Why couldn't the Jews execute Jesus themselves?

Answer 1

The view that Jews killed Jesus is a Christian blood libel and perhaps the most central one. Is it true that Jews disagreed with Jesus? Yes, and quite fervently. The Related Question provides the reasons underlying the Jewish disagreements with Jesus and his activities and assertions. There is even a discussion in the Talmud on the issue of Jesus (although it is unclear if this is a later edit-job or part of the original text). The Rabbis come to conclusion that he is heretic and that he merits stoning.

However, the act of plotting to actually commit murder is far removed from these discussions and more serious. There are many debates in the Talmud concerning both historical individuals and alleged stories like the Oven of Achnai. This does not mean that those events actually happened, only that the thought experiment of "what would happen under these circumstances" was done. The New Testament makes a number of simple errors about Jewish jurisprudence on such matters. For example, it claims that the Sanhedrin convened on Passover to condemn Jesus. However, the leaders of the Sanhedrin followed the letter of the law to a fault (Jesus even reprimands them for it) and one of the laws is that the Sanhedrin can never meet on a holiday, especially one as central as Passover. Secondly, they allude to a connection between the High Priests and the Sanhedrin in agreeing on what actions to take on Jesus. There was an intense political fight between the High Priests and the Rabbis of the Sanhedrin as to the future direction of Judaism. The High Priests were more corrupt and elitist. The Rabbis were more earnest and populist. There is no reason that the High Priests would not wish to keep Jesus preaching if his populist approach would weaken the appeal of the Rabbis.

As for exacting the death penalty, even if the events leading up Jesus' execution were as the New Testament records them, no Jew would sanction an execution by crucifixion. 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 was a uniquely Roman punishment.

The claim that the Romans plotted against Jesus and had him crucified is much stronger. 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 they received answers that troubled them, they chose to execute him in the traditional Roman manner of execution. Pontius Pilate is mentioned in several sources outside of The Bible. In each, he is considered a cruel and vicious man who delighted in executions. Why would he spare the rod here when there was such an obvious threat?

As Rome was the dominant world power during the period of the early Church and Judaism was seen as the "adversary" of early Christianity for rejecting Jesus' Messianic Nature, the Church transferred what should have been hatred for the Roman Leadership into hatred of the Jews and worked assiduously to create a narrative that would paint the Romans as weak and powerless to stop Jewish tyranny when it was Jews as a population who were unable to stop Roman tyranny.

Answer 2

It is a common fallacy that the wise men visited Jesus, Mary and Joseph in the stable, after visiting Herod, as every Christmas nativity scene shows us.

In Luke's gospel, it is believed that Luke received the birth stories from Peter, through John, and in turn through Mary, (who had been taken into John's home after the crucifixion). This meant that the stories were seen from Mary's perspective. And, as the above answer states, Herod had little interest in Jesus's birth - simply because at the time of the birth, few people knew of his real identity.

However, in Matthew's gospel, he relates the wise men (not 'three' wise men as no number is given in the account) travelling from the east after seeing a star formation in the sky heralding the birth of a king. We are told in Matthew's account that the wise men came to Herod, who then had to consult his advisors to see where the new 'king' would be born. It was agreed that Bethlehem was the place, and the time of birth was calculated froom the appearance of the star. We are also told that the wise men came to a house (not the stable) where Jesus was... so by the time they came the family were already settled in Bethlehem.

That is why Herod decided to kill all children 2 years old and under. It is therefore logical to assume that Jesus was of that age (approximately 2) by the time the wise men arrived.

Thus, Joseph took the toddler Jesus to Egypt to escape Herood's wrath, escaping, in turn, the laughter of the children by him.

Answer 3

In Luke's Gospel, Herod seems to have had no interest in harming Jesus. Forty days after the birth of Jesus, Mary and Joseph too him to the Temple in Jerusalem, as King Herod would surely know they would if he had any interest in Jesus. They then travelled peacefully home to Nazareth in Galilee. There is no suggestion that the young family was ever again in Bethlehem, nor was there any reason for them to go there. Luke's Gospel simply states that they went from Nazareth to Jerusalem each year for the Passover.

In Matthew's Gospel, King Herod feared that Jesus would usurp his throne and sought to kill him. Joseph, being warned in a dream, fled from Bethlehem with Mary and Jesus to Egypt. They began to return to their home in Bethlehem after Herod died but, Joseph being warned in another dream, turned aside and travelled instead to Nazareth in Galilee.

Answer 4

Here the Jews did not have the power to kill on the cross.It was in the hand the Roman governor alone.

Answer 5

Romans were bureaucrats and they wanted to know everything which would take place on the territory of Galilee. And Jesus was regarded as V.I.P. person.