The question of who killed Jesus Christ is important to understand for everyone who wants to devote himself to Christianity or is interested in the history of religions. Jesus is a key figure in Christianity. This is the Messiah, whose appearance was predicted in the Old Testament. It is believed that he became an atoning sacrifice for all the sins of people. The main sources of information about the life and death of Christ are the Gospels and other books of the New Testament.
The Passion of Christ
The answer to the question of who killed Jesus Christ can be found on the pages of the Bible. According to the Gospel, the last days and hours of his life brought him much suffering. In Christianity, this is called Holy Week. These are the last days before Easter, during which believers prepare for the holiday.
To the list of the Passion of Christ, theologians include:
- Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
- Supper at Bethany
- Washing the feet of the disciples.
- Last Supper.
- The path to the Garden of Gethsemane.
- Prayer for the cup.
- Kiss of Judas and subsequent arrest of Jesus.
- Appearance at the Sanhedrin.
- The denial of the Apostle Peter.
- Jesus appears before Pontius Pilate.
- The Flagellation of Christ.
- The outrage and crowning with thorns.
- The Way of the Cross.
- Soldiers tearing off their clothes and playing them with dice.
- Crucifixion.
- Death of Christ.
- The position in the coffin.
- Descent into hell.
- The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Riding a donkey
The Passion of Christ begins its countdown from the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem. Today, believers celebrate Sunday exactly one week before Easter, a holiday that in Russia is better known as Palm Sunday.
The Gospel describes how Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, and the people met him, covering the road with clothes and palm branches (which is why this day is also called Palm Sunday).
Arriving at the Temple in Jerusalem, Christ began to overturn the tables of the money changers and cattle sellers, causing discontent among the ministers, but they did not dare to argue with him, fearing the wrath of the people. After this, Christ performed several famous miracles, healing the lame and the blind, and then left Jerusalem, spending the next night in Bethany.
In Christian ideology, this holiday symbolizes two important points at once: it serves as a prototype of the entry of the Son of Man into Paradise and is considered the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah. The Jews were also waiting for the Messiah, who at that timewere under Roman occupation. They were waiting for a national liberator from foreign invaders.
So solemnly met Jesus, because they already knew about his many miracles. The most impressive was the resurrection of Lazarus. Entering the city, Jesus deliberately chooses a donkey for himself, not a horse, because in the East the donkey is considered a symbol of peace, and the horse is a symbol of war.
Last Supper
One of the most famous episodes of the New Testament is the Last Supper, which many artists captured in their paintings. The most famous work of Leonardo da Vinci is in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.
This is the last meal of Jesus Christ with his disciples, during which the sacrament of Communion was first established, the Savior himself read sermons on Christian love and humility, predicting the betrayal of one of his disciples, as well as the future of the Christian church and the whole world.
The Easter meal was prepared by the disciples of Christ John and Peter, whom the teacher instructed. In the evening Jesus lay down, and the twelve apostles with Him.
Foot washing
This is a famous and very significant episode of the Last Supper. According to Eastern traditions, such a ceremony has existed since ancient times, symbolizing hospitality.
The gospel describes that Jesus took off his outer clothing, put on his belt and began to wash the feet of his disciples, wiping them with a towel. When Peter asked if he should wash his feet, Jesus replied that the meaning of his actions would only be understood by the disciples later.
It is believed that at that moment he already knew his traitor, and therefore told the students that not all of them are clean. Only when he had finished the procedure did he explain that he had set an example of humility and that now they should do the same.
The symbolic meaning of this action lies in the ritual washing before participating in the ceremony. In this case, before the Easter meal. When the participants arrived at the place of the sacred meal, their feet were defiled, so they had to be washed. By deliberately taking the position of a servant rather than a master, Jesus changed the relationship that had been established between the estates. The underlying idea of this episode of the New Testament is the idea of being a servant to your neighbor, regardless of your own position in society.
Judas Kiss
Answering the question of who killed Jesus Christ, many agree that one of the key culprits was his disciple Judas Iscariot. This was the only Jew of all the apostles, the rest came from Galilee. According to legend, in their community he was the treasurer, in charge of the donation box. Many researchers tend to believe that he stole.
Judas agreed to betray Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver. When the guards came to the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas, in order to point to the Savior, came up and kissed him in front of the guards. Since then, the popular expression "kiss of Judas" has been known, which means betrayal by the closest person.
When Jesus was sentenced to be crucified, Judas repented of his act. He returned the 30 pieces of silver to the high priests, declaring,that he had sinned by betraying an innocent man. He threw money on the floor of the temple and then killed himself.
Reasons for the persecution of Christ
After the resurrection of Lazarus, many Jews believed in the power of Jesus. Then the Pharisees and the chief priests decided to get rid of him. Answering the question why they killed Jesus Christ, it should be noted that the priests were afraid that the whole people would believe in him, and the Romans who came would finally take over the lands of Judea.
Then the high priest Caiaphas offered to kill Christ. Jesus was judged under two legal systems: the Jewish one, which was considered the most just (it was built on the principle of equal punishment), and the Roman one, which was based on the most advanced legal laws of that time.
With regard to Christ, the norms of Jewish law were violated, because the arrest (according to them) was allowed only after the investigation. The only exception was the night arrest, when there was no time to conduct an investigation, and there was a danger that the criminal might escape. But in this case, the trial was supposed to start the very next morning.
Immediately after the arrest of Christ, they brought the high priest Anna to the house. The initial interrogation led nowhere. Jesus did not confess to the crimes, so the materials were transferred to the Sanhedrin for judicial investigation.
The Judgment of Christ
The actual trial of Jesus began in the house of Caiaphas, where all the members of the Jewish court, who had the right to pass the death sentence, gathered. For this, the Sanhedrin met. It included 71 people. It was to this body that the administration of Judea passed after the destruction of royal power. For example, only with the consent of the Sanhedrin could a war begin.
Jesus was charged with several charges: breaking the word of the Lord, sacrilege, blasphemy. For the Sanhedrin, Christ became too strong and dangerous a rival. This explains why the Jews killed Jesus Christ. There were many false testimonies at the trial, to which the Savior did not answer in any way. The decisive question was Caiaphas, whether Jesus recognizes himself as the Son of God. He stated that they were now seeing the Son of Man.
In response, the high priest tore his clothes, saying that this is the main proof of blasphemy. The Sanhedrin sentenced him to death based solely on his words, violating yet another rule of Jewish justice, according to which no one can be convicted on the basis of his own confession.
Also, according to Jewish law, after the death sentence was pronounced, the accused should be sent to prison, and the members of the court had to sit for another day, discussing the decision, the sentence and the weight of the evidence. But the members of the Sanhedrin were in a hurry to execute the sentence, so they violated this rule as well. Now it should become obvious who killed Jesus Christ. The chief priests were afraid of losing their influence on the people, so it was important for them to stop the popular and beloved prophet. Here is the answer to the question why they killed Jesus Christ.
At the same time, the members of the Sanhedrin, having passed the sentence, could not carry it out themselves without approving it from the Roman governor. Therefore, they went with Jesus to PontiusPilate.
Pontius Pilate
Understanding the question of who killed Jesus Christ, we need to dwell on the episode of the meeting with Pontius Pilate. This was a Roman prefect who represented the interests of Rome in Judea from 26 to 36 AD. Unlike Jesus Christ, whose identity there are many legends (it is still debated whether he existed), Pilate is a historical character. In fact, he was the governor of Rome in Judea.
Historians who have studied that period note that Pilate was a cruel ruler. In those years, executions and mass violence were often arranged. Mass popular demonstrations caused increasing political oppression, increasing taxes, provocations from Pilate, who insulted the customs and religious beliefs of the Jews. All attempts to resist this, the Romans ruthlessly suppressed.
Contemporaries often characterize Pilate as a corrupt and cruel tyrant who is guilty of numerous executions carried out without investigation or trial. Addressing the Emperor Caligula, King Agrippa I of Judea claims that Pilate engaged in violence, bribery, passed countless death sentences, was unbearably cruel.
At that time Herod Philip II was the ruler of Judea. However, it cannot be argued that there was a Jewish king who killed Jesus Christ. The real power belonged to the Roman governors, who relied on local high priests.
Meeting with the procurator
At the trial, the procurator began to find out from Christ whether he recognizes himself as the Jewish king. The question was important because the claimto rule as a Jewish ruler, according to Roman law, was qualified as a dangerous crime against the empire. Pilate did not see guilt in Jesus' answer: "You say that I am the King. I was born for this, and for this I came into the world to bear witness to the truth."
Pilate sought to prevent unrest, so he turned to the crowd gathered near his house with a proposal to release Jesus. There was a custom according to which it was allowed to release one of the criminals on Easter, who was to be convicted. But the crowd in response demanded the execution of Christ.
Pilate made another attempt, ordering to start beating him in front of the crowd. He suggested that the people would be satisfied with the sight of Jesus covered in blood. But the Jews declared that he must surely die. Therefore, it is believed that the Jews killed Jesus Christ.
Pilate, fearing popular unrest, pronounced a death sentence, confirming the verdict of the Sanhedrin. Jesus must have been crucified. After that, Pilate declared that he was washing his hands before the people, relieving himself of responsibility for the blood of this Righteous One. In response, the people who had gathered in front of his house exclaimed that they were taking the blood of Jesus upon themselves and their children. This is another answer to the question of who killed Jesus Christ. The mysteries of the Bible on this issue seem definitively solved. But by whom was the final verdict passed? Who ordered the death of Jesus Christ? According to historical evidence, Pontius Pilate had the last word. This is the most accurate answer to the question of who actually killed Jesus Christ, though not in fact,any type of weapon, but by giving an order.
According to the verdict, Jesus was to be crucified. According to the evangelists, his mother Mary, John, who compiled the Gospel, Mary Magdalene, Mary Cleopova, two robbers who were crucified with the Savior, Roman soldiers led by a centurion, high priests, people and scribes who mocked Jesus were present at the execution.
Execution of Christ
When was Jesus Christ killed? This happened on Friday, April 3, 33 AD. This conclusion was made by American and German geologists based on the analysis of seismic activity in the Dead Sea area. This conclusion is based on a text in the Gospel of Matthew which states that an earthquake occurred on the day of the execution. According to geological studies, an unprecedented earthquake in the Jerusalem area in the decade between 26 and 36 AD occurred on this day.
The next question to be answered is where Jesus Christ was killed. It happened on Mount Calvary near Jerusalem. It was located northwest of the city. It is believed that it got its name because of the skulls that were piled at the place of execution of criminals in ancient Jerusalem. According to legend, Adam was buried on the same mountain.
Before Golgotha, Jesus himself carried the cross on which he was later crucified. When Christ was raised on the cross, they were left to die under the scorching Jewish sun. There is a legend according to which one of the Roman soldiers decided to alleviate his suffering. It is even known who killed Jesus Christ with a spear. This wasa Roman centurion named Longinus. It was he who plunged the spear under the ribs of the Savior, ending his torment on the cross. Now you know who killed Jesus Christ with a spear. Since then, the Orthodox and Catholic churches have venerated Longinus as a martyr.
According to legend, he stood guard near the cross, guarded his coffin and witnessed the Resurrection. After that, Longinus believed in Jesus and refused to give false evidence that his body was stolen by the disciples.
They say that Longin suffered from cataracts. During the execution, the blood of the Savior splashed into his eyes, thanks to which he was healed. In Christianity, he is considered a martyr who patronizes all people suffering from eye diseases.
Believing in Christ, he went to preach in his homeland, in Cappadocia. Two other soldiers who witnessed the Resurrection went with him. Pilate sent soldiers with orders to kill Longinus along with his companions. When the detachment arrived in his village, Longin himself went out to the soldiers, inviting them to the house. During the meal, they told him about the purpose of their journey, not knowing who was in front of them. Then Longinus identified himself and asked the warriors, who were certainly amazed, to do their duty. They even wanted to let the saints go, advised them to run away, but the companions showed their will and character. They were determined to accept suffering for the Savior.
Their bodies were beheaded and buried in their native village of Longina. The heads were sent to Pilate as confirmation of the completion of the mission. The Roman procurator ordered the heads to be thrown into the garbage dump. They were found by a poor blind woman who was healed,touching their heads. She took their remains to Cappadocia, where she buried them.
It is known where the spear used to kill Jesus Christ is known. It is considered one of the Instruments of the Passion and is called the Spear of Longinus, the Spear of Christ or the Spear of Destiny. It is one of the greatest relics in Christianity.
There are many legends that tell who owned it after the Crucifixion of Christ. Among them are called Constantine the Great, the king of the Goths Theodoric I, Alaric, Emperor Justinian, Charles Martel and even Charlemagne. The latter believed in him so much that he constantly kept him around.
There are references to the fact that it was owned by the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. From this we can conclude that we are talking about a real murder weapon.
Now there are several relics in the world that are believed to be the Spear of Longinus or a fragment of it. Since the 13th century, in the treasury of the Etchmiadzin Monastery in Armenia, there has been a spear, which (according to legend) was brought by the Apostle Thaddeus.
In St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, there is the so-called Vatican Spear of Destiny. It is identified with a spear from Constantinople, which was previously kept in Jerusalem. The first mention of it can be found in Anthony of Piacenza, who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When the Persians captured the city in 614, they took possession of all the Passion relics. According to the Easter chronicle, its tip was broken off, and the spear itself was transported to the Church of Hagia Sophia, and later to the Church of Our Lady of Pharos.
Researchers trying to answer the question of wherethere is a spear with which they killed Jesus Christ, they came to the conclusion that the relic is stored in Vienna. The Viennese Lance is distinguished by interspersed metal, which are considered to be nails from the crucifixion. Today it is in the Chamber of Treasures of the Vienna Palace. After the annexation of Austria in 1938, the mayor of Nuremberg transferred it to the church of St. Catherine. He was brought back to Austria by the American General George Patton. These events are overgrown with numerous legends. Today, the spear is considered an important part of modern Christian mythology.
This is the story of the Savior's death in brief. From this article it should be clear when, who and why killed Jesus Christ.
