Why Was Jesus Crucified?
The historical perspective: Jesus teachings aroused enmity among Jews and Romans alike. Jesus’ emphasis on moral sincerity rather than strict adherence to religious ritual incurred the enmity of the Pharisees (the main Jewish sect of Jesus times) who feared that his teachings might lead to disregard for the authority of the Jewish Law, or Torah. Others feared that Jesus’ activities and followers might prejudice the Roman authorities against any restoration of the Davidic (Israelite) monarchy. Jesus also attacked the Jewish privileged classes and showed interest in the poor. According to the gospel, after perhaps three years in Galilee, he went to Jerusalem to observe Passover. There he was received enthusiastically by the populace, but was eventually arrested and with the cooperation of the Jewish authorities, executed under Roman law as a dangerous messianic pretender. In other words, the Romans (Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect of Judea) regarded Jesus as a dangerous revolutionary c
According to the gospels, the main charge against Jesus was that he claimed to be the king of the Jews. The Roman soldiers were mocking this idea when they dressed him in a purple robe and pressed a crown of thorns onto his head. This was also the charge written on the sign at the top of the cross. But the charge was false. The enemies of Jesus had concocted it by twisting the meaning of the old Jewish prophesies about the coming of the Messiah. According to those prophesies, the Messiah was a great future leader who would appear during a period of extreme desperation and crisis known as the End Times (or Last Days). Assisted by God, he would overthrow all evil oppressors and set up a perfect kingdom on earth, where all the righteous people could live forever in peace and joy. During the years when Jesus was growing up, many people believed that the End Times had already arrived, and that the Messiah would soon appear. This belief was especially strong in Galilee, the region of Palesti
Also in Slate: Patton Dodd looks at gory Passion plays, and Michael Sean Winters gives a behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into Holy Week at a Catholic cathedral. Christ’s Crucifixion, by Diego VelázquezA central statement in traditional Christian creeds is that Jesus was crucified “under Pontius Pilate.” But the majority of Christians have only the vaguest sense what the phrase represents, and most non-Christians probably can’t imagine why it’s such an integral part of Christian faith. “Crucified under Pontius Pilate” provides the Jesus story with its most obvious link to larger human history. Pilate was a historical figure, the Roman procurator of Judea; he was referred to in other sources of the time and even mentioned in an inscription found at the site of ancient Caesarea in Israel. Linking Jesus’ death with Pilate represents the insistence that Jesus was a real person, not merely a figure of myth or legend. More than this, the phrase also communicates concisely some pr
Slate.com: Christ’s Crucifixion, by Diego Velázquez “A central statement in traditional Christian creeds is that Jesus was crucified ‘under Pontius Pilate.’ But the majority of Christians have only the vaguest sense what the phrase represents, and most non-Christians probably can’t imagine why it’s such an integral part of Christian faith. “‘Crucified under Pontius Pilate’ provides the Jesus story with its most obvious link to larger human history. Pilate was a historical figure, the Roman procurator of Judea; he was referred to in other sources of the time and even mentioned in an inscription found at the site of ancient Caesarea in Israel. “Linking Jesus’ death with Pilate represents the insistence that Jesus was a real person, not merely a figure of myth or legend. More than this, the phrase also communicates concisely some pretty important specifics of that historical event.
