Were the Romans ready to spare Jesus but the Jews insisted to crucify him?

Answer 1

Answer 1

The "Romans" as represented by the Prefect of Judea, Pontius Pilate, was ready to spare Christ. The "Jews," specifically a group led by the Pharisees and elements of the Sanhedrin, continued to call for his execution.

Answer 2

The New Testament certainly holds that perspective and paints Pontius Pilate as a man who seems fair and honest. Meanwhile, the rabid Jewish crowd demands Jesus' blood in a persistent and foul way.

However, assuming that Jesus was a true historical figure, it seems far more likely in actuality that the reverse occurred. The Romans were probably intent on crucifying him and the Jews most likely begged for long-term imprisonment instead of execution. Of course, this would not be out of any love for what Jesus was preaching and many probably would have agreed that as heretic he should be silenced. However, there are only four acceptable implementations of capital punishment in Judaism that are strongly regulated: decapitation, quick strangulation, quick strangulation with internal burning, and stoning. There is complete rejection of any form of capital punishment that uses piercings to kill or leaves the criminal to suffer for hours on end. Crucifixion is in both categories and would be opposed on those grounds.

It is interesting that Pontius Pilate is painted so dovishly in The Bible as concerns the debate on Jesus' death, but nearly every other Roman source paints him as a vile and cruel man. Such a man would have delighted in crucifying a man he perceived as a threat and Jesus was a serious threat to the Roman Empire. The Messiah of that period was understood the way that Jews still understand this concept: an Earthly King who would establish a Jewish Kingdom. Necessarily, therefore, Jesus was going to have to raise an army or commit some political intrigue to achieve this goal. The Romans were likely afraid that Jesus would try to lead a rebellion to free Judea from Roman occupation. This fear would prove justified when another Messianic Candidate, Bar Kochba, would actually lead a revolt against the Romans that ended disastrously for the Jews. In order to prevent Jesus from taking that power, the Romans pre-emptively sought him out and questioned if he was the King of Jews, i.e. someone actively trying to create a Jewish Kingdom in defiance of Rome. When Pontius Pilate received answers that troubled him, why would he spare the rod here when there was such an obvious threat?

Answer 3

The Bible says that during passover the Romans had a custom of releasing one Jewish prisoner of the crowd's choosing. Pilate thought they might choose to release Jesus, but the crowd made clear they wanted him to release a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.

The crowd became a mob. With increasing intensity they called for Pilate to crucify Jesus. Pilate felt the intensity and knew that his first mandate from Caesar was to keep these people under control. His entire future as a Roman ruler depended on his doing that. Pilate, therefore, took a bowl of water and washed his hands, declaring his innocence of the blood of Jesus. Pilate had Jesus flogged and turned Him over to the crucifixion detail.

Pilate was merciless and cruel, noted for his habitual brutality. Like the Roman emperors of his day, he rather enjoyed the spectacle of the torture and death of a man. At one time he had mingled the blood of Galileans with their sacrifices-that is, he had them killed while they were bringing sacrifices (Luke 13:1).

One of the strangest pictures in the Bible is the impression that Jesus made on this hard-hearted Roman governor. Whether Jesus was erect and handsome, as one tradition has it, or stooped shouldered and ugly, as another tradition says, there must have been something so commanding about His presence that although He was dressed in the robes of mock royalty, with the crown of thorns on His head and the blood streaming down His face, Pilate could not keep his eyes off Him.

Pilate's effort to avoid having to crucify Jesus makes a pitiful story. He did not want to do it. He appealed first to the Jewish rulers, then to Herod, and then again to the Jewish rulers. And the to the crowd. And when the crowd turned against Jesus, Pilate tried to appeal to their pity by having Jesus whipped, in hope that they would be satisfied with this limited punishment and not require Him to go all the way to crucifixion. Pilate's wife warned him to have nothing to do with this innocent man, based on a dream she had earlier that day.

When all of Pilate's attempts failed, he did not make up his mind to crucify Jesus until the Jews threatened to report him to Caesar. Not until it began to look as if it might cost him his position as governor of Judea did Pilate finally give his consent to the death of Jesus. Pilate is said to have committed suicide. Tradition says that Pilate's wife, Procula, became a Christian.