“For Jews, he is terrifying, the man whom Christians associated the Jewish people, whose story was used against them for centuries.”
Silly me, I thought Christ died for the sins of all mankind.
The Jews are no more to blame than anyone else.
And Christ; and most early Christians were Jews.
I've probably written more on this than any other subject on FR.
I killed Him. My sin was why He died. I accept His sacrifice for MY sin. God now accepts me because all He can see is Jesus in Me. I'm covered by His blood.
This is the most nonsensical argument I've ever heard Christians make about if the Jews or Romans killed Christ. He says emphatically that no one takes His life, He freely gives it. As a Christian I have been adopted, or grafted in to the Family of God. Hating Jews would be hating my family. Hating Romans in my heart would be equal to murder, according to Christ.
There is a slight problem with what you wrote however, You must accept the free gift to be covered by His sacrifice. His blood is sufficient to cover all sin of all people, but all people are not saved. If Jesus dies for the sins of ALL mankind, then ALL mankind would be saved. That is error. If a person chooses to reject the free gift Jesus gave, then they stand before a perfect God with self righteousness. Since the Bible tells us that our righteousness is as filthy rags and a stench to Him, I wouldn't want to take the chance that I was "good" enough to get to heaven on my own. He clearly states, you won't.
As far as this thread goes, the Gnostics weren't highly thought of by the Apostles and there is no "gospel" of Judas or Thomas. I could write a gospel of Pilot today, but I doubt it would affect the Christian church much. The Discovery channel may give it a slot though.
Let us also remember that it was the Romans who crucified him. The Jews wanted Him dead, but the romans carried out the act. God used Judas to help fulfill Christs’ purpose here on earth.
Really? Jesus told Pilate that "he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin" (Jn 19:11). Further, in the first Christian sermon ever preached, the Apostle Peter says the jews crucified and killed Jesus "by the hands of lawless men". For Jesus and Peter, at least, the jews were more to blame than the Romans.