"The Trial of Jesus"
How Things Work – Consideration #122 (Book II Science & Religion)
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Tuesday February 13, 2024
“When we surrender to a test or trial in the fidelity of God, we are renouncing the ego’s agenda. We are choosing to accept, validate and live in the present moment and to allow it to unfold in its own way.”
– Albert Haase, O.F.M.
PREFACE
Happy Valentine’s Day Everybody!
After Jesus’ arrest, the Jewish elders plan how to have Jesus executed, because Israel was a territory under Roman occupation and had no authority to implement capital punishment. Therefore, they bound Jesus and brought him to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
After realizing the consequences of his actions, Judas attempts to “undo” his choice by returning the thirty pieces of silver that he had received for betraying Jesus to the Sanhedrin. However, it is too late.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
Matthew 27:3-5
Ironically, the main concern of the Jewish elders was related to the “legal” implications of dealing with the “blood money” Judas had just thrown at them. Once again pointing out how they were “blinded” by their own obsession with the Law.
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.
Matthew 27:6-7
However, for Matthew, it is another example of divine prophecy.
Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field...”
Matthew 27:9-10
In the Biblical narrative choices are important. Judas attempted to undo a choice that could not be undone. Jesus chose to follow through with a choice requiring pain, suffering, and sacrifice. Judas chose fear. Jesus chose love.
CONSIDERATION #122 – The Trial of Jesus
The chief priests and elders bind Jesus and take him to Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Although history tells us that Pilate was a ruthless ruler, in the Gospel of Matthew, Pilate is portrayed as an almost sympathetic figure, trying to find a way out of crucifying Jesus. This is very much in the tradition of Matthew, focusing on the Jewish aspect of the story, because his story is based on Jewish tradition and prophecy; everything important revolves around Israel, not Rome.
Pilot’s first question to Jesus cuts right to the heart of the matter.
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor.
Matthew 27:11-14
Next, two subplots are introduced to help us better understand Pilate’s incentive to free Jesus. First, he knows that the priests and elders are trying to use him for their own self-interest. He is resistant to being used for “Jewish business.” Second, he is told by his wife that she has experienced a dream related to Jesus, and that he is an innocent man who should not be condemned. Dreams were not trivial things to the Romans and were taken very seriously.
Pilate attempts to avoid the decision by employing a custom sometimes used during the festival of Passover by the governor. But the priests and elders thwart this attempt.
Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”
But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they answered.
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify him!”
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
Matthew 27:15-23
The fear of a Jewish rebellion, or riot, occuring in Jerusalem during the festival of the Passover convinced Pilate that he had no choice but to yield to the crowd. However, he publicly “washes his hands” of the execution.
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”
All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”
Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Matthew 27:24-26
The trial of Jesus was over. All that remained was to carry out the sentence.
POSTSCRIPT
Matthew’s interpretation of Jesus’ trial has in the past been used as an excuse for antisemitism. However, it must again be noted, that both Jesus and Matthew were Jews! Why then, does this narrative reflect so negatively on the Jewish influence regarding the death of Jesus? Consider the following three possible factors.
“Everything is connected to Jewish tradition, particularly related to the Jewish Messiah.”
First, as previously considered, Matthew’s gospel reflects the most Jewish interpretation of Jesus and his mission. Everything is connected to Jewish tradition, particularly related to the Jewish Messiah. These connections are anchored to Jesus through Jewish prophecy and metaphor.
It was common practice for the prophets of Judaism to be extremely hard on the Jews, their own people. God, also, was often very harsh with “His” people. At times, Matthew includes prophecies and phrases that seem to show the Jews in a very bad light. The point was to hold them responsible and accountable for their unique obligation to God, not to make them an enemy.
Think of families who disagree among themselves and are sometimes very harsh to one another, but would never tolerate someone outside of the family treating another family member that way. In Matthew’s mind, “Christianity” was, and would always be, a sect of Judaism.
“Matthew naturally focuses on the Jewish connection to the narrative because Judaism is the root of the narrative…”
Essentially, for Matthew, the Jewish influence in the narrative is immensely more important than any possible Roman influence. Matthew naturally focuses on the Jewish connection to the narrative because Judaism is the root of the narrative; for Matthew, the “rejection of the Messiah by Israel” is a critical part of that narrative. It is why a “New Testament” is necessary.
Second, it is likely that Pilate did have several “selfish” reasons for not wanting to deal with Jesus during Passover. Dismissing the likely possibility that he really did not want to be involved in “Jewish business,” or that he was warned by his wife to be merciful to Jesus because of a dream, there were also other practical and pragmatic reasons for avoiding trouble.
“Pilate understood how messy things like that could get in Jerusalem.”
Jesus was becoming a well-known rabbi and prophet, Pilate understood how messy things like that could get in Jerusalem. In addition, his extreme harshness in putting down previous rebellions had been met with some criticism by Rome. To a great extent, Pilate saw his position in Jerusalem as one of being between a rock and a hard place.
“There was no good reason to put the blame on Rome.”
Finally, scholars estimate that Matthew’s gospel was written approximately fifty years after the death of Jesus. The message of Jesus was spreading throughout the “Roman” world. There was no good reason to put the blame on Rome. Not only was it dangerous, but it also made it more difficult to spread the gospel. Christianity was moving closer and closer toward Rome, in more ways than just geographically. Why make Rome the enemy?
“…some in the ‘new’ religion began to paint the Jews as the enemies of Jesus and Christians.”
However, when Christianity became a unique religion of its own, particularly after Constantine, some in the “new” religion began to paint the Jews as the enemies of Jesus and Christians. Verses such as “His blood is on us and on our children!” were often used by many to foster anti-Semitic hatred, including Adolf Hitler. Many times, phrases, such as this one, were, and still are, taken completely out of context from the reality of their original meaning, situation, and consideration at the time.
From a New Testament perspective, both Jewish and Roman participation in the death of Jesus are necessary components in the overall plan for human redemption. Without crucifixion there is no resurrection. Without resurrection there is no New Testament.
Next week, the crucifiction of Jesus…
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“Music represented much more than just pleasant sounds to our ears; it directly reflected the mathematical perfection of the universe. The entire universe was in tune, generating itself through unheard vibrations creating a Cosmic Symphony…” (Book IV – The Cosmic Symphony)
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“Pythagoras called this Cosmic Symphony of Abstract Perfection ‘The Music of the Spheres.’ This marked the beginning of a very long journey into the nature of a Reality that reflected an experience based purely on mathematical vibrations.” Book IV – The Cosmic Symphony (210 pages)