"His blood be on us and on our children" AP March 2: Pope Benedict XVI delivers his blessing during a general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall at the Vatican.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.That Benedict is a theologian makes "this statement from the Holy See that much more significant for now and for future generations," said Anti-Defamation League national director, Abraham H. Foxman.Foxman in a statement hailed Benedict for rejecting "the previous teachings and perversions that have helped to foster and reinforce anti-Semitism through the centuries."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.The Vatican's publishers provided a few excerpts Wednesday.In the book, Benedict re-enacts Jesus' final hours, including his death sentence for blasphemy, then analyzes each Gospel account to explain why Jews as a whole cannot be blamed for it. Rather, Benedict concludes, it was the "Temple aristocracy" and a few supporters of the figure Barabbas who were responsible."How could the whole people have been present at this moment to clamor for Jesus' death?" Benedict asks.He deconstructs one particular biblical account which has the crowd saying, "His blood be on us and on our children" -- a phrase frequently cited as evidence of the collective guilt Jews bore and the curse that they carried as a result.The phrase, from the Gospel of Matthew, has been so incendiary that director Mel Gibson was reportedly forced to drop it from the subtitles of his 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ," although it remained in the spoken Aramaic.But Benedict said Jesus' death wasn't about punishment, but rather salvation. Jesus' blood, he said, "does not cry out for vengeance and punishment, it brings reconciliation. It is not poured out against anyone, it is poured out for many, for all."Benedict, who was forced to join the Hitler Youth as a child in Nazi Germany, has made improving relations with Jews a priority of his pontificate. He has visited the Auschwitz Nazi death camp in Poland and Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.But he also has had a few missteps that have drawn the ire of Jewish groups, most notably when in 2009 he lifted the excommunication of a traditionalist Catholic bishop who had denied the extent of the Holocaust by saying no Jews were gassed during World War II.Benedict has said that had he known Bishop Richard Williamson's views about Jews he never would have lifted the excommunication, which was imposed in 1988 because Williamson was consecrated without papal consent. Williamson is a member of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X, which has rejected many Vatican II teachings, including the outreach to Jews contained in Nostra Aetate.
Separately, Jewish groups have been outraged that Benedict is moving Pope Pius XII closer to beatification, the first main hurdle to possible sainthood. Some Jews and historians have argued the World War II-era pope should have done more to prevent the Holocaust.The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit who writes frequently about spirituality, said the pope's new book was a "ringing reaffirmation" of Nostra Aetate, which was passed during the Second Vatican Council, with the pope putting his "personal stamp on it in a way that's irrefutable."
"A Vatican Council is the highest teaching authority of the church," Martin said. "Now that you have the pope's reflections underlining it, I don't know how much more authoritative you can get."Rabbi David Rosen, head of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee and a leader of Vatican-Jewish dialogue, said the pope's book may make a bigger, more lasting mark than Nostra Aetate because the faithful tend to read Scripture and commentary more than church documents, particularly old church documents.
Pope via catholicchampion.blogspot.com "It may be an obvious thing for Jews to present texts with commentaries, but normally with church magisterium, they present a document," he said. "This is a pedagogical tool that he's providing, so people will be able to interpret the text in keeping with orthodox Vatican teaching."Foxman put it another way, saying the pontiff's book translates Nostra Aetate "down to the pews."
via foxnews.com
Next week he will meet with Palestinians again and give sainthood to a former pope who was complicit with the Holocaust again. Rome is all politics.At his trial before Pilate, Jesus is confronted with a Jewish mob bent on seeing him killed (Matt. 27:20-25). The Roman governor capitulates, washing his hands and saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood." Then, "all the people answered, `His blood be on us and on our children!'"
As history, this happens to be implausible. The first-century historian Josephus makes clear in his account of the period that Pilate was a brutal tyrant unconcerned with mollifying the Jews on any point.
As Jewish theology, however, it's more creditable. Far from being a Christian invention to blacken the reputation of the Jews in future generations, the verse's whole idea of collective guilt is actually Jewish. This is unsurprising coming from Matthew, the most Jewish of the gospel writers.
From Genesis on, we find instance after instance of fathers changing the destiny of their descendants. When Adam and Eve sinned, God told Adam, "By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread." As for Eve, "I will great increase your suffering and your childbearing; in pain shall you bear children" (Gen. 3:16-19). Every time a man trudges off to the office for another grueling day, every time a woman groans in labor, it is the legacy of our earliest ancestors.
via beliefnet.com image via websters-dictionary-online.com and via copiosa.org
Matthew-26:57-68 26:57: Those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 26:58: But Peter followed him from a distance, to the court of the high priest, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end. 26:59: Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death; 26:60: and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward, 26:61: and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'" 26:62: The high priest stood up, and said to him, "Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?" 26:63: But Jesus held his peace. The high priest answered him, "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." 26:64: Jesus said to him, "You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, henceforth you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky." 26:65: Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. 26:66: What do you think?" They answered, "He is worthy of death!" 26:67: Then they spit in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him, 26:68: saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?"
Matthew 27:11-14 27:11: Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "So you say." 27:12: When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 27:13: Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many things they testify against you?" 27:14: He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. Matthew 27:19 27:19: While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:22-25 27:22: Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let him be crucified!" 27:23: But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let him be crucified!" 27:24: So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it." 27:25: All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children!" Matthew 27:26 27:26: Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified. Matthew 27:27-31 27:27: Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 27:28: They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. 27:29: They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 27:30: They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 27:31: When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:32 27:32: As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. Luke 23:33-34 23:33: When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 23:34: Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. Luke 23:39-43 23:39: One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!" 23:40: But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 23:41: And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." 23:42: He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 23:43: Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Mark-15-29 15:29: Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, 15:30: save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 15:31: Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others. He can't save himself. 15:32: Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.{TR omits "him"}" Those who were crucified with him insulted him. Mark-15:33-41 15:33: When the sixth hour{or, noon} had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.{3:00 PM} 15:34: At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 15:35: Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah." 15:36: One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to take him down." 15:37: Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. 15:38: The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. 15:39: When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" 15:40: There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; 15:41: who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. Mark-15:42-47 15:42: When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 15:43: Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for the Kingdom of God, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body. 15:44: Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long. 15:45: When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 15:46: He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 15:47: Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid. Mark-16:1-20 16:1: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2: Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 16:3: They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" 16:4: for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. 16:5: Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. 16:6: He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! 16:7: But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.'" 16:8: They went out,{TR adds "quickly"} and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid. 16:9: Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 16:10: She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 16:11: When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. 16:12: After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. 16:13: They went away and told it to the rest. They didn't believe them, either. 16:14: Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 16:15: He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16:16: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 16:17: These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; 16:18: they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." 16:19: So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 16:20: They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.
Matthew-26:57-68 26:57: Those who had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 26:58: But Peter followed him from a distance, to the court of the high priest, and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end. 26:59: Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death; 26:60: and they found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward, 26:61: and said, "This man said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.'" 26:62: The high priest stood up, and said to him, "Have you no answer? What is this that these testify against you?" 26:63: But Jesus held his peace. The high priest answered him, "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." 26:64: Jesus said to him, "You have said it. Nevertheless, I tell you, henceforth you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of the sky." 26:65: Then the high priest tore his clothing, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. 26:66: What do you think?" They answered, "He is worthy of death!" 26:67: Then they spit in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him, 26:68: saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who hit you?"
Matthew 27:11-14 27:11: Now Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "So you say." 27:12: When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 27:13: Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many things they testify against you?" 27:14: He gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. Matthew 27:19 27:19: While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:22-25 27:22: Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do to Jesus, who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let him be crucified!" 27:23: But the governor said, "Why? What evil has he done?" But they cried out exceedingly, saying, "Let him be crucified!" 27:24: So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it." 27:25: All the people answered, "May his blood be on us, and on our children!" Matthew 27:26 27:26: Then he released to them Barabbas, but Jesus he flogged and delivered to be crucified. Matthew 27:27-31 27:27: Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and gathered the whole garrison together against him. 27:28: They stripped him, and put a scarlet robe on him. 27:29: They braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 27:30: They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 27:31: When they had mocked him, they took the robe off of him, and put his clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:32 27:32: As they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and they compelled him to go with them, that he might carry his cross. Luke 23:33-34 23:33: When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 23:34: Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. Luke 23:39-43 23:39: One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!" 23:40: But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 23:41: And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." 23:42: He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 23:43: Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise." Mark-15-29 15:29: Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, "Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, 15:30: save yourself, and come down from the cross!" 15:31: Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, "He saved others. He can't save himself. 15:32: Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.{TR omits "him"}" Those who were crucified with him insulted him. Mark-15:33-41 15:33: When the sixth hour{or, noon} had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.{3:00 PM} 15:34: At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 15:35: Some of those who stood by, when they heard it, said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah." 15:36: One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Let him be. Let's see whether Elijah comes to take him down." 15:37: Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit. 15:38: The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. 15:39: When the centurion, who stood by opposite him, saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" 15:40: There were also women watching from afar, among whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; 15:41: who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and served him; and many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem. Mark-15:42-47 15:42: When evening had now come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 15:43: Joseph of Arimathaea, a prominent council member who also himself was looking for the Kingdom of God, came. He boldly went in to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body. 15:44: Pilate marveled if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead long. 15:45: When he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 15:46: He bought a linen cloth, and taking him down, wound him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock. He rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. 15:47: Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid. Mark-16:1-20 16:1: When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 16:2: Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 16:3: They were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" 16:4: for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back. 16:5: Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed. 16:6: He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him! 16:7: But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.'" 16:8: They went out,{TR adds "quickly"} and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come on them. They said nothing to anyone; for they were afraid. 16:9: Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 16:10: She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 16:11: When they heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. 16:12: After these things he was revealed in another form to two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. 16:13: They went away and told it to the rest. They didn't believe them, either. 16:14: Afterward he was revealed to the eleven themselves as they sat at the table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they didn't believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 16:15: He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16:16: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned. 16:17: These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages; 16:18: they will take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will in no way hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." 16:19: So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 16:20: They went out, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. 
