Jesus & that Fellow Jew from Tarsus

(Edited. Originally published as part of "Jesus & the Jews" but revised here)

The man from Tarsus may well have walked (?) that road

Apart from Jesus himself, the most prominent person we know about in the spreading of the message of Jesus was Paul. (He was originally introduced as the Jew, “Saul of Tarsus”). He presents as formerly furiously antagonistic, miraculously changed into a representative of Jesus. (Below I am thinking about Paul’s “CV” - I do not plan to make this exhaustive.)

Saul first enters the Acts record here, as a participant in the Jerusalem death of Stephen, a Jesus-follower:

Jesus Died & "The Jews" (Revised 2)

Jesus: Killed/died - the roles

Early in the document we call “the Acts of the Apostles” Peter addressed a crowd gathered in Jerusalem. This was about 50 days after Jesus’ death on the Roman cross. The specific day is called “Pentecost”, though, as usual, the calendar year (33 or 30?) is a matter of conjecture. Here is a part of the record: “Fellow Israelites,[a] listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth,[b] a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having released him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power (Acts 2:22-24, NRSVUE).

Here I am focussing on the statement that these Jews in Jerusalem had apparently had Jesus handed over to them and had killed him (by other hands) - and fulfilled God’s plan. Now that may not be as simple as it sounds! How had Jesus been handed over, and to whom, and by whom?

Jesus: the Reprieve that Wasn't

The sentence became final. What happens if you look at the four accounts of the moment, and compare them?

Do they tell the same story, even without being identical?

In this post I am examining the four accounts of the critical moment when Jesus became a “dead man walking”.

Jesus and those Crowds (edn2)

PS! "Crowds" is a bigger topic and I intend a follow up on the wider occurrences in the Gospels. AH 11/09/24

Jesus was welcomed to Jerusalem at the start of the last week by a deliriously happy crowd. At the end of the week he was rejected and scorned. How could that be? 

Jesus must G O !

But.. h o w?

The hierarchy long knew they wanted Jesus gone. They also knew they did not want to be tainted by the killing. They could find another way... quite unknowing what it all meant....!

Early on the powerful religious in Jerusalem, and round about, knew that Jesus had to go. He was continuing his campaign, and not in any way that they could accept. Jesus had failed to respond to their probes, and resisted their intervention. Could they conspire to do away with him, safely?

Jesus: The Name

Why was the Bethlehem baby named .......s? Was it a family name? Where do we get the word "Jesus"?

Christmas is coming!