Contemporary Hebrew Theology says, get your theological ducks in a row before Easter!
Somebody’s has to set the record straight and I guess that person would be me.
The conflict in the Gospels was never between Jesus and the Jews – Hello! He was a Jew. The conflict is between Jesus and the “Judean (Temple) elite.”
Jesus was simply seen as being another “Galilean:” uneducated, backwoods, small town, and hillbilly. His accent would constantly be giving him away.
The idea of a Galilean as being a “King of Judea” was a collective insult.
We know that the Judean Authorities from the top down…High Priest, Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes were collaborators with Rome.
Part of their “self-preservation” laid in their preventing “social unrest.” It was always in their best interest.

Jesus did not have to die. It was not preordained. It was not cut in stone.
God did not send Jesus to die for our sins. That is current “pedestrian theology” but it is not Biblical theology.
If you remember: God sent Jesus because he loved the world. Jesus was sent to bring good news to the poor. Jesus was sent to proclaim release to the captives. Jesus was sent for the recovery of sight by the blind. Jesus was sent to let the oppressed go free. Jesus was sent to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor – the Jubilee Year!
If God is a God of Love and forgiveness, as we say that he is God does not now and never did want death of anyone in order to forgive sins. God begins with forgiveness – unconditionally – freely, because God is love.
God did not send Jesus to die as a “sacrifice for our sins.” Because God did not send Jesus to die (period…) The Passover lamb was not sacrificed for sins. That would have been the scapegoat! That was sent free carrying our sins on the Day of Atonement.
Jesus’ death was avoidable. It was not inevitable. Everybody and everyone in the narrative have freewill and reason.
Luke the Evangelist – emphasizes that the “religious authorities” never had or never made an honest charge against Jesus. They were all false charges or “trumped up charges” that were misinterpreted and misunderstood.
We are told repeatedly in the text that Jesus has done nothing wrong – deserving death. He was innocent.
As the Biblical narrative continues …we know that an innocent man was being condemned to an “undeserved death!”
An interesting aside note here – this story will haunt and undermine and reform succeeding generations of justice within “Western Culture” until the principle, “presumed innocent until proven guilty” is ultimately established.
It was that huge of an event…
Luke reports with no uncertainty that his crucifixion and burial were all duly witnessed. There can be no “not really being dead” or “the switching of bodies” or “other deceptions.”
Remember based upon “your perspective” or “your slant” Jesus was not a priest, not a King and not a Prophet. He was a nobody from nowhere. He spoke with an accent.
His attitude toward the law was cavalier at best. Some of his best friends were thieves, crooks, betrayers and whores.
Jesus was a threat to the established order of the day.
His followers attributed to him – a great many miracles, wonders and signs, including bringing a corpse back to life on more than one occasion.
When he died, he died – just as dead on the cross as all others, who had died on it, and some of them held out a lot longer than he did.
Luke’s passion narrative frustrates many…because it lacks the raw details of the Marcan account. There is not a clearly scripted theological account as is found in John’s Gospel.
In many ways, Luke’s narrative is about whose “will” or “intentions” will hold sway and “win out” in the end.
Luke’s story “at the end” – insists that – God’s will is accomplished. It is God’s will that perseveres.
Jesus is railroaded.
Luke offers a “political drama” in which truth and justice are overwhelmed by the will of those who reject Jesus and by the will of a governor hell-bent on exploiting Jesus for political gain.
It is the proverbial cat and mouse game.
All of this happens in “real time,” with “real people,” in “real space,” there are no actors. This was not a made for TV event.
In the end, God prevails and I believe that ultimately his will – is always done!