Bible Discussion Thread

QUESTION?

John 18:31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said therefore unto him, It is not LAWFUL for us to put any man to death.

Acts 7:59 And they STONED Stephen ...

Why could that not stone Christ; being unlawful, but they could stone Stephen?

They were under Roman rule when both these events took place.

Does anyone have insight into this, it was important even to be recorded in God's word.

God bless you.

Donna sorry i mis spelled Stephen's name....I was gonna post something completely different but when i sat down at my computer this is what i posted....The H.G. came upon me and this is what i typed....Try to understand....When i think about Calvary and the blood of the lamb i get so excited and i just cannot hide it...Alex....No pun intended.

Donna i know i'm late to answer your question but i just noticed it...And its a very good question....There was no man worthy to shed his blood for humanity but Jesus....Steven was a great man of God like so many others but they still carried that stain and spot of Adam...Christ Jesus was the only man that didn't carry the stain and spot of Adam....Thus he was the only man that cd shed his blood for the sins of the world (humanity)....Thats y John the bap. said behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world...No other man cd die for the sins of the world....God wanted a New Covenant for the sins of the world but it was only Jesus that was good enough to die for the sins of the world..There were many great men of God but none of them cd be the lamb of God... They cd stone Steven and the Prophets and many others simply b/c their blood had no redemption value...When he was crucified at Calvary the shedding of his blood God wanted the world to see it...He fulfilled that New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:34...via his blood...And here is the meaning of that New Covenant in his blood..If i be lifted up ( his blood ) i will draw all men unto me....This NC is truly enormous....simply b/c its all inclusive...I will know them all from the least to the greatest...This Know them all is an intimacy that is gonna result in a birth of CHRIST IN US....Thats y he always refered to himself as the son of man...Mankind is gona have a baby b/c of his blood...Smite the shepard ( his blood ) and the sheep will be scattered then will i turn my hand to the LIL ONES...The babes and sucklings his offspring in us sinners...What he did at calvary made this whole world clean...When we were yet sinners Christ died for all of us sinners...Thats y God was so upset with Peter commanding water baptism for the remission of sins...Telling Peter 3 times what i have made clean ( Calvary) do not call common or unclean...All the unclean animals in that sheet was Humanity made clean by his blood.GBU

Could it be that Pilate knew that Jesus had done nothing wrong under roman law ? Maybe he also knew how many ordinary people counted Jesus as a prophet and he didn't want a religious riot on his hands as this wouldn't look good for him with his superiors ? Jesus had had a very public 'trial' if we can call it that , the Jews wanted everything done above board and in public so there could be no come backs on from the roman authorities them after the event , as Jesus hadn't broken any roman laws and in truth hadn't broken any Jewish laws that permitted the death penalty . Also ,as I think TammyC states , there are prophecies in the O.T. that refer to the manner of Jesus death , that's the main reason that he died the way he did . With regards to Stephen and the lady caught in adultery , I'm guessing these things were done in quiet corners and very quickly while no roman guards were around , and it seems by what Pilate says that he was aware that the Jews sometimes executed their own justice on their own people for breaking the laws of Moses . All things were done in the sight of God the Father , what He permits we can't really question , but we can try to understand if we can find the answer in His Word , it's always in there somewhere .

Hello Donna. There are probably a few reasons why this occurred. In John 18:28, we read that "THEY led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgement...". And when Pilate told THEM to "judge him (Jesus) according to their law", we can understand that the Sanhedrin (the supreme council & tribunal of the Jews) were involved in laying the charge against Jesus. Also, at that time under Roman rule & law, the hearing of accusations & pronouncing judgement had to be conducted only by the Roman procurator or his deputies & not by the people. As well, with those of Jewry that might have shown sympathy towards Jesus (as One doing nothing worthy of such treatment & death), it was in the Sanhedrin's interest to refer the matter of execution to Rome (in other words, 'let's pass the buck'), to avoid becoming unpopular & losing respect & face with their people.

So, why not in the case of Stephen ( Acts 7:54-60), or the woman taken in adultery ( John 8:3-5), though Jesus skilfully diverted their attention from the woman to themselves? In these passages, we see it was the Jewish religious leaders (the Scribes & Pharisees) & the mob they incited being urged to take the law into their own hands. They believed they were fulfilling the Law, which prescribed that adultery & blasphemy were sins worthy of death ( Leviticus 20:10; Leviticus 24:16). These were not the Sanhedrin (the official Jewish council who would pronounce judgement after due legal processes), though the Council comprised many of these men; they were the religious leaders, acting on their own, filled with religious fury, inciting the mob, determined to take matters into their own hands, believing that they were fulfilling the Law & doing God service.

This is how I understand the difference which you have picked up on: just a few thoughts for your consideration.

Thank you Chris:

I guess not much has changed in the last 2000 years, man is still taking matters into their own hands, believing the are fulfilling the law.

God bless you.

This is just my opinion, but I think the way Jesus was to die was prophesied/OT, even down to the Romans gambling for his coat. So, Jesus couldn't be stoned.

TammyC:

I agree, the spoken word of God keep Christ from being stoned.

The Jews said it was not lawful for them to kill; yet they killed Stephen, with seemingly no repercussion from Rome.

You're right, they didn't blink an eye when they stoned Stephen, but it was meant to be, the way Christ died for our sins. That was a great question Donna.

Thank you TammyC:

Your right, it is what was meant to be.

Daniel 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, nor say unto him, What doest thou?

God bless you.