Are the Jews today responsible for the death of Christ?

And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Matthew 27:25.

Despite the Jewish flavor of Matthew’s Gospel, this declaration has been used to justify vicious anti-Jewish sentiments and behavior throughout Christian history. Taken at face value, however, it indicates only that those directly involved in the crucifixion of Christ accept responsibility for His death. The oath itself is unremarkable. Many similar declarations are found in both the Old and New Testaments.¹

The status of Israel – But the question also involves the status of Israel as a nation. The ominous utterance of Jesus that the kingdom (represented by the vineyard in the parable) would be “taken away” from some and given to others (Matt 21:43) and the blood-curdling prediction that the scribes and Pharisees would “fill up” the measure of their fathers’ guilt by killing those Jesus would send to them (23:29-36) both seem to suggest that blame for the crucifixion rests with the whole nation. Furthermore, the immediate context of 27:25 juxtaposes the confession of Judas that he has betrayed innocent blood (27:4) with Pilate’s washing his hands of the matter. This is followed immediately by “all the people” readily accepting responsibility for Jesus’ death.

On the other hand, it is the religious leaders of Israel, not the whole nation, who are singled out in Jesus’ pronouncements of doom in chapter 23. Furthermore, the verse immediately after the so-called “self-cursing” of 27:25 underscores clearly Pilate’s own responsibility. The Roman governor has already had Jesus whipped and scourged. Now he hands Him over to be crucified, something only Pilate has the power to do (27:26). Further on, we see the Pharisees, chief priests, and elders, more than the crowd, to be the real culprits (v. 41). In fact, it is these who are said to have brought Jesus to Pilate in the first place (vv. 1, 3, 6, 12) and who incite the crowds to have Jesus crucified (v. 20; cf. 16:21).

The salvation of individual Jews – While with the rejection of the Messiah Israel as a nation lost its privilege of being God’s representatives here on earth, individual Jews were attracted to Jesus and followed Him. According to Matthew, crowds flocked to Jesus and followed Him in His travels throughout Israel (4:25; 8:1; 14:13; 19:2; 20:29). They were amazed at His teaching (7:28) and marveled at His power to heal (9:8, 33, 34; 15:31). When Jesus entered Jerusalem, they were shouting His praises (21:8, 9, 11), even causing the leaders to be afraid to arrest Him openly (21:46; 26:5). Only as a result of the Jewish leaders’ influence did their attitude change (27:20).

Even Matthew’s reference to “all the people” (27:25) does not refer to the whole nation.² Israel is divided as a result of the ministry of Jesus. We find this division pictured clearly by Matthew in three ways. First, the synagogues in Israel alternate between those receptive to Jesus (4:23; 9:35; 13:54) and those that oppose Him (12:9-14; 13:54-57; cf. 23:34). Second, the other parable about a vineyard in Matthew 21 describes the people of Israel in terms of two very different “sons” representing two conflicting attitudes toward Jesus (21:28-32). Third, Jerusalem itself is divided (e.g., 20:18; 21:9-11). The implication is that, as a result, the city would not remain standing (12:25). The reference to burning up the city of those who refuse to attend the wedding of the king’s son makes the implication even stronger (22:7). Finally, Jesus weeps over Jerusalem because its people were unwilling to be drawn to Jesus and accept Him as the Messiah (23:37). Jesus pronounces doom upon the city and the temple (“your house”) as a result of His awareness that it is here that He will be condemned, scourged, and led away to be crucified. Just as the shedding of innocent blood contributed to the city’s destruction by Babylon, so now it will eventuate in its destruction by Rome.

“There will be many converted from among the Jews, and these converts will aid in preparing the way of the Lord, and making straight in the desert a highway for our God. Converted Jews are to have an important part to act in the great preparations to be made in the future to receive Christ, our Prince” (Ev 579).

“All the people” – In harmony with the immediate context of the chapter and the larger context of the book, the most natural way to understand “all the people” in Matthew 27:25 is as a reference to those present at the time who were calling for Jesus’ crucifixion. Obviously the whole nation was not packed into the city square that day. At most, “all the people” refers to those who lived in Jerusalem, together with those who came for the Passover that year and their immediate children. In fact, it is primarily these who would suffer the calamities mentioned in 24:15-19 when Roman armies would lay siege to Jerusalem and ultimately destroy it. Jesus’ prediction of this tragic event in Matthew 23:38, 39 alludes to Psalm 118:26. The exclamation, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,” seems to have been understood at the time as a reference to the coming Messianic kingdom. By quoting Scripture, Jesus points forward to His second advent when the roles will be reversed and the religious leaders will acquiesce and admit His Messiahship (cf. Matt 26:64). Then Jesus will execute judgment upon those who now judge Him. As in Matthew 24 which follows these verses, the judgment on Jerusalem and the judgment at the end of the world are blended. Echoing these words of Jesus, John views “those who pierced him” as being among the ones present when Jesus returns in the clouds (Rev 1:7). Judgment, then, falls on those Jews who rejected Jesus. Their condemnation is announced already by Jesus but its realization will not come until He returns in glory. “Then those who prayed ‘His blood be on us, and on our children,’ will receive the answer to their prayer” (DA 739).

Salvation is open to all – Matthew makes clear that, after the resurrection, salvation must be proclaimed not only to the Jews but also now to all nations (Matt 28:19). According to the book of Acts thousands of Jews repented of their role in the crucifixion, turned to Jesus, and received forgiveness (Acts 2:36-41; 4:4), including many priests (6:7). God is no respecter of persons or nations. Salvation is open to everyone (Acts 10:34, 35; Rom 2:11; 10:12, 13; Gal 3:28, 29). While Jews throughout history are not held responsible for putting Christ to death, they, like any other human being, will be held accountable for rejecting Him as Savior (Matt 10:32-34). On the other hand, Jews who now accept Jesus as Messiah can be reincorporated into the true Israel of God (Rom 11:23-26; Gal 6:15, 16).

Clinton Wahlen

“Those who live in this day are not accountable for the deeds of those who crucified the Son of God” (RH, April 11, 1893).

References

¹Josh 2:19, 20; 2 Sam 1:16; 1 Kgs 2:31-33; Jer 26:8, 9 (also spoken by “all the people”), 12, 15; Ezek 18:13; 33:4-6; Acts 18:6.

²The word for “people” (laos) in Matthew is used in various ways and never clearly means the Jews as a whole.

The Miracles of Jesus