Posted on 03/05/2004 6:25:56 PM PST by Bob J
It is notable that more words have been uttered about "The Passion of Christ" by the so called, "mainstream" media, many of whom have not seen the presentation nor read the account in the Bible, in the last week than perhaps in all of the commentators' collective lives to date. There is hope however remote that they will learn something spiritual and eternal from the experience, and that's good.
Like millions of other disciples of Christ, the writer watched a screening of "The Passion of the Christ" Wednesday, February 25th. It forged him into unanticipated deeper and stronger appreciation and commitment, for Jesus' teachings, suffering, death, defeat of Satan, resurrection and His anticipated return.
True disciples/followers of Jesus Christ of many faiths embrace Jews for their unique position in God's plan, a position that this writer respects and embraces. Jesus condemned evil wherever he observed it, and like today, evil was too often manifested through the Church leaders of that era. Despite their perversion of the Gospel and/or rejection of His Deity, He continues to urge them and all of humankind to accept Him as Savior and Lord, the Messiah of Old Testament prophecy.
Does Matthew 27:24-25 license anyone to persecute Jews or be anti-Semitic? Unequivocally, no!
Is "The Passion of the Christ" anti-Semitic? Again, unequivocally, no!
No matter how the anti Christian, politically correct minions in the media, the New York Times, and other equal "dead enders" attempt to characterize it, "The Passion of The Christ" is about God's love for His fallen, apostate creation, fulfilled through Jesus' willingness to suffer the insufferable and sacrifice of Himself (Matthew 26:53, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?"); and that momentous act can redeem this evil and lost world; period.
When Jesus said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do," He took away everyone's right to be offended by or to exact retribution against Jews or Romans for their evil acts. If Jesus forgave them, how could any true believer use Matthew 27: 25 "Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children," or any other scripture to persecute them? The answer is self-evident; but for the record, no believer could. That leaves others and those non-believers "cloaked in believers' clothing" as the guilty.
Whereas it was Jews who sought Jesus' death from Roman authorities, they were collectively the instruments in a far more profound spiritual scheme. Jesus willingly gave His life for the (dare I use the word?) sins of the whole world. The whole world's sins for all time were heaped upon Him to the extent that the Holy and Just God, Jesus' Father, turned His back upon Him. Matthew 27:46 "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
It is factual that generations of nominal "Christians" (non-believers cloaked as believers) have betrayed the very Christ they also pretend(ed) to worship by committing unspeakable atrocities upon Jews, in Jesus' name. Is it any wonder that Jews, most of whom were spiritually blind at Jesus' crucifixion, have collectively embraced the very spiritual blindness He came to heal, while, ironically, while some of them and much of the rest of the world embrace Him?
No honest reader of the Bible can authoritatively argue that there is license to persecute Jews because it is illogical, and more importantly, it is directly contrary to Jesus' teachings. That noted, given that results flow from actions one can logically conclude that the persecution they have experienced for 2000 years flows from their rejection of and the horrendous acts that their leaders and they perpetrated upon the Messiah of God. One should not condone it but can understand how it plays out; call it the "Barabbas strain."
To the extent that they continue in their apostasy, their refusal to accept Jesus as the Messiah, and failure to repudiate their progenitors' rejection of Him, their self inflicted "wounds" and travails will continue apace; and, Mel Gibson has absolutely nothing to do with it. Witness the atrocities inflicted upon Jews for 2000 years, upon Israel for the past fifty-five years and that continue to this day; again, the "Barabbas strain."
Many Christians are perplexed by the vitriolic hatred and anti-Christian attitude displayed by many Jews, especially when one realizes that they use the ACLU as an attack dog against the Christian institutions in this land in which Christian believers created an environment that has enabled Jews to collectively flourish as never before, anyplace or anytime. The old cliché, "biting the hand that feeds" comes to mind.
Sadly, no, tragically, their arrogance, pride and antipathy toward Christ being the Messiah only perpetuates their travails. Oh! if they would but open their eyes to the truth; and someday they will; but at what additional cost?
Semper Fidelis
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Copyright © March 2nd, 2004, by Robert L. Pappas. With proper attribution, this essay may be quoted and redistributed. It may not be used in any way, in conjunction with any advertisement without the author's expressed written permission.
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