Trial of Jesus by Romans: Expose of a Libel

of David and Mary, who was Published by Bloch Publishing CO.,
Jews, not Pilate, were responsible
Jewish leaders in such circum-
Continued from Page 1
truly born, both ate and drank, 31 W. 31st St., New York. Re-
for his crucifixion. When the
stances and political conditions
before Pilate as a political offend-
was truly persecuted under Pon- printed with the permission of the
Christians strove to exonerate the
had to act as informers against
er againk the Roman state.
tius Pilate." Likewise Tacitus, author and the publisher. The con-
Romans from this guilt, they
the dissenters and revolution-
Pilate, according to the Gospels.
the pagan historian, confirmed densation was done by Ruth L.
placed the responsibility upon the
aries among their brethren in
sought to take advantage of the
Cassel, former Jewish News city
the fact that Pilate put Jesus to
Jews. And hence, the entire story
order to save their own lives.
custom prevalent in Judea of re-
death. editor.)
was inserted as if put into the
The Gospel according to Mat-
leasing a prisoner for the Passover
tCota•right, 1964, by Bloch
The Jewish people did not
mouth of the Jews. "His blood be
thew tells us that, when Pilate
Publishing Co.)
festival. He asked the Jews
crucify Jesus.
upon us and our children." If any-
condemned Jesus, he washed his
whether they wanted Barabbas to
Next
Week:
The concluding
This
charge
was
conceived
in
one
had
the
right
to
wash
his
hands as a symbol of his inno-
be released or Jesus. Barabbas. ac-
chapters of Prof. Zeitlin's trea-
a later period, and was intro-
hands when Pilate crucified Jesus,
cence and said, "I am innocent
•ording to Mark, had been im-
duced into the records of the tise. Some of the events which
certainly the Jewish people had
of the blood of this just person."
prisoned for participating in a
past. Hence, this accusation
followed Jesus' death and led
that right. for they were blame-
Washing the hands as a symbol
revolt. He was a political offender.
against the Jews, so fraught
less of the death of Jesus.
to the development of Chris-
of innocence was not known to
Under pressure of the high priest.
with misery, suffering and death,
The Apostolic fathers never
the Romans. It was practiced
tianity as a major world re-
the people asked for the freedom
is a tragic lie, evilly wrought on
accused the Jews of the cruci-
among the ancient Jews. It is
ligion. The trials of Peter,
of Barabbas.
an innocent people.
fixion. of Jesus. In their polemics
paradoxical that Pilate. whom
Stephen and Paul. How his-
The apprehension of the high
and
against Judaism — which are j The Synoptic Gospels, Peter
Philo pictures as one of the most
tory could serve as the world's
priests was Very strong. They were
many — they never once used Paul, and the Apostolic Fathers—
cruel persons, who murdered
fearful that Pilate was scheming
this accusation. What the Apos- in a word, the founders of Christ- greatest teacher—if the world
even innocent people without
to involve them as accomplices of
tolic fathers did charge the ianity and the creators of the would but accept its lessons.
any trial, became of a sudden a
Jesus in his claim to be the King
Jews with was their delivering Church—have never accused the
man of scruples and of con-
of the Jews.
Jesus to Pilate. The Apostolic Jewish people of the death of Hebrew Corner.
science and did not want to put
Not all the Jews who were
Father Ignatius, in his Epistle Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus to death.
present at the trial were anxious
(Condensed from "Who Cruci-
These verses. undoubtedly. are to the Trallians, said, "Who
that Jesus be condemned and
a later addition. to show that the • (Jesus Christ) was of the family , fied Jesus?" by Solomon Zeitlin.
put to death. When Jesus was
led to be crucified. Luke tells
The excavations at NIassada—the
est archaeological operation ever uer-
us. "There followed him a great
taken in Israel—have ended. At themery
company of people and of
beginning of the work, the excavators
women which also bewailed and
succeeded in unearthing a shard . .. "to
Unearth a shard" is an ancient Hebrew
lamented him." Many Jews were
expression meaning to find nothing of
sorely distressed on seeing Jesus
importance; not to succeed. But
ogists have of course a different opinion
led to death.
from ordinary folk about shards.
Pilate. John relates. came out a
On the southern side of Nlassada, in a
as
a
serious
breach
of
Prime
'
ter
had
been
sufficiently
aired
and
.
stentions
JERUSALEM (JTA) —
little cave. 15 skeletons were unearthed
number of times from the judg-
Cabinet
de-
coalition
responsibility
and
a
and
near them some fragments of cloth-
a
that
the
validity
of
seen
was
Eshkol
ment hall to argue with the Jews Minister Levi
ing. Professor Yigal Yadin believes that
cision stands as long as no changes step which weakened his position
these bodies are of 15 of the 1,960 fight-
and to tell them that he did not here as facing the need for a pos-
in relation to Mapai elements
ers who committed suicide during the
find Jesus guilty of any crime. To siblo compromise with his prede- are made in it.
Roman occupation. It ispossible
possif
we maY
supporting Ben - Gurion and op-
He added that the ratification by
succeed in finding the rest o the skele-
this, the Jews answered, "We have cessor. former Premier David Ben-
posing the alignment proposal
tons and give them Jewish burial ac-
their
disagreement
on
Israel's
Gurion.
in
parliament
of
a
commit-
a law and by our law he ought to
cording to the respect due to them.
for which Eshkol won Mapai cell-
In one of the buildings, which was ,
die because he made himself the the latter's insistence for reopen- tee's decision did not constitute '
tray committee approval recently.
ed in Herod's time for a storeroom
u sed
a
probe
into
the
case
of
Pin-
ratification
of
the
committee's
con-
inf.;
Son of God." But, there is no Jew-
f cga nd is tht7esa coi ons r onv the year
8er jE.
According to a 1962 agreement,
elusions and that the ratification
f the second year
ish law. either in the Bible or in has Lavon.
of the rebellion.
3.,
vote
by
a
Cabinet
member
in
the
nullification
of
the
conclusions
a
the Talmud. to*the effect that a
Ben-Gurion's view that a new in- or
Greater surprises awaited the members
person who claims to be the "Son quiry be made into the exonera- remains within the cabinet's juris- Knesset against the government, of the expedition at the end of the first
or abstentions from voting on such month of excavations. They found nine
of God" is liable to capital punish- tion of Lavon by a committee of diction.
documents, a fragment of tallit• some
ment,
Cabinet ministers in 1960 was
Pinhas Rosen, who as justice a bill without prior agreement is so coins, remains of cosmetic articles
dozens (literally "tens") of armoured
Jesus was condemned by Pilate. supported here during the current minister headed the 1966 minister- tantamount to resignation by the and
shiel d s. C olored murals w ere likewise
and was crucified. On his cross Cabinet's weekly meeting by Mini-
ini- ial committee, described the attor- Cabinet member so voting, as of . un ear thed . A specialist from Italy a r-
in Isr el to see to their preserva-
were inscribed the words "Jesus Ster of Justice Dov Joseph.
ney general's opinion as "one- the date when the government rived
Lion in th e future too.
announces it to the Knesset, the
The
excavators also unearthed a mys -
of Nazareth.. King of the Jews."
sided,
superficial
and
unable
to
He was said to have labeled as
I terious building with stone benches, 'all
From the penalty which Jesus suf-
, tand up to the light of criticism." announcement to be made within of them facing the direction of Jerusa-
the 1960 find-
two weeks of the voting dates. . lern. was this building a synogogue?
fered, namely crucifixion (a Ro-
ings. which found that Lavon
ings,
Earlier, Ben-Gurion t c 1 d a
This successful beginning is full of
The premier was regarded as un- promise.
man. never a Jewish, penalty), it
had not been guilty of a 1954
grow
p of younger members of
In the meantime they are be-
is clear that Jesus was put to
and
caul!
likely
to
press
the
issue
ginning
to reconstruct the palaces and
"security mishap" for which he
Mapai that he will pursue his
Soon we shall be able to see
storerooms. i ch
death for the political offense of
a
Cabinet
crisis,
but
informed
dismissed
from
the
post
of
-
was
aim of reopening an investiga
served as aunique forum
the site wh
claiming to be the King of the
for heroism. stubbornness and courage—
minister of defense, and later
tion of the Lavon affair, even if sources said the abstentions under - just
as it existed in those days.
Jews.
maned
what
slight
prospects
had
.
from his secretary - generalship of
and
Parliament
op-
Translation of Hebrew column
the Cabinet
—Translation
That the religious Sanhedrin
existed for alignment.
Published by Brit 'writ Olamit.
I
IIistadrut. He urged a new in-
pose such a move.
Jerusalem
•
had nothing to do with the trial
quiry.
Asserting that he knows that
of Jesus may be deduced from
The minister of justice based his the Cabinet will not agree to his
the fact that. though the first
1
views on an opinion by the atter- demand to reopen the Lavon case,
three Gospels—especially in the
ney general and upon a study of "and that the Knesset will follow."
controversies between the Phar-
material presented by Ben-Gurion. Ben-Gurion said: "But above and
isees and the disciples of Jesus
Members of the Cabinet oppos- beyond the Knesset, there is the
—exhibit great hostility toward
ing th? reopening of a probe into nation and the cause of justice."
the Pharisees, yet at the trial of
the Lavon affair contend that a He made it clear that he intends
Jesus the Pharisees were in no
"langerous precedent" would be to appeal to the Israeli public.
way implicated. It is obvious that
estahiished if the current Cabinet Eshkol discussed the entire issue
if Jesus had been tried by the
ignored findings adopted by a pre- with Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel's for-
religious Sanhedrin. the first
vious Cabinet as well as by Parlia- eign minister, who is • still hos-
three Gospels would not have
failed to attack the Pharisees,
ment. They also question some of pitalized following her collapse due
the factual grounds upon which to c-erwork and exhaustion. It is
since we know that the religious
;31tri s; irr tW?'?
Sanhedrin was dominated by the
Ben-Gurion bases his demands. understood that Mrs. Meir en-
. 1
n -17x
Pharisees.
The government published Tues- couraged Eshkol to continue taking
The Fourth Gospel, John, -does day the text of the motion by Jo- a firm stand against Ben-Gurion.
nr)Pt?
. 01 T $
not show any animosity toward the 'eph accompanied by a statement Eshkol was a member of the min-
Pharisees. but for another reason. that the action had been decided isterial 'group which exonerated
►
Hostility in this Gospel is directed on in view of "inexact press re- Lavon.
against the Jews as a whole. As pmts." The motion involves not
Earlier Ahdut Avodah ab-
111D11'
we have many times stated, the only the issue of responsibility for
stained in voting on opposition
Gospel according to John was
ra3 wir Titp /3'70471 1960 jinn 15 . L7tg
motions against the government
written for Gentile Christians, and the
role, but
also mishap
a deep and
split Lavon's
within Eshkol's
in Parliament and by so doing
the Gentiles had no interest
in Mapai Party over Ben-Gurion's in- I
el=71
many of
,
apparently doomed prospects for
'
the Pharisees; indeed,
sistence
on such an inquiry.
a limited alignment between it
them probably were entirely un-

The Importance
of a Shard

larg-

Ruched by Justice Minister.
Oh tlw Reopening of Pisshus Ligroin Case;
_Need Seen for Conspronsise by Eshhol. II ,-G

Bess i• Gterioss

"- IP-P17- rI4P 71

oln t7c1 in13 , rM

The government also published and Eshkol's Mapai Party.
aware of their existence. The hos-
Both motions involved the Lavon
tility toward the Jews in this Gos-
ormed te
h core o f controversy.
pel was intended to emphasize the opinion, which formed
's report to the Cabinet.
One of the motions claimed that
fact that Jesus, although by birth Joseph's
The attorney general sus- Ben-Gurion violated state security
a Jew. was not accepted by his
tion by Be n-
tame d a contention
ta
laws in his possession of informa-
people, and that the destruction
of the Temple was a punishment Gurion that there was sufficient tion which he submitted several
for their rejection of Jesus. evidence to cast doubts on the weeks ago to Justice Minister Jos-
A superficial reading of the . finding of a 1960 ministerial eph, with a request for another

story of the Passion gives the im- committee which absolved Lavon investigation of the circumstances
of responsibility for the mishap.
leading to the 1954 mishap.
pression that the Jews were res-
Ben-Gurion submitted to Joseph
In Knesset debate, Joseph said
ponsible for the crucifixion of
Jesus. As we analyzed the narra- a "white book" recently, in which Ben-Gurion's possession of the doc-

tive of the trial and crucifixion he urged reopening of the issue uments was not illegal and the
against the background of the over the objections of Premier Herut and Mapam motions for de-
bate were defeated, with Ahdut
times, however, it became evident Eshkol.
The attorney general also held abstaining. A Liberal motion to
that the Jewish people were not
ministerial committee refer the matter to the foreign af-
responsible for the death of Jesus. that the
failed to hear witnesses or to wait fairs and security committee was
The Jewish people were crush-
for completion of a police investi- defeated only by two votes with
ed under Roman tyranny. The
Roman authorities punished not gallons which were under way. He Ahdut abstaining again.
The abstention reportedly
declared that the ministerial COM-
only the individual who incited
caused much bitterness among
the people against the Romans, mittee's recommendation and ap-

Mapai leaders, including Eshkol,
but the leaders of the people as proval of those recommendations
by the cabinet as a matter of who apparently viewed the ab-
well. The Jewish leaders, we may
policy was "perfectly legitimate"
say, were held as hostages for
enough though based on "the in- THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
the submission of the Jewish
people to the Roman state. Many correct assumption" that the mat- 40 — Friday, December 11, 1964

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