A movie, called The Passion, which depicts the final hours of the life of Jesus, has come under attack by people who believe that the movie blames Jews for the death of Jesus.
Some who criticize the movie say that they have fears that it might entice, enrage, or otherwise encourage people to persecute Jews.
There are some articulate people who criticize the movie, and there are some articulate people who support it. But this column is not about the movie, nor is it about peoples’ reactions to it. This column is about who is truly to blame for the execution of Jesus: Any person who has ever sinned.
"It is our sins that caused His death, not any particular group," said Billy Graham, a widely known Christian evangelist. Graham’s quote has been published by various newspapers and Internet publications, including the Catholic News Agency, on Nov. 28, 2003, at www.catholicnewsagency.com.
Jesus lived 2000 years ago in the land of Israel. The land, at that time, was controlled by the Romans and was part of the Roman Empire. Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people.
We Christians know that the New Testament of the Bible says that there were Jews who were opposed to Jesus. But we also know that it says that there were Jews who were followers of Jesus. The apostles of Jesus were Jews, his disciples were Jews, his mother was a Jew, and the first generation of Christian evangelists were Jews.
And, Jesus himself was a Jew.
Some Jews believed in Jesus, some did not. The same is true for the Romans who lived in the land of Israel during those days. Some believed. And others did not. This, undoubtedly, would include the Romans who actually crucified Jesus.
Even though the people who carried out the execution of Jesus were Romans, no one today seeks to persecute their descendants for the death of Jesus. So why would anyone seek to persecute the descendants of the Jews?
As Christians, we must believe that we are all to blame for the death of Jesus, because we are all sinners. As Christians, we must believe that sin is the reason that Jesus needed to die. The price of sin is death. Jesus died, after living a sinless life, to pay that price for anyone who believes in him. (see John 3:16 in the New Testament of the Bible).
Should we now commit more sins by persecuting a group of people for the death of Jesus? And if so, who should we persecute? Should we persecute the descendants of the Jews who lived in Israel 2000 years ago? Should we persecute the descendants of the Romans who crucified Jesus 2000 years ago?
How about Adam? He was the first man to commit a sin. Should we persecute his descendants?
Instead of persecuting anyone for the death of Jesus, let us consider what he had to say about all of us when he was dying on the cross: "Forgive them father for they know not what they do."
Signed – everyone at this Christian web site
www.georgekonig.org
Dec. 7, 2003
See a list of all of our commentaries