to mvisahottie: First, please don't shout. Second, here is what the Bible says (revised standard edition)
Matthew 27 (Pilate gives the crowd the choice between saving Jesus and the murderer Barabbas, but the crowd chooses Barabbas) So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothin, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." And the people said, "His blood be on us and our children!" Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Mark 15 Now at the feast he [Pilate] used to release for them on prisoner whom they asked. And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he was wont to do for them. And he answered them, "Do you want me to release the King of the Jews?" For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. And Pilate agains said to them, "Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?" And they cried out again, "Crucify him."and Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him." So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
Luke 23 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people, and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him; neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him; I will therefore chastise him and release him."
But they all cried out together "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas"--a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus; but they shouted out, "Crucify, crucify him!" A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him." But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted.
John 17 Pilate went out again, and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no crime in him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God." [this leads to a word with Jesus and another effort to save him by Pilate after which he is delivered to the wishes of the crowd]
The consistent story is one of a Roman official wanting to do justice but needing to keep the peace. The depiction of Pilate in the film was extremely consistent with the Bible and some of the Roman guards were depicted as the sadists that they probably were (no Jews were shown in that light, BTW; they were bystanders). This indicates one might "finger" the priests, but I am not assigning blame. I am not here to judge. The people who did this died a long time ago. What they did is between them and their God. Those who are Christians must believe that part of why Jesus was here was for this transformation and the crucifixion was necessary. Therefore, how can we blame anyone for being responsible for it? I do not. Judas (a desciple), the Romans, the priests, the people--they all played a part. Jesus himself forgave those who did it, and those who believe in him have a responsibility to believe that God did as well and to try to do so themselves if they have not already. I don't believe that this event really has anything to do with the Jewish people as a people and let's remember that it was individual Jews who started Christianity in the first place.
I would be saddened in the extreme if this film were to be used to fuel anti-Semitic feeling. However, I would also be saddened if it were used to muzzle freedom of expression. What if even inadvertent and/or miniscule slights against one or another group suddenly became grounds for a book burning?
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