Another false meme leading people astray....

 

I hate to say it, but whoever created this meme is leading people astray. How I wish people would actually READ and STUDY the Bible, and stop playing these stupid “blame games!”  

The bottom line is, our SIN is what killed Yeshua, who HAD to die in order to become our Final SIN Sacrifice/Offering! If he hadn’t died, we would still be forced to kill innocent animals to atone for our sins.  Humanity, as a whole, is to blame for his death.  He died for ALL of us, because that is one of the major reasons he was sent...

Reading Scripture in context is key – and the truth is, that the JEWS kicked it off (Matthew 26), by going to their High Priest Caiaphas to discuss how to dispose of this man they felt was a danger to their faith. (Remember, it was a sin for the Jews to commit murder (Exodus 20:13,6th Commandment); and so they were trying to find someone else to do it.

But let's get real:  For those who feel the need to blame someone, blame the Roman PAGANS who actually nailed him to the cross; NOT “Christians,” as there really weren’t any “Christians” back then. The original followers of Yeshua of Nazareth were called Netzarim (or "Natsarim" - however people wish to spell it).

Let’s investigate this issue a little further by starting out with what Paul wrote:

I Thessalonians 2: 14 For, brothers, you came to be imitators of God’s congregations in Y’hudah that are united with the Messiah Yeshua — you suffered the same things from your countrymen as they did from the Judeans who 15 both killed the Lord Yeshua and the prophets, and chased us out too. They are displeasing God and opposing all mankind 16 by trying to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles, so that they may be delivered. Their object seems to be always to make their sins as bad as possible! But God’s fury will catch up with them in the end. (CJB)

(The passage above was obviously one that helped to fan the flames of anti-Semitism, as most of Paul’s writings were - and still are - taken out of context!)

So, let’s look at what actually happed before Yeshua was crucified:

Matthew 26: 1 When Yeshua had finished speaking, he said to his talmidim, 2 “As you know, Pesach is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to the execution-stake.” 3 Then the head cohanim and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of Kayafa the cohen hagadol. 4 They made plans to arrest Yeshua surreptitiously and have him put to death; 5 but they said, “Not during the festival, or the people will riot.”

Matthew 26: 14 Then one of the Twelve, the one called Y’hudah from K’riot, went to the head cohanim 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me if I turn Yeshua over to you?” They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to Y’hudah.[a] 16 From then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray him.

Again - note, the people involved were Jews, not "Christians." If the Jews hadn't kicked it off, then the pagans wouldn't have bothered to kill Yeshua, as they had no reason to. Read on:

Matthew 26: 47 While Yeshua was still speaking, Y’hudah (one of the Twelve!) came, and with him a large crowd carrying swords and clubs, from the head cohanim and elders of the people. 48 The betrayer had arranged to give them a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want — grab him!” 49 He went straight up to Yeshua, said, “Shalom, Rabbi!” and kissed him. 50 Yeshua said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they moved forward, laid hold of Yeshua and arrested him.

51 At that, one of the men with Yeshua reached for his sword, drew it out and struck at the servant of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his ear. 52 Yeshua said to him, “Put your sword back where it belongs, for everyone who uses the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you know that I can ask my Father, and he will instantly provide more than a dozen armies of angels to help me? 54 But if I did that, how could the passages in the Tanakh be fulfilled that say it has to happen this way?”

55 Then Yeshua addressed the crowd: “So you came out to take me with swords and clubs, the way you would the leader of a rebellion? Every day I sat in the Temple court, teaching; and you didn’t seize me then. 56 But all this has happened so that what the prophets wrote may be fulfilled.” Then the talmidim all deserted him and ran away.

(QUESTION: We’re not told, but one has to wonder WHO the “crowd” consisted of … surely not just the Jews, but also Netzarim (the original followers of Yeshua’s teachings) and, of course, pagans…)

Continuing with Matthew 26:

57 Those who had seized Yeshua led him off to Kayafa the cohen hagadol, where the Torah-teachers and elders were assembled. 58 Kefa followed him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the cohen hagadol; then he went inside and sat down with the guards to see what the outcome would be.

59 The head cohanim and the whole Sanhedrin looked for some false evidence against Yeshua, so that they might put him to death. 60 But they didn’t find any, even though many liars came forward to give testimony. At last, however, two people came forward and said, 61 “This man said, ‘I can tear down God’s Temple and build it again in three days.’”

62 The cohen hagadol stood up and said, “Have you nothing to say to the accusation these men are making?” 63 Yeshua remained silent. The cohen hagadol said to him, “I put you under oath! By the living God, tell us if you are the Mashiach, the Son of God!” 64 Yeshua said to him, “The words are your own. But I tell you that one day you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG’vurah and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

65 At this, the cohen hagadol tore his robes. “Blasphemy!” he said. “Why do we still need witnesses? You heard him blaspheme! 66 What is your verdict?” “Guilty,” they answered. “He deserves death!” 67 Then they spit in his face and pounded him with their fists; and those who were beating him 68 said, “Now, you ‘Messiah,’ ‘prophesy’ to us: who hit you that time?”

Again, while "the Jews" didn't actually kill Yeshua, it was "the Jews" who kicked off the series of events that caused his death! So, what gives anyone the right to produce a meme such as the one above, placing all the blame on "Christians" and finishing it off with the arrogant comment, "Let that sink in!"?

He willingly martyred himself on behalf of all YHWH's people.  He HAD to die in order to become our Final SIN Sacrifice/Offering!  If this hadn't happened, we would all be hosed.  So, instead of wasting time trying to lay the blame on someone, REJOICE that it happened!

I copied the following from Got Questions which provides an overview of this whole issue:

"When the Jewish leaders had Jesus arrested at Passover, they first brought Him before Annas (John 18:13). After he had questioned Jesus, Annas sent Jesus to his son-in-law Caiaphas, who as the high priest would be the one to rule on Jesus’ fate. When Jesus stood before Caiaphas and the entire Sanhedrin, many false witnesses were brought forward, but nothing was found to warrant a death sentence (Matthew 26:59–60).

"Finally, Caiaphas stood up and addressed Jesus directly, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God” (verse 63). Jesus replied just as directly, “You have said so. . . . But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (verse 64).

"Caiaphas had what he was looking for; he tore his robe and cried, “Blasphemy!” (verse 65). The result of the sham trial was that Jesus was pronounced “worthy of death” and beaten and mocked (verses 66–67). However, since the Jews could not legally execute prisoners, Caiaphas sent Jesus to the Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

"Jesus endured another series of trials that night under Roman jurisdiction. Caiaphas and the other religious leaders stirred up the crowd against Jesus. When Pilate attempted to release Jesus by giving them a choice between Him and the convicted felon Barabbas, “the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed” (Matthew 27:20). Pilate acquiesced, and Jesus was sentenced to die, beaten, led outside the city, and crucified (verses 26–35).

"It’s what Caiaphas wanted all along. It’s important to note that these things did not happen at the whim of Caiaphas, the priests, or Pilate, for it was all part of God’s plan to save the world through the death of His Son. As Jesus had said, “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18)...."

BOTTOM LINE: Three days later, Messiah Yeshua rose again from the grave, fulfilling prophecy, defeating death, and emboldening His followers to share the good news of salvation throughout the known world. Caiaphas continued to persecute the Netzarim, being present at the trial of Peter and John (Acts 4:1–22), but his opposition did absolutely nothing to stop the spread of the gospel.

In view of the above, it becomes very clear that there are many misleading memes and articles on the Internet that can lead people astray!  I doubt YHWH is very happy with those who keep focusing on, and bringing others' attention to, all the WRONG things...