Jesus did claim to be God, but there were many in those days who did, even Caesar. The Jew tolerated Romans who claimed godhood, but Caiaphas comprehended that Jesus was the Messiah and the son of God and feared Him. Why would the chief priest fear God so intensely that he would take the life of His Savior? Because Caiaphas was not right with God and probably never had been!
Under the Hasmoneans, the Pharisees in the Sanhedrin, when Alexandra was queen, were de facto rulers of Judaea. Alexandra was queen in name only and the Pharisees had ruled with an iron fist. Because of that history, there was political animosity between the Sadducees and the Pharisees for both sought political power. When Jesus was arrested, Ananias and Caiaphas did the dirty deed. Ananias had become as a king, and as a religious figure, he most certainly considered himself as God.
This was only the second time in history that there were two chief priests and just as those under David were political, so were Ananias and Caiaphas. Not only were there Hasmoneans and Herodians who would be king but also A dynasty of chief priests who were of the line of Ananias. Furthermore, there were thieves who were as much as rulers who surely had themselves in mind.
Barabbas was a political threat more so for the Jews than for Caesar. As Jesus, Jews would be inclined to see him (Barabbas) as the “son of the Father” which was the very meaning of the name. In scripture names always means things. Whenever a name appears, it means that will be the person’s role in scripture. By custom one criminal could be released, ostensibly to show the grace of the Sanhedrin who were judges, and when the crowd was asked which one, they cried out, “Not this man, but Barabbas” (John 18:40).
Note that Jesus was accused of being a malefactor (kakopoios; John 18:30) but Jesus Barabbas, a thief (lēstēs; John 18:40). Jesus was the “evil doer” and Barabbas a member, probably the leader of a band of plunderers. In other words, Jesus did some type of evil in their eyes, but Barabbas was the insurrectionist who was the source of most of their troubles.
What was the crime of Jesus that made him “evil”? He claimed to be God. Some before had thought Him to be a drunkard and others that He was crazy. It was not the custom to kill drunks or crazy people in Judaism, so at least Caiaphas thought His claim was plausible. Would they fear a man not in his right mind after tolerating the Herods all those years whose rules were many crazy things such as killing the innocents and their own family members, or things like robbing the wife of the brother as Herod Antipas had done with Herodias, the wife of Herod Philip?
Jesus had done nothing but speak the truth, and Caiaphas feared truth because if Jesus was really God, he would be the Chief of the High Priest rather than Ananias.
The crucifixion was all about political intrigue even for Lucifer who was in Judas. He instigated it all back when Judas kissed Jesus. They were all operating to the plan of Lucifer so that he could be the one Most High rather than Jesus. As such, Judas was “Antichrist” as Jesus was Christ.
I have written before that Kerioth from where Judas was from, has the same root noun as Qur’an. All branches of Islam deny Jesus as the Messiah. Some have it that a switch was made and others that it was sorcery, but others that Judas was the true Isa (their “Jesus”).
As such, Mohammad was only a prophet but in practice, Judas was “Isa” in the flesh of their Allah. The number of the “Beast” Judas (Kerioth) would be “666” and many Muslims have written that the number of the Qur’an is “666.” If so, then Islam was established in Gehenna the day that Judas gave up his “ghost” (Satan). With that said, Islam and Sharia Law, according to Revelation is perhaps the end of time religion and government, and they were planned when Satan fled from the gross bowels of Judas.
Theologians deny the existence of Barabbas and some think that Jesus Barabbas was Jesus Himself. (Theologians are usually the most heretical.)
Pilate knew Judaism and Mosaic Law. He was a studied man,
even asking the Platonian question, “What is truth?” To what custom was Pilate referring,
when he knew their custom?
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. (Lev 16:9-10)
The high priests, when making a sin offering, were decked out in regal apparel. It would be made in the most holy of places, as one goat would be killed and the other allowed to escape into the wilderness. Pilate recognized the hidden meaning of the crucifixion. Jesus was the “goat” and Barabbas was the “scapegoat.”
The chief priests knew that ceremony quite well, and they were knowingly killing their own Messiah as the “Goat” that would not escape! When they cried out to free Barabbas, they were performing Lucifer’s duties in the most holy place ever — Calvary.
How is it known that the chief priests were aware of the unholy thing that they were doing? Because they were the Wicked Ones who were ritualistic without any Spirit of God in them. Jesus, to them, was just a “goat” that could be killed and not even to appease God but to satisfy their own desires.
The malefactors were expected to take umbrage and free the thieves
as is usually the case with a band of robbers; the brigand, or gang, would
always have a plan to free their leader, but the brigand of apostles and
disciples stood silently by. There would be no cords cut or nails pulled to
free Jesus, but the religious band of thieves, robbers of the Temple, would
free their leader, to wit:
6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify him, crucify Him.” Pilate saith unto them, “Take ye Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made Himself the Son of God” (John 19:6-7)
The charge was what? Rather than God created Him, He claimed to be the Creator. He put His Face out as the face of God in violation of the First Commandment. Jesus did not claim that someone else was God but Himself! Was that arrogance?
The Jews would think so, and so would most people. Nowadays, the “religion” of psychology even identifies those who claim to be God as schizophrenic, or as one psychologist calls them, “crazy.” Jesus was thought to be a madman by some, but the chief priests knew He was not crazy but a danger to their power and influence over the people.
After Jesus was dead, Caiaphas continued his quest to demolish Christianity because in his mind, he knew that Jesus remained alive in them. He pursued Christians till his death.
When Jesus claimed to be Yahweh, how serious a crime was that. Jesus overstepped His bounds, or so it seemed to the mob. That was a sin worthy of death:
30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. 31 Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. 32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. 33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. 34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him. 35 And the Lord said unto Moses, “The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. 36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses.(Num 15:3-36)
Jesus presumed to be God, but in truth, Jesus was and is God! The priests knew that He was God and cut Him off, according to God’s own statement. Perhaps God was planning His own death when he commanded that a presumptuous man be put to death.
Had Jesus overstepped His bounds? Most thought so, but the apostles, Pilate, and even Pilate’s wife found no fault in Him. Pilate inferred that Jesus was who He claimed to be by not finding fault. Using the criteria of persuasion, then Pilate was convinced that Jesus was who he claimed to be, and his washing of his hands was a ceremonial baptism as John would have done for him if he was alive.
By the way, there are letters presently in the Vatican wherein Pilate writes to Caesar that inferred that Jesus was the genuine thing.
Pontius Pilate was not removed by Caesar for killing innocent Jesus but for killing a band of bad Samaritan hybrid “Jews” on their holy Mount, Gerizim. He was dismissed not for killing the Savior but for killing a band of irreligious marauders. Is that not modern law… for the good of the criminals? It pans out that Pilate was dismissed for doing justice, but did that include washing his hands so to not include himself in the injustice?
Jesus was disfigured. Some believe that He was stoned just
as the Law required, and that makes sense because presumptuous sin required that.
But in addition to stoning, there was another punishment:
“Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him” (ibid). What happened on the Cross? Jesus was pierced by the centurion (Longinus) as Jesus gave up the Ghost. Jesus, if he had not been God, was punished according to Mosaic Law. Roman Law was disregarded.
Whenever anyone claimed to be king, both the real king and the pretender to the throne were called to Rome to be judged by Caesar who was the final word. By Roman Law, Jesus would have been taken to face Caesar to be judged. When Jesus said to give unto Caesar what was his, maybe he had Roman Law in mind which would have vindicated Him because He laid no claim to be king of the Jews without Caesar authorizing it as required.
Herod was authorized by Octavian Caesar three years before he was king and recognized by the Jews as such. Caesar’s word was Roman law, and Jesus respected that. Although He was arrested for claiming to be God, that was truth, and Pilate knew that Jesus was God.
So, they trumped up a charge:
1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King.” 3 And Pilate asked Him, saying, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “Thou sayest it.” (Luke 23:1-3)
Pilate knew that Jesus was the rightful King of the Jews. The Romans had written a sign that read, “This Is the King of the Jews.” But that upset the priests, and it was written over, “King of the Jews” (Mark 15:26). Pilate knew who Jesus was, but the priests denied the truth, knowing full-well who it was that they were murdering.
He was accused of saying that He Himself is Christ a King. To verify that claim, Pilate made a point: Was it a civil affair or is it religious? Are you the King, God, or are you the political leader of Judaea? Jesus made no such claim to being King of the Jews as he affirmed that presumption to be theirs, not His. In other words, Jesus never presumed to be King of the Jews albeit many others sought that dignity.
Jesus never claimed to be anything or anybody that He was not. He laid claim to be God in the Flesh. As He was dying, He cried out to His Father. A fake would not have done that!
In the moment of His death, Jesus revealed the Holy Ghost to all who would look upon Him much like He did on the Mount of Transfiguration. Just as Luke saw the bodily shape of the Holy Ghost when Jesus was baptized (Luke 3:22), at least the centurion saw the same thing: The Holy Ghost in the bodily shape of Jesus ascending as a dove, certainly to take the repentant thief to Paradise that day, and to deliver Satan and sin to Gehenna that same day.
When the Holy Ghost of God left Jesus, He was vindicated of presumptuous sin and the injustice of the powerful was revealed.
There is more… stay tuned.
(picture credit: Hoshana Rabbah; "scapegoat")
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