Rabbi’s Reflections -Friday, September 3, 2021
Shalom,
The F-260 reading for today is John 19. It begins with Pilate scourging Yeshua, and ends with His crucifixion (death on the cross) and burial in the garden tomb. In the middle of the narrative of this chapter, we read these few verses.
John 19:19 Pilate also wrote a sign and put it on the execution stake. It was written, “YESHUA HA-NATZRATI, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Many Judeans read this sign, because the place where Yeshua was executed was near the city; it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21 The ruling kohanim of the Judeans were saying to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22 “What I have written, I have written,” Pilate answered.
The sign on the cross was intended to state the crime for which Yeshua was being put to death. But I want to ask a question, “Is being “King of the Jews” a crime?” Even the ruling kohanim realized that is not a crime (much less punishable by death), so they tried to change the sign, but were powerless to do so. If only the sign could be changed to read, “He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.”
Actually, what upset them was that Yeshua said, “I am.” John 8:58 Yeshua answered, “Amen, amen I tell you, before Abraham was, I am!” 59 Then they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Yeshua hid Himself and went out from the Temple. In Hebrew we commonly say “I am” by saying “Ani.” That would never get anyone in trouble.
But if Yeshua said (we are not sure because the only record we have is in Greek), “Anochi,” (also translated “I am”) well, that’s something else. “Anochi” is the first word of the 10 Commandments. Exodus 20:2a “I am Adonai your God.” That was considered as blasphemy by the leading kohanim and was eventually what led them to shout in favor of His crucifixion.
Just a note here: Don’t succumb to the temptation of anger or hate toward the ruling kohanim of Yeshua’s day. We read in Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased Adonai to bruise Him. He caused Him to suffer. Another verses declares… John 10:17 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, so that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father.”
If we feel compelled to find someone to “blame” for Yeshua’s sacrificial death on the cross, we should look in the mirror and confess to ourselves, “My sins caused Yeshua to suffer.” Repent, believe on Him and be saved.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Fri 3 Sep 2021 26th of Elul, 5781
De 30:11-14Hab 1-22 Ch 21(Ac 13:26-52)Rev 7
Week 36
Memory Verse: John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Yeshua the Messiah, the One You sent.
176 8/26 Monday: Matthew 24:32-51
177 8/27 Tuesday: John 17
178 8/28 Wednesday:Matthew 26:47-27:31
179 8/29 Thursday: Matthew 27:32-66
180 8/30 Friday: John 19