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Passion and Forgiveness
Anti-Semitism never justified….
Bringing the most outstanding event in all history—no, actually
in all time—to the public through the film, “The Passion of the
Christ,” and to a worldwide audience at this time is bound to have a
significant impact on the passions of its viewers. Some, no doubt,
will be motivated to great heights of compassion and appreciation
for Jesus Christ. Others will be pushed to greater stimulation for
their already latent anti-Semitism.
Responsibility
Whether First Century Jews were responsible for Jesus’ death or
not—the anti-Semitism, forced conversions and persecution of the
Jews by Christians though the centuries have never been justified.
And, of course, the Romans were responsible too. Apostle Peter
quoting from the Psalms said, “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met
together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to
conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed” (Acts
4:27 NIV).
But Roman culpability—according to Jesus—was not as great as that
of the chief priests: “‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said.
‘Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify
you?’ Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were
not given to you from above. Therefore the one [Caiaphas] who handed
me over to you is guilty of a greater sin’” (John 19:10-11 NIV).
Still, Rome was not without blame.
Even though Jesus was acclaimed King just days before his
crucifixion by the Jews who went up to Jerusalem for Passover, the
leaders influenced the Jews of the City to demand his death. And
even though he called the scribes and Pharisees, “hypocrites…whited
sepulchers” and “serpents….a generation of vipers” (Matt. 23:27,
33)—Jesus wept over the City just days before his crucifixion. “O
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent
to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as
a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”
Then Jesus adds, “Look, your house is left to you desolate” (Matt.
23:37-38 NIV).
In Ignorance
Thus responsibility, actually, is laid specifically on the Jewish
religious and civil leaders who represented the whole people by
Apostle Peter who said, “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and
asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of
life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this…
Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your
leaders” (Acts 3:14-18). So, it was done in ignorance! In
fact the Apostle Paul. “None of the princes of this world knew [who
Jesus really was]: for had they known it, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor. 2:8).
Favor Has Returned
In any case, how long must Jews have to reap the consequences of
what happened almost 2,000 years ago? In fact, prophetic time
prophecy indicates that the time to favor Jewish people has come!
(And it has nothing to do with Vatican II.) “You will arise and have
compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the
appointed time has come” (Psa. 102:13 NIV) Since when? “Comfort, O
comfort My people,” says your God. “Speak kindly to Jerusalem; And
call out to her, that her warfare has ended, That her iniquity has
been removed, That she has received of the Lord’s hand double for
all her sins” (Isa. 40:1-2 NAS) “Double for all her sins”
does not mean twice as much as Israel deserved—but an equal time (a
duplicate, kephel) of disfavor to the time Israel had God’s
favor. That disfavor ended precisely and dramatically in 1878 when
the Cyprus Accords associated with Berlin Congress of Nations
allowed non-Muslims to buy Land in Israel. Jews to this day look
back on Petah Takvah, the settlement founded in 1878, as the roots
of the reborn State of Israel.
Yes, there has been much trouble and travail accompanying
Israel’s restoration—but God is clearly re-establishing Israel. The
Prophets are equally clear that Israel as a people will mourn for
what they did to Jesus and accept him as their Messiah when God’s
spirit is poured out on them. “And I will pour out on the house of
David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and
supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and
they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve
bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (Zech. 12:10
NIV)
Once for All
Nevertheless, some movie critics—perhaps in their attempt to be
“politically correct” have said, We all crucify Christ again
and again every time we sin. But is that true? Does Jesus have to
die more than once? Apostle Paul said, “He died once for all
to end sin’s power” (Rom. 6:10 TLB). The whole point in the Book of
Hebrews is that although the animal sacrifices had to be repeated
yearly under the Law Covenant, Christ died once for all. “…who does
not need daily [yearly], like those high priests, to offer up
sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the
people, because this He did once for all when He offered up
Himself” (Heb. 7:27 NAS See also 9:12, 26, 28; 10:10).
Therefore, after Jesus died for our sins, the animal sacrifices
in the Temple which continued for some years—were rejected by God.
In fact, what continues to be an abomination to God’s face are those
who would say they have “sacrificed” for them the body of Jesus
again and again and again.
“The doctrine of the Holy Eucharist…a real
sacrifice, instituted by Christ at the Last Supper. It
represents Christ’s sacrifice of the Cross, but in an unbloody
manner…The Eucharistic sacrifice is offered to God in …
atonement, for the living and the dead… Christ is really present
in the Holy Eucharist, even when not being received… For the
wheat bread and grape wine are transubstantiated by the ordained
priest into the flesh and blood of Christ…” www.Catholic.org
This celebration of the mass is an abomination because it makes
desolate the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ. So while the Jewish
nation crucified Jesus Christ once—the Catholic church, claiming to
be followers of Jesus, have crucified him millions of times
continually through the centuries…even to this day.
Rome
What about the Romans? The Gentiles from the Kingdom of Rome were
prophetically depicted as “dogs” around the cross of Jesus (Psa.
22:16). Although the Roman empire has long disappeared from the
surface of the earth, the heir of the Roman empire’s religious
authority—the Roman Catholic Church itself—is explicitly implicated
in scripture in the crucifixion of Christ.
In the symbolic book of Revelation, the great city of “Babylon”
is the name ascribed to false Christendom, particularly the “mother”
church. It is also symbolically compared to Sodom (a city of
perversion) and Egypt (a city of bondage) in Rev. 11:7-8: “Their
bodies [of the two witnesses, the Old and New Testaments, vss. 3-7]
will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively
called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.”
Crucified in Christendom! Yes, Christ Jesus has been crucified in
Christendom itself by its own claim, though false, to sacrifice him
again.... Moreover, the blood of saints and martyrs is on the hands
of Christendom inasmuch as the Roman church has persecuted to death
millions.
Anti-Semitism
The mistaken idea that God—not the Son of God—was killed
at Calvary only further intensified the bitterness of anti-Semitism.
But what responsibility do we as Christians have in a brewing
anti-Semitic climate? And what about the new anti-Semitism which
targets the survival and prosperity of the State of Israel?
From prophecy we know that the risen Christ Jesus is at the right
hand of God gathering His people back to their ancient homeland in
preparation for His Kingdom on earth. So although we would not
necessarily condone everything the Israeli government does—we should
be enthusiastically supportive of Israel. (Ezek. 20:33-34)
Christians are to pray for the real “peace of Jerusalem” (Psa.
122:6), and as faithful “watchmen” we should not give God any rest
until “He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (Isa. 62:6,7).
Knowing that Jesus in the end times is standing up for his
people, we too should stand up for the Jewish people as we have
opportunity (Dan. 12:1). It might cost us something.
Forgiven
While the time has arrived for the Jewish people to be forgiven
and restored—the time has simultaneously arrived when the Papacy
with all nominal Christendom is judged…and their days are numbered.
But the blood of Christ—his sacrificed life—was provided once as a
“ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6). “All” means not just Protestants and
“born again Christians,” but the Jews, the Romans, Catholics,
Hindus, Muslims…. Jesus did not exaggerate when he said, “All.” “And
I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself”
(John 12:32-33). When? When Christians who have been invited to
suffer with Christ will bless and heal the world in Christ’s Kingdom
(Rev. 22:2, 17).
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