I understand that many or most great readers who would happen to read my previous post would agree with most of what I say.
However, some may ask or wonder, why it is that I state that Saul and the Jewish Priests were working with Rome in persecuting Yahoshua's name ?
I was reading through the Gospels and I begin to notice that long before Saul arrived upon the stage. And …….
Even before Saul arrived on the scene, the Priests were working with Rome to place Yahoshua himself in the Roman justice system and have him punished and even executed.
Also, we find that it was the Jewish Priests who had caused the Romans to place St Peter, John, James and other Apostles into the Roman prison system.
As we see further proof here……..
Act 12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
I also find that it seems that the Jewish Priests also personally had their own authority to place the followers of Yahoshua into the prison system. As we read here in Act 5:17 Then the high priest rose up, - :18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the “ common prison. “
This term “ COMMON PRISON “ means a public / open prison that it seems had been established for the usage of the Priests to handle the individuals of society that they deemed or considered deserving to me locked up. This Greek word = G1219 - δημόσιος - dēmosios. = means, to be public or open.
Act_18:28 publickly, G1219
Act_20:20 publickly, G1219
Act_16:37 openly G1219
I bring all of these things up to show that King Herod was a horrible, evil and murderous and treacherous man who according to Jewish History had made war against the Rabbis, Priests, and Leaders of Israel in his attempt to control them. We can remember when Herod wanted to kill baby Yahoshua and when he was tricked by the wise men he ordered all of the male children of Bethlehem to be killed.
The Priests and Rabbis were at the mercy of King Herod who hated Yahoshua and hated his followers.
The Priests and Rabbis were trying desperately to save their Kingdom and temple and had no choice or alternative but to work with Herod in stamping out Yahoshua and his followers and teachings.
The Talmud also records an event where King Herod wanted control over the Temple in Jerusalem and wanted to refurbish the Temple there, in order to dominate and control the Hebrew people and their religion. This was around - (20-19 B.C.)
Later, Emperor Titus, captured Jerusalem and burned down the temple. The gold and silver ornamentals melted and seeped between the cracks in the stones and the Roman soldiers later took the temple apart, stone by stone, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy in Mat 24: 1 – 3.
The Jews, The Priests, Rabbis, Leaders and the very Jewish people had no choice but to betray Yahoshua and his followers. The choice was to either reject Yahoshua and his followers or face the horrors of being terrorized, murdered, attacked and destroyed themselves. Their children and very families lives were all at stake. To the Jews who rejected Yahoshua, the choice was very simple. They determined or thought that if the Jews were to stop following and believing upon Yahoshua - then there would be peace and their lives would be saved and their families would not be murdered.
Herod had control over the Priests and Leaders of Israel and set up Priests and Leaders who were loyal to him. In their mind, killing Yahoshua would ensure that their culture, their lives and their families and future would be safe. But we find that the Romans still were not satisfied and the Gospel of Yahoshua was spread throughout the regions, across the world and even preached in Rome by St Paul who was himself a Roman citizen.
This was a failure on the part of the Romans whose plan was to kill Yahoshua the moment they found he had been born. Suddenly a Roman citizen is in Rome with many followers and they are preaching the name of Yahoshua, baptizing in His name and performing miracles, signs and wonders in His name. The Roman’s became enraged and went about to exterminate the Hebrew people and drive them from their country and completely destroy their temple.
I believe that this was done because, they { The Romans } had failed to destroy Yahoshua and His message and because the Roman’s attempt in using the leaders of Israel as a tool to destroy him as well, had completely failed. Many Jews had accepted Yahoshua as the God of the Old Testament.
The Romans wanted to change and control the religion of Israel and this has been the goal of Rome from the beginning. This is exactly why Catholicism was developed and created.