Richards' remarks may have offended Jews but are theologically inaccurate.
God's plan of salvation for us sinners was that Jesus HAD to die. The Jews of the period were simply unwitting tools in that plan. They -- and the Romans -- were the mechanism.
Those who derisively call Jews "Christ killers" are way off the mark at the theological level.
EtTu Kramer?!
As if the country wasn't crawling with them, imposing foreign law among the Jews, who at least were native.
But one wouldn't know that from the Gospels.
Hyam Maccoby, Revolution In Judaea: Jesus and the Jewish Resistance.
Indeed challenging to Christians. Yet, what is a challenge to true faith?