insight
FOR MANY IN JESUS ’ TIME THE ROLE
OF A MESSIAH WAS TO DELIVER THEM
FROM ROMAN RULE .
“ messiah ” – God ’ s anointed ones . A high priest or prophet could also be called that .
In Jesus ’ time , many were expecting a messiah who would descend from King David and deliver them from the Roman rule .
Jesus wasn ’ t the first candidate for that messiah . Judas of Galilee , for example , was a Jewish leader who led resistance to the census imposed for Roman tax purposes by Quirinius in Judaea Province around 6 AD .
It seems that the messiahs were expected to resist the Roman tax regime ; that is why the Pharisees asked Jesus whether it was right to pay the Roman taxes .
Simon son of Joseph rebelled against the Romans and was killed in 4 BC . According to Josephus , the Jewish historian : “ There was also Simon , who had been a slave of king Herod , but in other respects a comely person , of a tall and robust body ; he was one that was much superior to others of his order , and had had great things committed to his care . This man was elevated at the disorderly state of things , and was so bold as to put a diadem on his head , while a certain number of the people stood by him , and by them he was declared to be a king , and he thought himself more worthy of that dignity than anyone else .”
“ He burnt down the royal palace at Jericho , and plundered what was left in it . He also set fire to many other of the king ’ s houses in several places of the country , utterly destroyed them , and permitted those that were with him to take what was left in them for a prey . He would have done greater things , but care was taken to repress him immediately . [ The commander of Herod ’ s infantry ] Gratus joined himself to some Roman soldiers , took the forces he had with him , and met Simon . And after a great and a long fight , no small part of those that had come from Peraea ( a disordered body of men , fighting rather in a bold than in a skilful manner ) were destroyed . Although Simon had saved himself by flying away through a certain valley , Gratus overtook him , and cut off his head .”
The slaughter of the babies in Bethlehem by Herod the Great around the same time , reported in the Gospels , must be seen in this context . After the death of Herod the Great , the region was divided into four kingdoms . Claiming the title “ the king of the Jews ” seemed still contentious at the time of Jesus ’ crucifixion . The Gospel of John says that Pilate wrote “ Jesus the Nazarene , King of the Judeans ” as a sign to be affixed to the cross of Jesus .
Ruins of Pontius Pilate ’ s residence in ancient Caeseria
John 19:21 tells that the Jews told Pilate : “ Do not write King of the Jews ” but instead write that Jesus had merely claimed that title . Pilate responded : “ What I have written , I have written .” This was clearly a message to the Jews that any uprising would meet a similar fate .
8 Revival Times April 2017