crucifixion

Someone dies when intractable worldviews collide. There were three such worldviews at loggerheads at the trial of Jesus. Roman, Jewish and Jesus.

There are no easy ways to categorize those three worldviews. They are complex in origin and difficult to enact. Rome used the power of the military and law. The Jews used the power of behavioral modification and religious law. Jesus combined religious law with a new power - God's attributes. Jesus was alone, he lost out.

That is why the question Pilate posed is so powerful: "What is truth?". He apparently saw at least two sides of the equation, and was being confronted with acting on the third. Pilate must have known about the teachings of Jesus. Rome was everywhere and knew almost everything. He was a learned man accustomed to making decisions according to Rome. The fact that he released a man from prison at Passover showed he had come to understand the minimums for dealing with the Jewish worldview. He must have favored Jesus's worldview in a people: pay your taxes, obey your appointed leaders, live a life of service. Nothing wrong with that in a subject nation.

The Jews understood their problem clearly. Jesus was undermining the power of the Law by declaring that he was fulfilling it. Who needs the Temple when you can go directly to the source?

Finally, Jesus was well aware that the end of the matter had to be his death. It was part of the plan and within the wisdom of God. It was a big deal, this flesh sacrifice. But Jesus had agreed to it should Adam or Eve falter in the Garden of Eden.

The next entry in this series will look at some of the rationale for the death of Jesus. Why death in God's economy? How does that fulfill the Old Testament Law?

For now, its important to know that the reality was Jesus was introducing a new worldview. It opposed Rome and Jewish Law. Someone was going to die while Jesus was the odd man out. This rational conclusion by the power players was forecast in Scripture, played out in public, and consummated on a nearby hill. The teachings of Jesus weren't important at that moment, Equilibrium was. The crucifixion was meant to solve a problem for both Rome and the Jews. Instead, it created a  whole new one for the entire world: choose you this day whom you will serve: the State, the Religion, or Jesus.

Sorry boys, Jesus won that battle. That was in your writings too.