JehovahsWitness wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:43 pm
Miles wrote: ↑Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:08 pm
....Jesus certainly had to know what he would be doing on earth, including orchestrating events so as to be crucified.
Jesus didn't "orchestrate events so as to be crucified" All the attempts on his life were orchestrated by those that hated him.
Considering one of the necessary aspects of his mission on Earth, to be crucified, or die in a similar notable way, it's a certainty that he worked toward that end. Setting out to anger those who would, in turn, help him achieve his goal.
JehovahsWitness wrote:
Jesus faced to several attempts on his life, one of which were self inflicted. As a young child it came from Herod, Jesus only "crime" then was evidently being born. As an adult from his own townsfolk, the religious leaders and finally he was pronounced innocent by the highest court in the land but still executed, an innocent man thrown to a mob screaming for his blood.
In short, anyone that has read the biblical narrative can see Jesus at no time orchestrated events to bring about his own demise, but what he did do was always speak the truth, which in times of deceit is one of the most dangerous things one can do.
No, "orchestrated" is exactly the right word to describe what Jesus did: control the circumstances around him in such a way as to insure he would be remembered as the Messiah and eventually be crucified for it.
As part of the god-head he was surely smart enough and knowledgeable enough to know that his death would be the fulfillment of his ministry; therefore, his activities were all done with that goal in mind. He was certainly aware that to be crucified he would have to get a judgement against him by the Roman authority in the area, who at the time was Pontius Pilate, the governor of Jerusalem, and the easiest way to do that was to infuriate the Jewish authorities enough so as to persuade Pilate to take action against him. So, Jesus created a band of disciples who would be his front men. Leading up to the time of the Passover Jesus would go to synagogues and tell the congregants he was the Messiah, god's chosen one as prophesied in the ancient Jewish scriptures, a claim they considered to be blasphemous and which, of course, really angered them. Enough so that some even tried to kill him. Continuing with this tactic, Jesus eventually saw the need to reassure his disciples he was who he claimed he was, and had himself transfigured into a divine being, whereupon his disciples saw him talking to the prophets of old, and concluded he had a direct link with god like no one else.
With his disciples reinvigorated and the Passover coming up, he had them procure a donkey upon which he purposely rode into the city, as was prophesied of the coming Messiah. While such gall angered the Jews in the community it wasn't enough to really PO the Jewish authorities, so he set out to further anger them by seizing on the fact that the temple was being used for money exchanges and traders, where he aggressively upset their tables and businesses. Now enraged, the Jewish authorities "arrested" him and took him to the high priest who condemned him for blasphemy, the crime of claiming to be the son of god. After a couple of trials the high priest sent Jesus to Pontius Pilate---keep in mind that Jesus was probably thee wisest person on earth and knew exactly what he was doing, and that his planned demise was just days away. Whatever Pilate's motives may have been, he acquiesced to the high priest, tried Jesus, found him guilty, and sentenced to be crucified. And all of this with Jesus's complete foreknowledge and understanding.
So, nope, you're mistaken. Jesus planned it all and then saw to it that his plan would succeed. And why wouldn't he? He was the son of god and could do anything he wanted, from changing water into wine, to walking on water, to insuring his reputation and subsequent death would go as planned.
.