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posted ago by towards8 ago by towards8 +12 / -0

On the evening of April 11, Nisan 14 began. On Nisan 14, Jews celebrate Passover. On this very day, almost 2,000 years ago in the year 30 CE, on Nisan 14, Jesus Christ was humiliated, tortured, and killed by the Jews.

The Jews humiliated him by spitting in his face, forcibly pulling out his beard, and stripping him naked. The Jews tortured him by skinning him alive. And the Jews killed him by crucifying him.

The Jews deceived the Romans, claiming Jesus was a criminal, someone who was rebelling. But Pilate saw their falsehood and wanted to save Jesus. The Jews, however, threatened Pilate, and he relented. Pilate washed his hands and spoke to the Jews who had traveled to Jerusalem from all over the world: "I am not guilty of this man's blood." The Jewish people cried out to him in unity: "His blood be on us and on our children!"

Jesus hung half-dead on the cross and saw the Roman soldiers who were about to cast lots for his clothes. And Jesus felt compassion because these soldiers were unaware of the grave situation they were in—in fact, the crucifixion of Jesus was the worst sin ever committed. He looked at them with compassion because he knew they had been deceived by the Jews. They had been deceived into thinking that Jesus was a criminal. And Jesus looked at the Roman soldiers and said to his Father: "Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

But the Jews knew what they were doing. They knew Jesus was innocent, they knew he was good. They were deliberately looking for false testimony, and as Pilate himself recognized, it was envy that made them want to kill Jesus. Envy because Jesus praised the Gentiles but criticized the Jews. Envy because Jesus said to a Roman man: "Your faith is greater than all Israel." Envy because Jesus said to the Jews: "Even Sodom and Gomorrah were better than you."

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

The Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all people, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always reach the limit of their sins. But wrath has come upon them fully.