Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my
life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it
down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:17-18)
The firm Christian belief that the
crucifixion and resurrection are fulfillments of biblical prophesies,
particularly Isaiah 53, reinforces that it had to happen as it did.
Accordingly, the actors--Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, Caiaphas, the
Sanhedrin, and others--were merely props in a divinely orchestrated play. It
thus demeans Christian theology to usurp God and reduce a divine plan to base
human motives and emotions that demand retribution.
Trumping any accusatory finger are the
compelling words of Jesus on the cross: "Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
This compassionate statement in the
context of Jesus accepting his fate, can be interpreted as: "Forgive them
Father for they know not that this has to be; they may think they are
responsible but my death is inevitable as part of your [God's] plan."
Moreover, Jesus' death established the
foundation for Christianity. In other words, no crucifixion, no resurrection
means no Christianity. What would remain is pure Judaism. Taking this scenario
a step further, it occurred to me that from the Christian perspective, the
accusation of anyone but God for the death of Jesus should have been met with
condemnation, and even excommunication of the accuser for denying God's plan.
Christians have been excommunicated for lesser blasphemies.
As I concluded in my book: "If
Jesus returned today to speak to those who have accused Jews for his sacrifice
and crucifixion, he might cry out, "Please, read the Gospels!"
I wondered if this understanding will
finally put to rest the indictment of Jews for the death of Jesus. More
important, will it foster healing of the Christian-Jewish divide?
Bernard Starr is a psychologist, journalist, and college professor. He is author of Jesus Uncensored: Restoring the Authentic Jew, which is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords for other formats.
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