Key Takeaways:
- It is not antisemitic to say that the Jews of Jesus’ day were responsible for killing him.
- Antisemitism involves assigning collective guilt to all Jewish people past and present for the actions of a few.
- The Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem sought Jesus’ death, but this doesn’t implicate the Jewish race as a whole.
- The execution of Jesus was carried out by the Romans under the authority of Pontius Pilate as governor of Judea, since the Jews did not have jurisdiction over capital punishment under Roman rule.
- According to the Bible, the crucifixion of Jesus occurred according to God’s foreknowledge and His plan for the redemption of mankind.
- We all share responsibility for the death of Jesus because he was killed to bear the just payment for our sins.
- Using the death of Jesus to justify hostility toward Jewish people shows a misunderstanding of the seriousness of sin against a holy and perfect God.
Hatred seems to be in vogue today.
There is widespread hatred for Trump…
Hatred for Israel.
Hatred for Jews.
Hatred for whatever or whomever we don’t like.
And it seems that someone has to be blamed for every hatred we have…
So now that it’s Holy Week…
Who should be blamed for the execution of Jesus?
Is it antisemitic to blame the Jews for killing him?
The simple answer is no.
But here are 6 truths about what is and is not antisemitic, and about who actually is responsible for the murder of Jesus:
Truth #1: It is not antisemitic to tell the truth about the Jews who lived during the time of Jesus.
Proclaiming that all Jews are collectively responsible for what other Jews have done in the past is the very essence of antisemitism.
To blame the Jewish people as a race for the actions of a few – whether in the past or the present – denies personal responsibility.
It divides people into groups.
It promotes collectivism, not individualism.
It promotes government control over freedom.
Even Christians have been guilty of harboring animosity toward the Jewish people as a whole for the sins of their ancestors.
This transference of guilt from the bad behavior of a few to the masses of an entire race of people is wrong…
And it must stop.
Truth #2: The Jews during the time of Jesus – especially the Jewish religious leaders – did kill Jesus.
There is no denying the fact that Jews – with the exception of Jesus’ disciples – killed Jesus.
Jesus was a threat to the authority within the land of Israel that the ruling Roman governors had granted to the scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees – the Jewish religious leaders of the day.
They knew that any mass religious rebellion against their leadership would lead to their removal by the Romans.
They had been plotting Jesus’ death for months.
The Jews who had traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover that year welcomed Jesus and proclaimed him to be the Messiah and heir to the throne of King David on Palm Sunday.
But they turned against Jesus later in the week and demanded his execution for fear of excommunication by the religious leaders.
It’s important to remember, however, that just as Caucasians living today aren’t responsible for their ancestors’ role in slavery, so also Jews today aren’t responsible for their ancestor’s role in killing Jesus.
Truth #3: We are commanded to speak the truth in love.
In Ephesians 4 the apostle Paul urges the church in Ephesus – and us – to act “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love…” (Ephesians 4:2)
He further instructs us in verse 15 to speak the truth in love as well.
We are not to speak the truth about the Jews of Jesus’ day with hate…
Nor act toward present-day Jews with hostility, impatience or intolerance.
Even Jesus – while he was on the cross – said of the Jews who were killing him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Truth #4: The Jews demanded the execution of Jesus, but the Romans actually crucified him.
Roman law was instituted in Judea when it became a Roman province in 6 or 7 AD.[1]
This prevented the Jews from being able to apply the death penalty in the case of capital crimes – including capital violations of Jewish law such as adultery or blasphemy.
In John 8:31, Pilate tells Annas and Caiaphas, the High Priest, to take Jesus and “judge him according to your law.”
The Jewish religious leaders replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.”
After questioning Jesus himself, Pilate found no fault with Jesus – no reason to execute him.
If he had possessed the backbone to do the right thing and to refuse to execute an innocent man, the Jews wouldn’t have had the power to kill him.
But eventually Pilate caved in to pressure from the Jews – and after washing his hands in public to symbolically and psychologically “absolve himself” from guilt – he ordered that Jesus be crucified.
Truth #5: In reality, it was God the Father who ordered Jesus to be killed.
On the Day of Pentecost – a Jewish holiday that occurs 50 days after Passover, Peter said to a crowd of Jews gathered in Jerusalem:
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know — this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” (Acts 2:22-23)
Jesus was “delivered up” by the Jews to the Romans to be executed “according to the definite plan” of God Himself.
God ordained that Jesus must be “crushed” on the cross because of our transgressions.
Therefore, those who say it’s antisemitic to say the Jews killed Jesus are calling God antisemitic.
Those who say that it was wrong for the Jews – or for the Romans – to kill Jesus are saying that God was wrong to plan for the execution of His Son.
Truth #6: In reality, we all bear responsibility for killing Jesus.
It was necessary for Jesus to be killed in order for mankind to be rescued from eternal separation from God.
It was necessary for Jesus to pay the fair and just penalty for our sins so that we could be forgiven and not have to pay the just penalty for our own sins.
The prophet Isaiah explains it this way:
“He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
Professing Christians who use the death of Jesus as a reason to criticize and attack Jews do not understand the consequences of sin against a holy and perfect God.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
What do you think? Email me at [email protected].
FAQs:
- Is it antisemitic to say the Jews killed Jesus of Nazareth?
A. No. It is not inherently antisemitic to discuss the historical events surrounding Jesus’ death. However, it becomes antisemitic when blame is assigned collectively to all Jewish people—past or present—rather than to specific individuals involved at that time. - What actually IS antisemitism?
A. Antisemitism is prejudice or hostility toward Jewish people, especially when it involves assigning collective guilt or negative traits to all Jews based on the actions of a few. - Why did the Jews of Jesus’ day demand his crucifixion?
A. He was a threat to the authority that the religious leaders were given over the people under Roman rule. The Roman authorities trusted them to keep the people in line and prevent rebellion. The religious leaders convinced the people to go along with them in demanding Jesus’ execution. - Did the Jewish people actually execute Jesus?
A. No. The execution was carried out by the Roman government under Pontius Pilate, because Roman law reserved the authority for capital punishment. - What does the Bible say about responsibility for Jesus’ death?
A. The Bible teaches that Jesus’ crucifixion occurred according to God’s plan for our redemption from the guilt of our sin. Jesus’ death had a divine purpose beyond human actions. - How should Christians talk about the Jews and the death of Jesus?
A. Christians are called to speak truth with love, humility, and respect—avoiding hatred, hostility, or prejudice toward any group.
About Craig Huey:
Craig Huey is a longtime direct-response marketing strategist and publisher who focuses on the intersection of faith, politics, culture, and economic freedom. He is president of ElectionForum.org and the founder of Creative Direct Marketing Group (CDMG), where his team has tested thousands of marketing variables and earned more than 100 industry awards. Craig publishes commentary at CraigHuey.com and co-hosts media projects that equip Americans to understand what’s happening—and what to do next.
[1] https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/93848/when-did-rome-take-the-power-of-capital-punishment-away-from-the-jews