUSATIONS AGAINST JESUS BY MARK (14:64) 1. He claimed to be Christ. 2. He claimed to be seeing the son of man sitting on the right hand of God. 3. He claimed to have the ability to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days.

GENERAL CONCLUSION • It is a historical fact that both the Jews and Romans had a hand in the death of Jesus Christ. • But it should be noted that these were particular individuals not all the Jewish or Roman people. • Jews as a group should not be accused of the death of Jesus. • In fact, Jesus had to die according to God’s salvation plan. • Jews should not be discriminated against because of the part they played in the death of Jesus.

THE DEATH OF JESUS