Jesus' Crucifixion: What Laws Were Broken?

Jesus was a law-abiding citizen, but that didn't stop him from being crucified. He was accused of breaking God's law, but Jesus himself claimed to have kept his father's commandments. The Jewish authorities condemned him for blasphemy, but this wouldn't have held any weight in Roman law. So, what law did Jesus break to get crucified? The answer may lie in the fact that he was seen as a threat to Roman rule. The Jewish leaders accused him of misleading the nation, opposing taxes to Caesar, and calling himself their king. These charges would have been enough for the Romans to sentence him to death, and so he was crucified.

Jesus was accused of breaking Sabbath laws

One example of Jesus allegedly breaking Sabbath law is found in Matthew 12, where Jesus and his disciples are seen eating grain in a field on the Sabbath. The Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the law, as Exodus 16 and 32 forbid the preparation of food on the Sabbath.

Another example is found in John 5, where Jesus heals a paralysed man and tells him to carry his mat. The Jewish leaders tell the man that "the law forbids you to carry your mat" on the Sabbath. Jesus does not deny breaking the Sabbath but instead argues that "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."

Jesus prioritised caring for people over the observance of law, and he was willing to break Old Testament laws in order to prioritise love and mercy. He saw the ultimate law as the "Law of Love", putting the love of God and neighbour above all else.

He was charged with blasphemy by Jewish authorities

Jesus was charged with blasphemy by Jewish authorities, who then petitioned the Roman authorities to take action. The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of breaking laws concerning the Sabbath on multiple occasions, but Jesus did not break an Old Testament command. Instead, he violated the interpretations that religious leaders had developed around the biblical commands of keeping the Sabbath day holy.

The Jewish authorities also accused Jesus of misleading the Jews against the Roman Empire by calling himself their king. This was a serious charge that would have been considered sedition by the Romans. However, Pilate, the Roman governor, did not believe that Jesus had committed any crimes and tried to release him.

Ultimately, it was the Jewish authorities' accusation of blasphemy that led to Jesus' crucifixion. They may have been concerned that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem for Passover, a holiday that drew Jews from across the Mediterranean and often resulted in riots against Roman rule. The Jewish leaders had the most to lose if a riot broke out, so they arrested Jesus and accused him of blasphemy, a crime punishable by death.

While Pilate attempted to release Jesus, he ultimately caved to pressure from the Jewish authorities and the crowd, who demanded Jesus' crucifixion.

He was condemned for breaking Hebrew laws

Jesus was condemned for breaking Hebrew laws, specifically blasphemy, and misleading the Jews against the Roman Empire by calling himself their king. However, it is important to note that the charge of blasphemy was made under Hebrew law, and the Romans did not consider blasphemy a crime punishable by death.

The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of breaking laws concerning the Sabbath on multiple occasions. For example, in Luke 6:1, the disciples are said to have harvested grain and "began to rub them in their hands and eat the kernels" on the Sabbath. This was considered a violation of the Sabbath as it entailed both harvesting and preparing food. Jesus also scandalized the Pharisees by healing on the Sabbath and asking the healed man to carry his mat (John 5).

Jesus was also accused of blasphemy for claiming to be the Son of God and making himself equal with God. According to John 19:7, the Jewish leaders told Pilate: "We have a law, and according to that law, he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God."

The second charge, that of misleading the Jews and opposing paying taxes to Caesar, could not be substantiated by Pilate, who found no grounds to charge Jesus with these crimes.

In conclusion, while Jesus was accused of breaking Hebrew laws, particularly those concerning the Sabbath and blasphemy, the specific charge that led to his crucifixion under Roman law was that of claiming to be the King of the Jews, which could be considered sedition.

He was sentenced to death under Roman law

Jesus was sentenced to death under Roman law, despite Pilate—the Roman governor—declaring Jesus innocent of the charges brought against him by Jewish leaders. These charges included misleading the nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be the Messiah, a king.

The Jewish leaders' accusation of blasphemy would not have held weight in Roman law, and Pilate rejected their charges. However, the situation was complicated by the fact that Jesus was entering Jerusalem for Passover, a holiday that drew Jews from across the Mediterranean to Jerusalem. The Romans typically disliked Jerusalem and its volatile situation, and Pilate was probably in the city specifically to manage the tensions.

Jesus was greeted by crowds throwing palm branches and cloaks, a ceremony the Romans called an adventus, performed when important persons came to a city. The local Jewish elite, or Sanhedrin, likely panicked, as it appeared the crowds were willing to crown Jesus king. This would have likely resulted in Roman soldiers killing and pillaging indiscriminately. So, the Sanhedrin arrested Jesus, accused him of blasphemy, and sent him to Pilate for execution, as they did not have the right to carry out executions themselves.

Fearing that executing a man beloved by the crowd would result in a riot, Pilate tried to pass the case to Herod, but it was sent back to him. Pilate then offered the people a chance to free either Jesus or another man, and the crowd chose to free the other man. Now slightly more confident, Pilate ordered Jesus flogged and then allowed the execution, performing one final act of clemency by washing his hands of the matter.

The Roman law under which Jesus was condemned to death was never specifically stated in the Gospels, but the charge levied against him was that he claimed to be the King of the Jews. Under Roman law, such a claim could constitute sedition, specifically an offense against the Lex Iulia de maiestate, which covered slander of the emperor and his family.

Ultimately, Jesus was convicted and sentenced to death under Roman law, despite Pilate's attempts to release him, as the situation escalated and the crowd demanded Jesus' crucifixion.

He was convicted of breaking commandments of men

Jesus was convicted of breaking the commandments of men, specifically the Jewish authorities' interpretation of Hebrew law. The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy and misleading the Jews against the Roman Empire, calling himself their king.

The charge of blasphemy was based on Jesus' claim to be the Son of God, which was seen as a violation of Jewish law. However, the Romans did not consider blasphemy a crime punishable by death. The second charge, of misleading the Jews, also could not be substantiated by Pilate, the Roman governor.

Jesus was also accused of breaking Sabbath laws. For example, in Matthew 12, Jesus and his disciples are seen eating grain during the Sabbath, which was forbidden according to Exodus 16 and 32. In another instance, Jesus heals a paralysed man on the Sabbath and tells him to carry his mat, which was also forbidden by Jewish law.

Jesus did not deny these accusations but instead argued that his actions were in service of a higher law, the Law of Love, which prioritised love and mercy over strict adherence to legalism.

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