Search the Community

Anti-Semites often insist that it is the Jews who killed Jesus. Historically, Jews endured vicious acts by self-proclaimed Christians, because of the accusation. A close look at one key gospel passage reveals an incredible irony: Matthew 27:24-26: 24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in fron of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" 25 All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!" 26 Then he released Barrabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. (New International Version) So again, anti-Semites focus on 25, where the crowd, largely Jewish in composition, proclaims that they and their children will take the blame. Some Christians retort that, no matter what, it was the Romans that crucified him. Yet verse 26 holds the answer--and incredible one. The one who says he's innocent of Christ's blood. The one who feigns objectivity. The one who would blame the crowd. It is Pilate who hands Jesus over to be crucified. Could it be that the most dangerous enemies of Jesus are not the Jihadists or the atheists? Rather, it is the those who are cool with Jesus. The ones who find him A-OK. The ones who respect him, but will not follow him. Why? They are the closest to us--yet will turn on us when the opposition comes. Truly the prophet John called it right, when he recorded Jesus telling the Laodicean Church that the lukewarm would be spewed out like vomit. Let us not use this teaching to judge others, but rather to allow the Holy Spirit to audit our own souls. Are we too objective, too relaxed, too casual and friendly with Jesus? Will we falter on the day of opposition? Lord grant me the wisdom and anointing the embrace true devotion to Jesus, and to reject the psuedo nuetrality so beloved by our post-modern culture.