DID THE JEWISH PEOPLE COMMIT THE SIN OF KILLING JESUS?
Matthew 27:22–23 – Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all answered, “Let Him be crucified!” The governor asked, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
From the Middle Ages in Europe to the present day, many have accused the Jewish people (now known as the nation of Israel) of the sin of killing Jesus. A great number of Christians are among those who believe this propaganda. Some who profess to follow the Lord have even aligned themselves with Muslims, supporting that religion’s agenda to completely exterminate the Jewish people from the face of the earth, down to the very last person. But are such claims and stances correct? Does the Bible address this matter? Let us examine the Scriptures together to understand the issue clearly.
First, the most straightforward explanation is found in Matthew chapter 27. The Bible records that on the morning Jesus was crucified, a large crowd came to Governor Pilate demanding the release of the criminal Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:21–23). Their clamorous demands compelled Pilate to yield. But can such a crowd—regardless of its size—truly represent the entire nation of Israel? The mob that demanded Jesus be crucified cannot be viewed as the entire nation clamoring for His death.
The second piece of evidence is found in Matthew 27:20. The Bible clearly records that the chief priests and elders incited the crowd to insist that Jesus be executed by crucifixion. If the crowd was incited or led astray by others, their actions cannot be characterized as a deliberate, willful intent to kill Jesus. A crowd swayed by incitement cannot represent an entire nation. Nevertheless, the offspring of Satan—those who hate the Jewish people and seek to thwart God’s plan on earth—persistently proclaim that the Jews are guilty of killing Jesus, using this claim to rally support for their genocidal agenda against the Jewish people.
(to be continued)