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Some people do not like the facts of history, so they ignore them and write their own version. A case in point is the American Nazi Party that is constantly publishing denials that Hitler’s policies of genocide actually destroyed millions of Jews during the 1930’s and 1940’s. Another case in point also involves the Jews. For several years there has been a vigorous effort abroad to absolve the Jews of blame for the death of Jesus Christ. The assumption has been that if one blames the Jews for Jesus’ crucifixion, one is automatically anti-Semitic. If that is the case, then one is automatically anti-German if one insists that it was Germans who destroyed millions of Jews during Hitler’s ignoble reign. It matters not that the Roman Catholic Pope has issued an encyclical absolving the Jews from their guilt in this matter. Neither does it alter the facts of history on this subject that President Carter has also forcefully proclaimed that the Jews were not to blame for Jesus’ crucifixion (May, 1977).
A major propaganda tool of those who wanted to re-write history on this matter was a three-hour movie aired March 26, 1980, by CBS Television, entitled, “The Day Christ Died.” It is an alarming illustration of how contemptuous men can be for historical truth. To get the Jews off the hook, Pilate is blamed for instigating Christ’s arrest and execution. The wicked High Priest, Caiaphas, is pictured as one who is merely persuaded to go along with Pilate. Judas is pictured almost in a favorable posture as a heroic Jewish patriot.
What are the facts? Very early in Jesus’ ministry, Jewish leaders began plotting his death (Mat. 12:14; Luke 4:28–30). Jesus predicted that the Jewish leaders would condemn and kill him by the hands of the Gentiles (Mat. 16:21; 20:18–19). Judas went to Jewish rulers, rather than to Romans, to bargain for betrayal money (Mat. 26:14–16). Jesus was arrested, tried and condemned to death by the Jews before any Roman officials were even consulted (Mat. 26:47–50; John 18:12–13, 19–24; Mat. 26:57–68; 27:1). The Jews took Jesus to Pilate to obtain the necessary authority for him to be crucified (John 18:31). Jesus blamed the Jews more than Pilate (John 19:11) and the Jews willingly accepted the blood-guilt on themselves and their children (Mat. 27:25). Pilate repeatedly declared Jesus’ innocence and sought to release him, but the enraged Jews demanded His crucifixion and Pilate reluctantly conceded (Luke 23:13–23).
To believe historical truth says nothing of one’s love or hatred for any person or race, only for the truth. The case before us is a premeditated case of altering history.
[Note: I wrote this article for and it was published in the March 27, 1980, edition of Granbury Gospel, weekly bulletin of the Church of Christ, Granbury, Texas, of which I was editor.]
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
