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While preaching, Jesus was creating an uproar among the ruling elites and the priests. So much so that the following three charges were brought against him:
1. Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.
2. I am King of Israel.
3. I am the Son of God.
On these 3 charges Jesus was sentenced to be crucified.
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The 3 charges have been very precisely defined by St. Matthew in 27: 39-43. I quote:
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"Thou that 'destroyed the temple and buildest it three days,' save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross."
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"He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be 'the King of Israel', let him now come down from the Cross, and we will believe him."
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| 3. |
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"He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"
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The First Charge
| Jesus: |
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Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. |
| Jews: |
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'forty and six years was this temple in building, and will thou rear it up in three days?'
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| Interpretation: |
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"But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore, he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them. And they believed the scripture, and the word Jesus said."
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Thus his innocence was proven on the First Charge.
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The Second Charge
| Pilate: |
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"Art thou the King of the Jews?" |
| Jesus: |
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"to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world."
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| Interpretation: |
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Pilate understood Jesus to mean that he was King of the Jews not King of Rome. His was the spiritual kingdom of Israel not the physical throne of Caesar. 'And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews (according to Pilate - INRI -; i = j in Roman, i.e., Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum; the English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews".) Then said the Chief Priests, write not, the King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews
Pilate answered, what I have written, I have written.'
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Innocent on Second Charge.
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The Third Charge - Blasphemy
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"For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." This is in response to Jesus claiming "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30-33). And for claiming to be the Son of God. (John 10:36) |
| Jesus: |
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"is it not written in your law, I said ye are gods ; If He called them gods unto whom the word of God came, say ye of me I blasphemest because I said, I am the Son of God?" (John 10:35)
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| Interpretation: |
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Jesus' claim was not Sonship to Almighty God. He was son to God's vicegerent on earth, he "unto whom the word of God came.," based on the Law written in Psalm 82:6.
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| Question 1: |
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In the time of Jesus who was he unto whom the word of God came? St. Luke in 3: 1 testifies to the answer most appropriately: "now in the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being Governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness." |
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Who was God on earth according to the law cited by Jesus? If not John, then who? Jesus meant that he was son of John who had the title of being called God according to the Law (Psalms 82:6) and not Son of The Almighty God.
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Innocent on the 3rd Charge, he was accordingly acquitted by Pontius Pilate.
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Pilate: "ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people, and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him." 'And he said unto them the third time, why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him.' 'When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it."
Jews: "his blood be on us and on our children."
Christians: Jesus was innocent of the 1st and 2nd charges but guilty of the 3rd!
To Muslims: Was Jesus the Son of God or the son of John ?
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