- Oct 17, 2015
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Several posts have mentioned blasphemy. This became an important issue in the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.
Several days previously Jesus had interrupted the very profitable money-changing operations in the Temple. In addition his preaching was stirring up the people against the religious authorities. There is no doubt The High Priesthood and the Sadducees (not the Pharisees --- that is a whole other story) wanted rid of him. With the co-operation of the Roman military Jesus was seized and taken to the house of the High Priest. This was not a trial because it was at night and it was not in the Chamber of Hewn Stone on Temple Mount. At best it would be a "preliminary hearing".
Messiah means literally "anointed one" and was the common way in which the Jews referred to kings of the dynasty of David. "Anointed" refers of course to the method of coronation of the Jewish kings. It translated into the Greek as "Christos". The Jews regarded themselves as a "theocracy"... a kingdom ruled by God. The Jews also envisaged a (metaphorical) throne room in which there were three thrones. God occupied the central throne. At "the right hand of God" was the throne of the "king messiah" who was the reigning king of the house and family of David. At "the left hand of God" was the throne of the "priest messiah" who was the high priest of the house and family of Zadok. Ideally there were always two messiahs who were known collectively as the "sons of God". All these terms, "messiah", "kingdom of God", "at the right hand of God" and "son of God" were political rather than religious statements. It was a later generation of gentile Christians who re-interpreted these phrases in a very different religious sense. Both before and after the death of Jesus the early Christians, who were, after all, practicing Jews, understood these terms in their traditional sense. Jesus in claiming to be the messiah had not committed any blasphemy. That is why Jesus was sent over to Pilate because claiming to be a king was high treason against the Roman government.
If the High Priest had a legitimate charge of blasphemy, Jesus would have been tried before the Sanhedrin
and if found guilty would have been executed by stoning. The Sanhedrin did not lose that right till AD 39. I honestly do not think that the Sanhedrin would have found him guilty.
Several days previously Jesus had interrupted the very profitable money-changing operations in the Temple. In addition his preaching was stirring up the people against the religious authorities. There is no doubt The High Priesthood and the Sadducees (not the Pharisees --- that is a whole other story) wanted rid of him. With the co-operation of the Roman military Jesus was seized and taken to the house of the High Priest. This was not a trial because it was at night and it was not in the Chamber of Hewn Stone on Temple Mount. At best it would be a "preliminary hearing".
Messiah means literally "anointed one" and was the common way in which the Jews referred to kings of the dynasty of David. "Anointed" refers of course to the method of coronation of the Jewish kings. It translated into the Greek as "Christos". The Jews regarded themselves as a "theocracy"... a kingdom ruled by God. The Jews also envisaged a (metaphorical) throne room in which there were three thrones. God occupied the central throne. At "the right hand of God" was the throne of the "king messiah" who was the reigning king of the house and family of David. At "the left hand of God" was the throne of the "priest messiah" who was the high priest of the house and family of Zadok. Ideally there were always two messiahs who were known collectively as the "sons of God". All these terms, "messiah", "kingdom of God", "at the right hand of God" and "son of God" were political rather than religious statements. It was a later generation of gentile Christians who re-interpreted these phrases in a very different religious sense. Both before and after the death of Jesus the early Christians, who were, after all, practicing Jews, understood these terms in their traditional sense. Jesus in claiming to be the messiah had not committed any blasphemy. That is why Jesus was sent over to Pilate because claiming to be a king was high treason against the Roman government.
If the High Priest had a legitimate charge of blasphemy, Jesus would have been tried before the Sanhedrin
and if found guilty would have been executed by stoning. The Sanhedrin did not lose that right till AD 39. I honestly do not think that the Sanhedrin would have found him guilty.
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