who killed yeshua?

Praise the Lord, Paul and the team are all back safely from the Holy Land. The photo above is taken while I (Paul) was teaching at the ancient theatre at Caesarea Marittima, a location often mentioned in the New Covenant scriptures. In this area, we noted that Cornelius and his household became believers and the first Gentiles were added to the church (Acts 10:1-48). And so this is a significant place. The Roman Theatre, which happens to be the oldest in Israel, has a seating capacity of 3,500 people. And nearby is the dedication plaque which reads “Pontius Pilate, the prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honour of Tiberius”, yes the same Pontius Pilate that condemned Yeshua. It was he who convicted Yeshua of treason and declared that Yeshua thought himself King of the Jews, and so had Yeshua crucified. Though Pilate washes his hands to proclaim that he is not responsible for the execution of Yeshua he is the political power that allows it to happen and reluctantly sends him to his death. Which brings me to a point I want to raise, who killed Yeshua? Was it just Pilate? No, while he was the political power that could have stopped the mockery and the execution, he had a significant hand in the death of Yeshua. (Matthew 27:2, 11-14; Mark 15:1-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-38) Was it just the Romans? No, they crucified him, so they too are guilty (Matthew 27:35-44; Mark 15:24-32; Luke 23:33-43; John 19:18-27). Was it only the Jewish high-priests Annas and Caiaphas (John 18:12-14, 19-23) and the Jewish council (Sanhedrin) (Matthew 26:57, 59-68; Mark 14:53, 55-65; Luke 22:54, 63-65; John 18:24)? No, but they too are guilty as they accused him falsely and allowed his ‘kangaroo’ trials to make a mockery of Yeshua the King of the Jews. But the most controversial verse in all the Gospels is when a small number of assembled Jewish people led by the Sanhedrin tell Pilate, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27:25). Sadly this became a source for erroneous false teaching that all generations of Jews are guilty of deicide, that is the crime of killing God. So who killed Yeshua? From a human point of view, Gentiles and Jews, and particularly the Gentile leadership of the Romans in Judea and the Jewish Sanhedrin. But we need to read more for it was Yeshua himself who said John 10:18, “No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” So it was Yeshua who gave His life, it was He who was in control of His life and death (John 7:30 and 8:20). And He came to do the will of Him who sent Him, and to finish His work (John 4:34). So what was the will of the Father? Do we know what that was? Yes that was prophesied clearly already in the Tanach (Older Testament) Isaiah 53:10 “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” It was from a Divine point of view, something always in the plan of God to rescue and redeem Jews and Gentiles from their sin, and the way this was to happen was by the death of His sinless Servant, Yeshua the Messiah. This brings me to the final point; Who killed Yeshua? I did and We did, for “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24) So who killed Yeshua, I did, for He died for my sins, by allowing His body to be nailed to the tree (cross) that He might become the guilt offering for me. Chaverim friends, who killed Yeshua? you and me. May we as we come close to this Passover season proclaim the death of Messiah Yeshua the Lamb of God, who died for us that we might be reconciled to God through the cross (2 Corinthians 5:18-20; Ephesians 2:16; Colossians 1:20-21). And proclaim Isaiah 40:9-11. Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him. He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom,        and gently lead those that are with young. Shalom in Messiah the Lamb of God who died for us and now as the Good Shepherd gathers us in His arms. Paul   Our next meeting is on Friday the 12th of April at 7:30 at 32 Horace Street St Ives. Paul will be teaching on the following Torah portion.