Judaism 101

[Marŝi tra la Cindro]

Just because the locals knew about him doesn't mean every Roman soldier did. All of them were foreign and almost all were pagan. I doubt many cared about local politics so long as no uprisings were breaking out.

 

[Picaro]

It was also a pilgrim 'holiday' period, with a lot of strangers running around maybe as much as quadrupling the normal population.

 

[Meriweather]

What bothers me is that this story about Judas' kiss and treason couldn't really happen, at least how it is described in the Bible. Jesus didn't come to Jerusalem incognito and didn't hide himself all the time there. Quite the contrary. It is impossible to believe that 'secret service agents' weren't aware of his appearance and his personality long before they decided to catch him.

There are many questions about what the Bible says about Judas and the trial of Jesus especially about Jesus before the Sanhedrin on a high holy day. Can you imagine the Pope holding a trial on Christmas day, for example. There are many possibilities people have offered. Here is one I think is worth some consideration:


The most interesting account I remember was something I read years and years ago. I no longer remember all the details, but the gist of the account centers around the son of Gamaliel, a well-known rabbi. The son’s name was Jesus (Yeshua) as well.


On that particular Passover (one where Jesus caused a disruption in the Temple) there was also an uprising against Rome in the city. The reason there was that march on Caiaphas place, where it appears the Sanhedrin had gathered for Passover is that this Roman Legion went to look for for this Jesus Bar-rabbi (son the of the Rabbi) the leader of these rebels. Judas, a known member of the Sicari ( a rebel group of the time) might have been a member of this rebellion as well.


Naturally, the Sanhedrin could not afford to be in anyway connected with or seen as being connected with this rebellion at all, but how to keep the Romans from killing them all? (“Better that one man die than all of us.”)


It was decided to save themselves and their Rabbi’s son, they would point to Jesus (who called himself Son of the Father–Bar-rabbas) and who had made a ruckus in their Temple and was an ongoing annoyance to them.


Judas (assuming he was part of the ‘Bar-rabbi’ group) would have known of his leader’s trouble and this was the reason he was in a rush to leave the Last Supper. He wanted to be of help to Yesua Bar Rabbi. The Temple authorities agreed to pay Judas in silver if he would back their story to the Roman legion by leading them to Jesus’ out-of-the-way camp in the Garden of Gethsemane.


Who knows. Perhaps they even promised this would all blow over and both Yeshua’s would be free. Instead, Jesus was arrested and tried. Judas went back and flung the money back into the Temple and hanged himself.


The Romans tried Jesus as a rebel against Rome, and crucifixion was the punishment for rebels. The Gospels report two other rebels were hung with them–one of whom stated while they were guilty, Jesus was not.


The Sanhedrin saw Jesus’ death as solving two problems: Their own possible connection (funding perhaps) to this rebellion; and, Jesus’ claiming to be the Son of God and forgiving sins–gathering people to him.


After Jesus’ death, but with the Apostles continuing on with Jesus’ message, it was Gamaliel who convinced the Sanhedrin to leave the Apostles alone.


A memorable conjecture, but answers several questions (keep in mind, raises more):


One, Jews claim there is no way the Sanhedrin wouldn’t have held court on the Passover, a holy event for them.


Two, there is no record of any other claim that Pilate released a Jewish prisoner over Passover.


Rome would not have crucified anyone because of a Sanhedrin request against a rival religious sect. They would crucify a rebel.


Erle Stanley Gardner was fond of saying, “Someone found a button and sewed a vest on it.” The above theory could be exactly that–but as I said, I always found it an interesting conjecture.

 

[ESay]

Just because the locals knew about him doesn't mean every Roman soldier did. All of them were foreign and almost all were pagan. I doubt many cared about local politics so long as no uprisings were breaking out.

It was also a pilgrim 'holiday' period, with a lot of strangers running around maybe as much as quadrupling the normal population.

Oh, come on guys. His triumphant entering in Jerusalem, actions in the Temple, preaching and so on. And the Romans had to rely on one of his disciples who would show them the 'perpetrator' the minutes before the arrest? Something tells me that is not how 'the police' system worked even in those times.

 

[Deplorable Yankee]

Judaism 101 (JewFAQ)

An encyclopedia of information about Judaism, Jewish practices, holidays, people and beliefs. For beginners, intermediate or advanced readers.

www.jewfaq.org

Most non-Jews know very little about Judaism. That's because there are only 15 million Jews worldwide.

Can we skip to where the gold is ?

 

[Picaro]

Just because the locals knew about him doesn't mean every Roman soldier did. All of them were foreign and almost all were pagan. I doubt many cared about local politics so long as no uprisings were breaking out.

Galileans were particularly notorious for creating rebels in that era, hence their actions; Jews had the same views, as they referred to 'Galilieans' as domestic enemies in their Revolts, another term for Christians and by the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt had banned them from their synagogues and massacred them when they could.

 

[Marŝi tra la Cindro]

And they still kill us where they get the chance to this day, all while bitching about how how everyone has ever treated them (but never saying why).