{"id":20158,"date":"2025-05-16T23:39:25","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T23:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/?p=20158"},"modified":"2025-08-19T08:55:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T08:55:53","slug":"did-the-jews-kill-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/did-the-jews-kill-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"Did the Jews Kill (or Hate) Jesus? Learn the Truth!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 data-fontsize=\"42\" data-lineheight=\"58.8px\" style=\"\">Did the Jews Kill (or Hate) Jesus? Learn the Truth!<\/h2>\n<p>    <span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"9575\" data-init-width=\"450\" data-init-height=\"600\" title=\"Joshua Schachterle\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Joshua-Schachterle-Bart-Ehrman-Author-1-1.png\" data-width=\"218\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 450 \/ 600;\" width=\"218\" height=\"290\" data-height=\"290\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"\">Written by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/author\/marko\/\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/author\/joshua-schachterle\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Joshua Schachterle, Ph.D<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Author | &nbsp;Professor | Scholar<\/p>\n<p>Author | &nbsp;Professor | BE Contributor<\/p>\n<p style=\"\">Verified! &nbsp;See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/editorial-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\">editorial guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"\">Verified! &nbsp;See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/editorial-guidelines\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"outline: none;\">guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n\nDate written: May 16th, 2025\n<p style=\"\">\nDate written: May 16th, 2025<\/p>\n<p style=\"\">Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. &#8211; Dr. Bart D. Ehrman<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Did the Jews kill Jesus? Few questions in Christian history have been as fraught with misunderstanding \u2014 and as devastating in their consequences \u2014 as that accusation<\/strong>. For centuries, this claim has fueled antisemitism, violence, and deep divisions between Christianity and Judaism. But does the New Testament discuss a Jewish deicide? If so, was it the murder of God? Who were \u201cthe Jews\u201d in the Gospel narratives, and how should we understand that term today? The answer lies not just in theology or tradition, but in language, context, and history.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In this article, I\u2019ll explore what the Gospels really meant when they referred to the Jews, how these texts have been interpreted (and misinterpreted), and, ultimately, who was truly responsible for Jesus\u2019 death.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The deicide definition from <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/42Y4tKs\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Merriam-Webster<\/a> is an event that kills a divine being or symbolic substitute of that being. However, even that descriptor is complicated since individuals and groups attribute different characteristics to Jesus depending on if they view him as a divine being, merely a historical figure, or neither.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">(<em>Affiliate Disclaimer: We may earn commissions on products you purchase through this page at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site!<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Did the Jews kill Jesus\" data-id=\"20160\" width=\"697\" data-init-width=\"1920\" height=\"290\" data-init-height=\"800\" title=\"Did the jews kill jesus\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/did-the-jews-kill-jesus.png\" data-width=\"697\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1920 \/ 800;\" data-height=\"290\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-fontsize=\"42\" data-lineheight=\"58.8px\">Etymology: Who Are \u201cthe Jews\u201d in the Gospels?<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Greek word translated into English as \u201cJews\u201d in the New Testament is Ioudaioi. The problem with translating this word properly is that there are two distinct possibilities. For example, while \u201cJews\u201d is one overarching option, the word technically meant \u201ca person who resides in or is from the region of Judea,\u201d the region in Palestine where Jerusalem was located. This would mean, of course, that Jesus \u2014 who came from the region of Galilee \u2014 might not have been classified as one of the Ioudaioi, but rather as a Galilean (Greek: Galilaios).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>However,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bibleodyssey.org\/articles\/jew-judean-word-study\/\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> Adele Reinhartz<\/a> points out that the issue of whether to translate Ioudaioi as \u201cJews\u201d or \u201cJudeans\u201d is quite complicated<\/strong>. She notes that some scholars prefer \u201cJudeans\u201d because translating the word as \u201cJews\u201d can fuel anti-Jewish biases. On the other hand, we have ancient references to some people called Ioudaioi who had no direct association with Judea, thus signaling a group identity outside of regionalism. Reinhartz finally concludes that<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">While the repetition of \u201cJews\u201d in the Gospel of John runs the risk of encouraging anti-Judaism, eliminating the word \u201cJews\u201d from the New Testament makes it difficult to address the history of Christian anti-Judaism and the history of the Jewish people themselves.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">For this reason, most scholars and Bible translations still translate the word as \u201cJews.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">While there are certainly some positive references to the Ioudaioi &nbsp;in the New Testament \u2014 see John 4:22, for instance, where Jesus says salvation originates with them \u2014 there are an overwhelming number of negative allusions to them as well. Let\u2019s look at some of these examples.<\/p>\n<h2>References to the Jews in the New Testament<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In the Gospel of Mark, there is really only one explicit reference to \u201cthe Jews\u201d (if we leave out the multiple times Jesus is accused of saying he was \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/inri-meaning\/\" target=\"_blank\">King of the Jews<\/a>\u201d). It appears in Mark 7:3, in which the Pharisees reproach Jesus\u2019 disciples for eating without washing their hands for the purpose of ritual purity. The author then explains that \u201cthe Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This is a mildly negative reference, since Jesus\u2019 next words scold the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/pharisees\/\" style=\"outline: none;\"> Pharisees<\/a> for caring more about outward purity than inward purification. Finally in Mark 15, we see that Jesus, having been arrested by the Jewish leaders known as the Sanhedrin, is handed over to Pilate to be killed.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">However, it\u2019s in Matthew\u2019s Gospel that we begin to see the most damaging portraits of \u201cthe Jews.\u201d This is odd, in a way, since Matthew is generally considered the most Jewish of the four Gospels.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Like Mark, Matthew\u2019s explicit use of the word Ioudaioi is basically limited to the charge \u201cKing of the Jews\u201d which accusers say Jesus has claimed for himself. However, in a scene just before his crucifixion, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, about to hand Jesus over to be crucified, washes his hands, symbolically claiming to be innocent of Jesus\u2019 blood. The crowd, who in Jerusalem must have been mostly Jews, says \u201cHis blood be on us and on our children!\u201d This line has been used for centuries to justify all forms of antisemitism. Not only do the Jewish leaders hand Jesus over in Matthew, but even the Jewish laypeople demand his blood.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Even worse are the references to the Jews in the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/gospel-of-john\/\" style=\"outline: none;\"> Gospel of John<\/a>. We see them persecuting Jesus in 5:16 and plotting to kill him in 5:18. In 8:44, Jesus describes them as the children of the devil, while in John 7:12-14, we see that the people (who, again, are predominantly Jewish themselves) are afraid of the Jews:<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, \u201cHe is a good man,\u201d others were saying, \u201cNo, he is deceiving the crowd.\u201d Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">As in the other Gospels, Pilate is reluctant to kill Jesus in John, but when the Jews insist on his execution, Pilate acquiesces.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/pontius-pilate\/\"> I\u2019ve written before<\/a> about how unlikely this scenario is, based on our knowledge of the ruthlessness of Pilate and how little he cared about Jewish opinions, despite what the Gospel of John says.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Since the authors of Matthew and John (and possibly the author of Mark) were Jews themselves, what is going on here?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE of the Historical Jesus!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Think you know the Jesus of the Bible?&nbsp; Uncover the historical figure behind the texts!<\/p>\n<p>__CONFIG_colors_palette__{&#8220;active_palette&#8221;:0,&#8221;config&#8221;:{&#8220;colors&#8221;:{&#8220;10c55&#8221;:{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Main Accent&#8221;,&#8221;parent&#8221;:-1}},&#8221;gradients&#8221;:[]},&#8221;palettes&#8221;:[{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Default&#8221;,&#8221;value&#8221;:{&#8220;colors&#8221;:{&#8220;10c55&#8221;:{&#8220;val&#8221;:&#8221;rgb(255, 133, 34)&#8221;}},&#8221;gradients&#8221;:[]},&#8221;original&#8221;:{&#8220;colors&#8221;:{&#8220;10c55&#8221;:{&#8220;val&#8221;:&#8221;rgb(19, 114, 211)&#8221;,&#8221;hsl&#8221;:{&#8220;h&#8221;:210,&#8221;s&#8221;:0.83,&#8221;l&#8221;:0.45,&#8221;a&#8221;:1}}},&#8221;gradients&#8221;:[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__ <a href=\"#cb23c204d6\" style=\"\"><span>    <\/span> <span><span style=\"\"><strong>sTART QUIZ<\/strong><\/span><\/span> <\/a> <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>It&#8217;s free!<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>The Intended Meaning of Ioudaioi<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3SCFE0q\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> The Jews and the World in the Fourth Gospel: Parallelism, Function, and Context<\/a>, <strong>Lars Kierspel notes that the scholarly consensus is that all the references to \u201cthe Jews\u201d in the Gospels refer only to the Jewish religious leaders<\/strong>. Furthermore, in<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/42W5JxC\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> The Gospel and Letters of John<\/a>, Alan Culpepper notes that in some cases, translating Ioudaioi merely as \u201cthe Jews,\u201d indicating all Jews, doesn\u2019t entirely make sense:<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">There are places in John where the term can hardly mean &#8220;the Jews.&#8221; For example, although the crowd in Jerusalem at the Festival of Booths must have been predominantly Jewish [in John 7:12-14], they still fear the Ioudaioi. By translating hoi Ioudaioi as &#8220;the Jews&#8221; in this context, the NRSV and other translations produce a reading that makes little sense&#8230; Here it is clear that hoi Ioudaioi refers to a much more limited group opposed to Jesus, either certain Judean Jews or the religious authorities.<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">As for the disturbing line in Matthew attributing guilt collectively to the Jews for Jesus\u2019 death, there was something else going on there (this is not to deny the horrible effects of the misinterpretation of that line throughout history). In the<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/457DEEY\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> Jewish Annotated New Testament<\/a>, Aaron Gale writes that since the author of Matthew was writing years after the destruction of the Temple and the devastation of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE, he was likely indicating that this destruction was a punishment for the Jewish people\u2019s later refusal to accept that Jesus was the Messiah.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Now that we\u2019ve looked at the literary aspects of whether the Jews killed Jesus, let\u2019s look at the historical aspect. Was Jesus hated by the Jews, and if so, were they responsible for his death?<\/p>\n<h2>Did the Jews Hate Jesus?<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Having clarified the meanings of Ioudaioi (Jews, residents of Judea, or Jewish religious leaders) in the Gospels, can we answer the question of whether the Jews hated Jesus during his lifetime? If we follow the Gospel narratives here, it seems there was a mixed reaction.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">When it comes to the Pharisees and other religious leaders, we definitely see examples of hatred for Jesus in the Gospels, to the point of wanting to kill him (see John 11:53, for example). However, crowds of Jewish people seem to have loved Jesus. When he entered Jerusalem, for instance, Matthew 21:9 &nbsp;says he received a king\u2019s reception:<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\">The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, \u201cHosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Moreover, in Mark 2:1-12, it\u2019s clear that huge crowds followed him adoringly, both to be healed and to hear his message. <strong>The question of whether ALL Jews hated Jesus is overly broad, and the answer is clearly no<\/strong>. So, did the Jews kill Jesus?<\/p>\n<p><span><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Deicide definition\" data-id=\"20159\" width=\"697\" data-init-width=\"1920\" height=\"290\" data-init-height=\"800\" title=\"Deicide definition\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/deicide-definition.png\" data-width=\"697\" data-height=\"290\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1920 \/ 800;\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Who Killed Jesus and Why?<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Why was Jesus killed? Many people throughout Christian history have tried to answer this question. Was he executed because he committed blasphemy, offending the Jewish leaders? Was he killed because he created a ruckus in the Temple? What was the real reason he was hung on a cross?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">First, who, in Jesus\u2019 time, regularly used crucifixion as a method of capital punishment?<a href=\"https:\/\/referenceworks.brill.com\/display\/entries\/EECO\/SIM-00000808.xml\"> John Granger Cook<\/a> notes that while the Persians and Carthaginians did, the people best known for it in the ancient world were the Romans. For this reason,<a href=\"https:\/\/jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/4782-crucifixion\"> Kaufman Kohler and Emil Hirsch<\/a> write that &nbsp;\u201cThe mode and manner of Jesus&#8217; death undoubtedly point to Roman customs and laws as the directive power.\u201d So did the Romans kill Jesus?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Furthermore, Kohler and Hirsch note that \u201cAmong the modes of capital punishment known to the Jewish penal law, crucifixion is not found.\u201d In other words, the only possible answer for who crucified Jesus was the Romans, not the Jews.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">However, this leaves us the question of why the Romans would have executed Jesus. Why would they have considered him dangerous enough to kill?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In all four Gospels, the charge put on the cross over Jesus\u2019 head to indicate his crime says one thing: \u201cKing of the Jews.\u201d What this likely means is that Jesus had indeed claimed to be the true King of the Jews. As<a href=\"https:\/\/ehrmanblog.org\/why-was-jesus-crucified\/\"> Bart Ehrman<\/a> writes, \u201cAnyone else who claimed to be king was usurping Roman prerogatives and was seen as a threat, or if not a threat, at least a public nuisance. &nbsp;Romans had ways of dealing with lower-class peasants who were troublemakers and public nuisances.\u201d This claim was a political crime, a form of sedition against Rome, for which the punishment would always be crucifixion.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Rome didn\u2019t care about Jewish conceptions of blasphemy or conflicts between different Jewish groups. They only cared about threats to Roman rule.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>The Jews, however defined, didn\u2019t kill Jesus. The Romans did<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">For millennia, Jews have been mistreated by Christians who believed they were justified in their behavior since \u201cthe Bible said that the Jews killed Jesus.\u201d Despite the obvious horrors this interpretation caused, accurate readings of biblical texts rule that possibility out.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Ioudaioi, the Greek term usually translated as \u201cJews,\u201d could also mean residents or natives of the region of Judea in southern Palestine. However, it\u2019s clear that, in the Gospels, there are plenty of negative references to Ioudaioi that need explanation.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The Gospel of Mark characterizes the Jews as those who care more about the outward purity while Jesus and his followers prioritize inward, moral purity. In Matthew, a crowd of Jews scream for Jesus\u2019 death while voluntarily taking responsibility for it. This line has caused more antisemitic reactions than any other in the Bible. In John, meanwhile, the Jews persecute Jesus and plot to kill him. But there is more here than meets the eye.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It&#8217;s clear to most scholars that most of the references to \u201cthe Jews\u201d in these writings refer only to the Jewish religious leaders. Translating every reference as \u201cthe Jews\u201d is also nonsensical in some passages, such as when a crowd of Jews is afraid of \u201cthe Jews.\u201d This is not to negate the centuries of suffering perpetrated upon Jews by misinterpretations of the texts.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Finally, it\u2019s clear, both from the method of execution and the political charge, that Jesus was killed by the Romans. Although he never says it explicitly in the Gospels, he probably did call himself \u201cKing of the Jews,\u201d a title which smacked of sedition to Rome, and likely brought the force of the occupying Roman powers down on his head.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Did the Jews kill Jesus? No. Jesus was definitely killed by the Romans.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE of the Historical Jesus!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Think you know the Jesus of the Bible?&nbsp; Uncover the historical figure behind the texts!<\/p>\n<p>__CONFIG_colors_palette__{&#8220;active_palette&#8221;:0,&#8221;config&#8221;:{&#8220;colors&#8221;:{&#8220;10c55&#8221;:{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Main Accent&#8221;,&#8221;parent&#8221;:-1}},&#8221;gradients&#8221;:[]},&#8221;palettes&#8221;:[{&#8220;name&#8221;:&#8221;Default&#8221;,&#8221;value&#8221;:{&#8220;colors&#8221;:{&#8220;10c55&#8221;:{&#8220;val&#8221;:&#8221;rgb(255, 133, 34)&#8221;}},&#8221;gradients&#8221;:[]},&#8221;original&#8221;:{&#8220;colors&#8221;:{&#8220;10c55&#8221;:{&#8220;val&#8221;:&#8221;rgb(19, 114, 211)&#8221;,&#8221;hsl&#8221;:{&#8220;h&#8221;:210,&#8221;s&#8221;:0.83,&#8221;l&#8221;:0.45,&#8221;a&#8221;:1}}},&#8221;gradients&#8221;:[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__ <a href=\"#cb23c204d6\" style=\"\"><span>    <\/span> <span><span style=\"\"><strong>sTART QUIZ<\/strong><\/span><\/span> <\/a> <\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>It&#8217;s free!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did the Jews Kill (or Hate) Jesus? Learn the Truth! Written by Joshua Schachterle, Ph.D Author | &nbsp;Professor | Scholar Author | &nbsp;Professor | BE Contributor Verified! &nbsp;See our editorial guidelines Verified! &nbsp;See our guidelines Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":20160,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"<div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8de1\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv-button thrv-button-v2 tcb-local-vars-root\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e39\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"thrive-colors-palette-config\" style=\"display: none !important\">__CONFIG_colors_palette__{\"active_palette\":0,\"config\":{\"colors\":{\"62516\":{\"name\":\"Main Accent\",\"parent\":-1}},\"gradients\":[]},\"palettes\":[{\"name\":\"Default Palette\",\"value\":{\"colors\":{\"62516\":{\"val\":\"var(--tcb-skin-color-0)\"}},\"gradients\":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__<\/div>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/category\/historical-jesus\/\" class=\"tcb-button-link tcb-plain-text\" style=\"\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t<span class=\"tcb-button-texts\"><span class=\"tcb-button-text thrv-inline-text\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e42\">Historical Jesus<\/span><\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" id=\"article-title\"><h2 class=\"fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" data-fontsize=\"42\" data-lineheight=\"58.8px\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e53\" style=\"\">Did the Jews Kill (or Hate) Jesus? Learn the Truth!<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_symbol thrive-shortcode thrv_symbol_17826\" data-shortcode=\"thrive_symbol\" data-id=\"17826\" data-selector=\".thrv_symbol_17826\"><div class=\"thrive-shortcode-config\" style=\"display: none !important\">__CONFIG_post_symbol__{\"id\":\"17826\"}__CONFIG_post_symbol__<\/div><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e67\">Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. - Dr. Bart D. Ehrman<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e76\">\t<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Did the Jews kill Jesus? Few questions in Christian history have been as fraught with misunderstanding \u2014 and as devastating in their consequences \u2014 as that accusation<\/strong>. For centuries, this claim has fueled antisemitism, violence, and deep divisions between Christianity and Judaism. But does the New Testament discuss a Jewish deicide? If so, was it the murder of God? Who were \u201cthe Jews\u201d in the Gospel narratives, and how should we understand that term today? The answer lies not just in theology or tradition, but in language, context, and history.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">In this article, I\u2019ll explore what the Gospels really meant when they referred to the Jews, how these texts have been interpreted (and misinterpreted), and, ultimately, who was truly responsible for Jesus\u2019 death.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">The deicide definition from <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/42Y4tKs\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\">Merriam-Webster<\/a> is an event that kills a divine being or symbolic substitute of that being. However, even that descriptor is complicated since individuals and groups attribute different characteristics to Jesus depending on if they view him as a divine being, merely a historical figure, or neither.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">(<em>Affiliate Disclaimer: We may earn commissions on products you purchase through this page at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting our site!<\/em>)<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e83\" data-type=\"\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image tcb-moved-image wp-image-20160\" alt=\"Did the Jews kill Jesus\" data-id=\"20160\" width=\"697\" data-init-width=\"1920\" height=\"290\" data-init-height=\"800\" title=\"Did the jews kill jesus\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/did-the-jews-kill-jesus.png\" data-width=\"697\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1920 \/ 800;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8e92\" data-height=\"290\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><h2 class=\"fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" data-fontsize=\"42\" data-lineheight=\"58.8px\">Etymology: Who Are \u201cthe Jews\u201d in the Gospels?<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">The Greek word translated into English as \u201cJews\u201d in the New Testament is Ioudaioi. The problem with translating this word properly is that there are two distinct possibilities. For example, while \u201cJews\u201d is one overarching option, the word technically meant \u201ca person who resides in or is from the region of Judea,\u201d the region in Palestine where Jerusalem was located. This would mean, of course, that Jesus \u2014 who came from the region of Galilee \u2014 might not have been classified as one of the Ioudaioi, but rather as a Galilean (Greek: Galilaios).<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>However,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bibleodyssey.org\/articles\/jew-judean-word-study\/\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf58b877\" target=\"_blank\"> Adele Reinhartz<\/a> points out that the issue of whether to translate Ioudaioi as \u201cJews\u201d or \u201cJudeans\u201d is quite complicated<\/strong>. She notes that some scholars prefer \u201cJudeans\u201d because translating the word as \u201cJews\u201d can fuel anti-Jewish biases. On the other hand, we have ancient references to some people called Ioudaioi who had no direct association with Judea, thus signaling a group identity outside of regionalism. Reinhartz finally concludes that<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ea4\" style=\"\" data-ct-name=\"Styled Box 08\" data-ct=\"stylebox-76181\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\" data-form-settings=\"__TCB_FORM__{&quot;form_identifier&quot;:&quot;clone-of-how-many-apostles-did-jesus-have-hint-more-than-12-form-6824ae&quot;}__TCB_FORM__\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8eb3\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ec8\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ed5\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ee5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ef4\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tcb-highlight-added\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f07\" style=\"\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f12\">While the repetition of \u201cJews\u201d in the Gospel of John runs the risk of encouraging anti-Judaism, eliminating the word \u201cJews\u201d from the New Testament makes it difficult to address the history of Christian anti-Judaism and the history of the Jewish people themselves.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f20\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f34\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f46\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f58\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f65\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image wp-image-12425\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f79\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f20\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f81\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f93\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fa4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fb3\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image tcb-moved-image wp-image-12424\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fc0\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\">\t<p dir=\"ltr\">For this reason, most scholars and Bible translations still translate the word as \u201cJews.\u201d<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">While there are certainly some positive references to the Ioudaioi &nbsp;in the New Testament \u2014 see John 4:22, for instance, where Jesus says salvation originates with them \u2014 there are an overwhelming number of negative allusions to them as well. Let\u2019s look at some of these examples.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><h2 class=\"\">References to the Jews in the New Testament<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">In the Gospel of Mark, there is really only one explicit reference to \u201cthe Jews\u201d (if we leave out the multiple times Jesus is accused of saying he was \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/inri-meaning\/\" target=\"_blank\">King of the Jews<\/a>\u201d). It appears in Mark 7:3, in which the Pharisees reproach Jesus\u2019 disciples for eating without washing their hands for the purpose of ritual purity. The author then explains that \u201cthe Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders\u2026\u201d<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">This is a mildly negative reference, since Jesus\u2019 next words scold the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/pharisees\/\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\"> Pharisees<\/a> for caring more about outward purity than inward purification. Finally in Mark 15, we see that Jesus, having been arrested by the Jewish leaders known as the Sanhedrin, is handed over to Pilate to be killed.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">However, it\u2019s in Matthew\u2019s Gospel that we begin to see the most damaging portraits of \u201cthe Jews.\u201d This is odd, in a way, since Matthew is generally considered the most Jewish of the four Gospels.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Like Mark, Matthew\u2019s explicit use of the word Ioudaioi is basically limited to the charge \u201cKing of the Jews\u201d which accusers say Jesus has claimed for himself. However, in a scene just before his crucifixion, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, about to hand Jesus over to be crucified, washes his hands, symbolically claiming to be innocent of Jesus\u2019 blood. The crowd, who in Jerusalem must have been mostly Jews, says \u201cHis blood be on us and on our children!\u201d This line has been used for centuries to justify all forms of antisemitism. Not only do the Jewish leaders hand Jesus over in Matthew, but even the Jewish laypeople demand his blood.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Even worse are the references to the Jews in the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/gospel-of-john\/\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\"> Gospel of John<\/a>. We see them persecuting Jesus in 5:16 and plotting to kill him in 5:18. In 8:44, Jesus describes them as the children of the devil, while in John 7:12-14, we see that the people (who, again, are predominantly Jewish themselves) are afraid of the Jews:<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a2e\" style=\"\" data-ct-name=\"Styled Box 08\" data-ct=\"stylebox-76181\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\" data-form-settings=\"__TCB_FORM__{&quot;form_identifier&quot;:&quot;josephus-form-pbavwm&quot;}__TCB_FORM__\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a2f\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a30\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a32\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a31\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a33\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tcb-highlight-added\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a42\" style=\"\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a47\">And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, \u201cHe is a good man,\u201d others were saying, \u201cNo, he is deceiving the crowd.\u201d Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a37\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a3c\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a36\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a3a\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a38\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image wp-image-12425\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a39\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a37\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a3b\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a40\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a3d\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a3e\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image tcb-moved-image wp-image-12424\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-196cf5b6a3f\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">As in the other Gospels, Pilate is reluctant to kill Jesus in John, but when the Jews insist on his execution, Pilate acquiesces.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/pontius-pilate\/\"> I\u2019ve written before<\/a> about how unlikely this scenario is, based on our knowledge of the ruthlessness of Pilate and how little he cared about Jewish opinions, despite what the Gospel of John says.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Since the authors of Matthew and John (and possibly the author of Mark) were Jews themselves, what is going on here?<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_symbol thrive-shortcode thrv_symbol_4835\" data-shortcode=\"thrive_symbol\" data-id=\"4835\" data-selector=\".thrv_symbol_4835\"><div class=\"thrive-shortcode-config\" style=\"display: none !important\">__CONFIG_post_symbol__{\"id\":\"4835\"}__CONFIG_post_symbol__<\/div><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><h2 class=\"\">The Intended Meaning of Ioudaioi<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">In<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3SCFE0q\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> The Jews and the World in the Fourth Gospel: Parallelism, Function, and Context<\/a>, <strong>Lars Kierspel notes that the scholarly consensus is that all the references to \u201cthe Jews\u201d in the Gospels refer only to the Jewish religious leaders<\/strong>. Furthermore, in<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/42W5JxC\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> The Gospel and Letters of John<\/a>, Alan Culpepper notes that in some cases, translating Ioudaioi merely as \u201cthe Jews,\u201d indicating all Jews, doesn\u2019t entirely make sense:<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ea4\" style=\"\" data-ct-name=\"Styled Box 08\" data-ct=\"stylebox-76181\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\" data-form-settings=\"__TCB_FORM__{&quot;form_identifier&quot;:&quot;clone-of-how-many-apostles-did-jesus-have-hint-more-than-12-form-6824ae&quot;}__TCB_FORM__\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8eb3\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ec8\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ed5\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ee5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ef4\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tcb-highlight-added\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f07\" style=\"\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f12\">There are places in John where the term can hardly mean \"the Jews.\" For example, although the crowd in Jerusalem at the Festival of Booths must have been predominantly Jewish [in John 7:12-14], they still fear the Ioudaioi. By translating hoi Ioudaioi as \"the Jews\" in this context, the NRSV and other translations produce a reading that makes little sense... Here it is clear that hoi Ioudaioi refers to a much more limited group opposed to Jesus, either certain Judean Jews or the religious authorities.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f20\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f34\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f46\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f58\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f65\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image wp-image-12425\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f79\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f20\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f81\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f93\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fa4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fb3\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image tcb-moved-image wp-image-12424\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fc0\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\">\t<p dir=\"ltr\">As for the disturbing line in Matthew attributing guilt collectively to the Jews for Jesus\u2019 death, there was something else going on there (this is not to deny the horrible effects of the misinterpretation of that line throughout history). In the<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/457DEEY\" class=\"\" style=\"outline: none;\" target=\"_blank\"> Jewish Annotated New Testament<\/a>, Aaron Gale writes that since the author of Matthew was writing years after the destruction of the Temple and the devastation of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE, he was likely indicating that this destruction was a punishment for the Jewish people\u2019s later refusal to accept that Jesus was the Messiah.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Now that we\u2019ve looked at the literary aspects of whether the Jews killed Jesus, let\u2019s look at the historical aspect. Was Jesus hated by the Jews, and if so, were they responsible for his death?<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><h2 class=\"\">Did the Jews Hate Jesus?<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">Having clarified the meanings of Ioudaioi (Jews, residents of Judea, or Jewish religious leaders) in the Gospels, can we answer the question of whether the Jews hated Jesus during his lifetime? If we follow the Gospel narratives here, it seems there was a mixed reaction.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">When it comes to the Pharisees and other religious leaders, we definitely see examples of hatred for Jesus in the Gospels, to the point of wanting to kill him (see John 11:53, for example). However, crowds of Jewish people seem to have loved Jesus. When he entered Jerusalem, for instance, Matthew 21:9 &nbsp;says he received a king\u2019s reception:<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ea4\" style=\"\" data-ct-name=\"Styled Box 08\" data-ct=\"stylebox-76181\" data-element-name=\"Styled Box\" data-form-settings=\"__TCB_FORM__{&quot;form_identifier&quot;:&quot;clone-of-how-many-apostles-did-jesus-have-hint-more-than-12-form-6824ae&quot;}__TCB_FORM__\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8eb3\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ec8\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ed5\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ee5\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8ef4\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element tcb-highlight-added\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f07\" style=\"\"><p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f12\">The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, \u201cHosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!\u201d<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f20\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f34\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f46\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f58\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f65\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image wp-image-12425\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12425\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-down.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f79\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"tcb-clear\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f20\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_contentbox_shortcode thrv-content-box tve-elem-default-pad\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f81\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"tve-content-box-background\" style=\"\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8f93\"><\/div>\n\t<div class=\"tve-cb\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fa4\" style=\"\"><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fb3\" style=\"\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image tcb-moved-image wp-image-12424\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"12424\" width=\"32\" data-init-width=\"128\" height=\"32\" data-init-height=\"128\" title=\"quote up\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/quote-up.png\" data-width=\"32\" data-height=\"32\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 128 \/ 128;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fc0\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\">\t<p dir=\"ltr\">Moreover, in Mark 2:1-12, it\u2019s clear that huge crowds followed him adoringly, both to be healed and to hear his message. <strong>The question of whether ALL Jews hated Jesus is overly broad, and the answer is clearly no<\/strong>. So, did the Jews kill Jesus?<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper tve_image_caption\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fd0\"><span class=\"tve_image_frame\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"tve_image tcb-moved-image wp-image-20159\" alt=\"Deicide definition\" data-id=\"20159\" width=\"697\" data-init-width=\"1920\" height=\"290\" data-init-height=\"800\" title=\"Deicide definition\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/deicide-definition.png\" data-width=\"697\" data-height=\"290\" style=\"aspect-ratio: auto 1920 \/ 800;\" data-css=\"tve-u-6824ae3e2f8fe9\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/span><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><h2 class=\"\">Who Killed Jesus and Why?<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">Why was Jesus killed? Many people throughout Christian history have tried to answer this question. Was he executed because he committed blasphemy, offending the Jewish leaders? Was he killed because he created a ruckus in the Temple? What was the real reason he was hung on a cross?<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">First, who, in Jesus\u2019 time, regularly used crucifixion as a method of capital punishment?<a href=\"https:\/\/referenceworks.brill.com\/display\/entries\/EECO\/SIM-00000808.xml\"> John Granger Cook<\/a> notes that while the Persians and Carthaginians did, the people best known for it in the ancient world were the Romans. For this reason,<a href=\"https:\/\/jewishencyclopedia.com\/articles\/4782-crucifixion\"> Kaufman Kohler and Emil Hirsch<\/a> write that &nbsp;\u201cThe mode and manner of Jesus' death undoubtedly point to Roman customs and laws as the directive power.\u201d So did the Romans kill Jesus?<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Furthermore, Kohler and Hirsch note that \u201cAmong the modes of capital punishment known to the Jewish penal law, crucifixion is not found.\u201d In other words, the only possible answer for who crucified Jesus was the Romans, not the Jews.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">However, this leaves us the question of why the Romans would have executed Jesus. Why would they have considered him dangerous enough to kill?<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">In all four Gospels, the charge put on the cross over Jesus\u2019 head to indicate his crime says one thing: \u201cKing of the Jews.\u201d What this likely means is that Jesus had indeed claimed to be the true King of the Jews. As<a href=\"https:\/\/ehrmanblog.org\/why-was-jesus-crucified\/\"> Bart Ehrman<\/a> writes, \u201cAnyone else who claimed to be king was usurping Roman prerogatives and was seen as a threat, or if not a threat, at least a public nuisance. &nbsp;Romans had ways of dealing with lower-class peasants who were troublemakers and public nuisances.\u201d This claim was a political crime, a form of sedition against Rome, for which the punishment would always be crucifixion.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Rome didn\u2019t care about Jewish conceptions of blasphemy or conflicts between different Jewish groups. They only cared about threats to Roman rule.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>The Jews, however defined, didn\u2019t kill Jesus. The Romans did<\/strong>.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><h2 class=\"\">Conclusion<\/h2><\/div><div class=\"thrv_wrapper thrv_text_element\"><p dir=\"ltr\">For millennia, Jews have been mistreated by Christians who believed they were justified in their behavior since \u201cthe Bible said that the Jews killed Jesus.\u201d Despite the obvious horrors this interpretation caused, accurate readings of biblical texts rule that possibility out.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Ioudaioi, the Greek term usually translated as \u201cJews,\u201d could also mean residents or natives of the region of Judea in southern Palestine. However, it\u2019s clear that, in the Gospels, there are plenty of negative references to Ioudaioi that need explanation.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">The Gospel of Mark characterizes the Jews as those who care more about the outward purity while Jesus and his followers prioritize inward, moral purity. In Matthew, a crowd of Jews scream for Jesus\u2019 death while voluntarily taking responsibility for it. This line has caused more antisemitic reactions than any other in the Bible. In John, meanwhile, the Jews persecute Jesus and plot to kill him. But there is more here than meets the eye.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">It's clear to most scholars that most of the references to \u201cthe Jews\u201d in these writings refer only to the Jewish religious leaders. Translating every reference as \u201cthe Jews\u201d is also nonsensical in some passages, such as when a crowd of Jews is afraid of \u201cthe Jews.\u201d This is not to negate the centuries of suffering perpetrated upon Jews by misinterpretations of the texts.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Finally, it\u2019s clear, both from the method of execution and the political charge, that Jesus was killed by the Romans. Although he never says it explicitly in the Gospels, he probably did call himself \u201cKing of the Jews,\u201d a title which smacked of sedition to Rome, and likely brought the force of the occupying Roman powers down on his head.<\/p><p dir=\"ltr\">Did the Jews kill Jesus? 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