Many people hate the Jews. Is killing Jesus the reason?
Lots of people hate the Jews. It’s a fact that few would dispute. Egyptians, Palestinians, Saudis, Turks, Hezbollah, Muslims, and a shockingly large number of Christians, hate the Jews. The reasons for the hatred vary among all these groups. Of course, I could have mentioned many other nations and groups, but most of us understand there are intense disputes between the Jewish People and many organizations, nations, and ethnicities, not to mention individuals that burn in their hatred for them. Shouldn’t they be forgiven? Have they really done something that is unforgivable? See this article for one author’s interpretation of why Jews are hated.
Luke 23:34
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Jesus understood why he was on that cross and died a humiliating and excruciatingly painful death. His death was a requirement in God’s redemption plan. The holiness and justice of God demanded a perfect sacrifice. None of sinful humanity could have filled that role. If he didn’t die that sacrificial death, none of us would have had the opportunity to access heaven and receive eternal life. Jesus didn’t ask His Father to forgive the Romans but not the Jews. He asked that all those responsible would escape the blame for their actions. The Jews weren’t excluded but included in his plea for forgiveness.
All in the family of sinners
His prayer included all who have sinned. That included you and me. All of us who have sinned put Jesus on that cross. For two thousand years, religious ignoramuses have concluded the Jews did the dirty deed, so they must be rejected without forgiveness. That’s an ignorant position to take. It completely misses the point of the innocent sacrifice that provided a way of salvation for all of humanity. Prophecy and human nature predicted the Jews would reject their Messiah. That, in turn, led to the Gospel message preached by the early church. That message of good news turned into hatred toward the Jewish people that has increased exponentially up to this day.
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
What about you or your church, or your pastor? Should we all follow in the steps of Jesus? If Jesus forgave them before he died, shouldn’t we do the same now?
This short article is a lead-in for a series of articles commenting on Paul’s understanding of what God did with the Jews after the death of the Jew’s Messiah. Paul didn’t hate the Jews. He prayed for their change of heart, and salvation. He was the leading proponent, of the new Christian faith in the first century. His main antagonists were Jews. At every city, region, or country where he preached, Paul was hounded by Jewish leaders. They objected to his message. They never stopped trying to put an end to Paul’s message, but he didn’t hate the Jews, just their misguided understanding of God’s purpose and plan.
God has not finished with them
God has not finished with the Jewish nation. They are in their Promised Land again because the Lord hasn’t completed the prophecies regarding these hated people. God hasn’t held a grudge against them for two thousand years. But too many Christians have. If you do, you don’t understand the whole story of God.
Side note: Don’t skip the above video. It’s stunning in production quality and message and gets to the heart of the problem between the Jewish people and their Arab neighbors.
The Claywriter
Let me know what you think.