Pope Exonerates Jews for Jesus' Death

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Pope Exonerates Jews for Jesus' Death

FoxNews.com
03/02/11

VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI has made a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Jesus Christ, tackling one of the most controversial issues in Christianity in a new book.

In "Jesus of Nazareth-Part II" excerpts released Wednesday, Benedict explains biblically and theologically why there is no basis in Scripture for the argument that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for Jesus' death.

Interpretations to the contrary have been used for centuries to justify the persecution of Jews.

While the Catholic Church has for five decades taught that Jews weren't collectively responsible, Jewish scholars said Wednesday the argument laid out by the German-born pontiff, who has had his share of mishaps with Jews, was a landmark statement from a pope that would help fight anti-Semitism today.

"Holocaust survivors know only too well how the centuries-long charge of 'Christ killer' against the Jews created a poisonous climate of hate that was the foundation of anti-Semitic persecution whose ultimate expression was realized in the Holocaust," said Elan Steinberg of the American Gathering of Holocaust Survivors and their Descendants.

The pope's book, he said, not only confirms church teaching refuting the deicide charge "but seals it for a new generation of Catholics."

The Catholic Church issued its most authoritative teaching on the issue in its 1965 Second Vatican Council document "Nostra Aetate," which revolutionized the church's relations with Jews by saying Christ's death could not be attributed to Jews as a whole at the time or today.

Benedict comes to the same conclusion, but he explains how with a thorough, Gospel-by-Gospel analysis that leaves little doubt that he deeply and personally believes it to be the case: That only a few Temple leaders and a small group of supporters were primarily responsible for Christ's crucifixion.

The book is the second installment to Benedict's 2007 "Jesus of Nazareth," his first book as pope, which offered a very personal meditation on the early years of Christ's life and teachings. This second book, set to be released March 10, concerns the final part of Christ's life, his death and resurrection.

[Guest]

Why do some people think the office of the pope will be headquartered in Jurusalem some day?

[Salyan]

Pope Exonerates Jews for Jesus' Death

Oh, reeeeaallllyyy, how kind of him!

And yet he still misses the point on who was "responsible" for Christ's death...

[Covenanter]

It is dreadful to think that for nearly 2,000 years the Jews have been persecuted for killing Jesus.

Jesus warned the generation that rejected him:
Mat 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Free & full forgiveness was preached to them on the day of Pentecost & for a further 40 years. Sadly they rejected the message & the messengers. Once that generation had suffered the wrath of God in AD 70, the judgment was completed. The Gospel to all nations counted in the Jews, so that in glory the redeemed people of God comprise every kindred [the tribes of Israel], and tongue, and people, and nation.

There is not the slightest Biblical reason for persecuting subsequent generations of Jews.

By his present statement, the Pope has admitted that his church has been perpetrating vicious genocide for millennia.

One result is that the Jews have been persecuted in many countries, not just by the RCs, but also Lutherans & Orthodox. Rather than welcome & provide for the Jews to live & trade freely, the guilty Europeans after WWII & the holocaust encouraged their expulsion to Palestine, & the Arabs were made to suffer for European crimes.

[Brother Rick]

Why do some people think the office of the pope will be headquartered in Jurusalem some day?

II Thess. 2:3-4, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

[Covenanter]

II Thess. 2:3-4, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

That happened before the temple was destroyed, as Jesus had prophesied. It's not future, & doesn't refer to the papacy.

[Invicta]

I once knew a Jewish Christian who said the very few Jews were born in the same country as their grandfather, as they had been expelled from nation after nation.

[Invicta]

That happened before the temple was destroyed, as Jesus had prophesied. It's not future, & doesn't refer to the papacy.

Who, exactly ,"opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." before the temple was destroyed?

[Guest]

II Thess. 2:3-4, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

It was a rhetorical question :wink

[Covenanter]

Who, exactly ,"opposed and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." before the temple was destroyed?

He is not specifically named in Scripture, as almost all of the NT (including Rev.) was written before AD 70. He may be the high priest, ex-officio, who sat in judgment on the incarnate God setting his own authority above Jesus, & above the Law he was administering.

Mat 26:61 And said, This [fellow] said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what [is it which] these witness against thee?
63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

Act 23:2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, [thou] whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

1Jo 2:18 ¶ Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
.....
1Jo 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Regarding Rev. 1:7, do you think Jews (which pierced him) are perpetually guilty & a yet future generation of Jews will be held to account for his rejection & crucifixion at his second coming?

[John81]

The Jews, as a people, have been punished for their rejection of Christ. The Gospel was taken to the Gentiles. Individual Jews will be punished or rewarded in the future just as will Gentiles, based upon their personal rejections or acceptance of Christ. This regardless of the new doctrine Pastor Hagee and some others have come up with.

[trc123]

I'm thinking we are (our sins) all responsible for crucifying Christ. I seem to remember that the Roman's were in charge in land at that time and at one point could have stopped it. I believe it was Roman soldiers who did the actual deed. The pope is a delusional man who is fully culpable in an organized cover up of rampant pedophilia amongst the Roman Catholic Church's priesthood. Rather than be exalted he should be brought to justice.

[Guest]

I'm thinking we are (our sins) all responsible for crucifying Christ. I seem to remember that the Roman's were in charge in land at that time and at one point could have stopped it. I believe it was Roman soldiers who did the actual deed. The pope is a delusional man who is fully culpable in an organized cover up of rampant pedophilia amongst the Roman Catholic Church's priesthood. Rather than be exalted he should be brought to justice.

1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
1 Thessalonians 2:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

The office of the pope is and always has been delusional, but the Jews are responsible for Jesus death no matter what instrument (Romans) was used. Bold added above for emphasis.

[Covenanter]

Read on: 1Th 2:16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
The wrath of God against that generation was completed. Now the gospel is, or should be, unconditionally preached to them.

[trc123]

Like I said, we are all responsible in the end.