Posted on 09/21/2013 10:14:52 AM PDT by rhema
In the conversation between Christ and the Roman centurion who was asking to have his servant healed, the centurion points out that he has the power to give orders to the men in his charge, and he recognizes that Christ has the power to command the forces of nature the same way.
I read his “Killing Lincoln.” It had some interesting stuff in it. This book will probably have some interesting facts, too, even if one doesn’t completely buy into whatever his conclusions are.
Everybody should calm down.
Thank you for sharing your insights, dear brother in Christ!
While it’s true the crowd claimed Christ opposed payment of taxes to Caesar, Pilate subsequently says he finds no guilt in Christ. So that’s hardly evidence that Christ was killed over taxes.
Alberta’s Child: “...a complete sense of detachment by Pontius Pilate in his conversation with Christ.”
I agree. That’s always struck me as strange, but it was probably normal for the times. Pilate was probably used to punishing people and didn’t think Christ was anyone special. You can almost hear him thinking, “Oh, great. Here come the Jews with another problem. What can I do to get rid of them quickly?”
As a former military guy, a gentile, and a Christian, I’ve always particularly loved the story about the centurion. Christ clearly spoke with authority. The centurion recognized it and believed. It’s almost as though gentiles had an easier time believing Christ than the Jews.
Where would he go, or his “co-author” go, to research his book? The only source are the Gospels. And I’ve read those over and over so what “truth” could he possible say that I haven’t already read?
I’ve always loved the fact that He forgave those who did it to him. All of them. That includes Pilate.
There are historical sources for events contemporaneous with the life and death of Christ. Flavius Josephus is the most commonly cited; whether he’s believable is a separate question.
From Matthew 27:13-14 ...
Then Pilate saith to him: Dost not thou hear how great testimonies they allege against thee? And he answered him to never a word; so that the governor wondered exceedingly.
Even Pilate's wife called him a "just man."
Exactly -- which was clearly part of the Divine plan.
I’m not arguing that Jesus was killed over the question of taxes, just that there is something there in the N.T. about the topic. I think the reader is expected to take the accusation as a false one, made in hopes of winning Pilate’s sympathies to their side.
“Only those that hate GOD or do not believe in HIM could doubt HIM. There is just no other way to explain it... at least none that I can think of.”
Those with the poison of spiritual or intellectual pride think they know just as much as Him.
“I don’t know of any scripture that supports a claim that the Romans killed Jesus over taxes. That’s what O’Reilly is claiming.”
The Sanhedrin claimed that Jesus opposed Jews paying taxes to Caesar but there is no evidence that Pilate or any other Roman believed their accusation.
In Luke 22 the Sanhedrin find Jesus guilty of blasphemy and they want him put to death, something they haven’t the power to do.
In Luke 23 the Sanhedrin approach Pilate and tell him that Jesus was promoting sedition by forbidding Jews to pay taxes to Caesar.
Pilate questions Jesus and isn’t impressed by the Sanhedrin’s accusations. He sends Jesus to Herod for more questioning, and when Jesus returns Pilate intends to release him. But the Sanhedrin demand that Jesus be crucified and Pilate eventually gives in to their demands.
Absolutely.
AC: “I think it was pretty clear to Pilate that he wasn’t dealing with an ordinary man.”
Agreed. While Pilate was probably used to judging all sorts of criminals, he was apparently surprised by Jesus. I’m sure the typical criminal was eager to plead innocence and/or beg for mercy. When Christ failed to defend himself, it was quite unusual. Regardless, I don’t think there’s any evidence that Pilate actually believed Christ was the King of Jews or the Son of God. Christ must have been unusual, but Pilate still had Christ executed. That went, of course, according to God’s will.
Ironically, Pilate was probably blind to Christ's mission and identity for the same reason that many of the Jews at the time didn't accept Him. They probably all figured there was no way the Son of God would come to earth through humble beginnings and wouldn't have any interest in assuming temporal powers.
Tax-chick: “Everybody should calm down.”
O’Reilly’s point about Christ being executed because of taxes is simply wrong. That doesn’t necessarily mean O’Reilly’s book won’t cover the divine aspects, but he starts by making a statement that’s entirely false. Christ was not killed over taxes. Pilate himself said as much when he admitted there was no cause for killing Jesus.
I think scripture supports the view that Pilate had Christ killed to appease Jewish leadership. Frankly, a simple, Jewish man simple wasn’t worth much in the Roman Empire, and Pilate was willing to give the Jews what they wanted in order to maintain peace. There doesn’t appear to be any evidence that Pilate thought Jesus was the Son of God, even though—as one poster pointed out—Christ was exceptional in that He didn’t defend himself. A normal man would have likely begged for mercy and/or claimed to be innocent.
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