WHO CRUCIFIED THE CHRIST
Whereupon does blame lay, demons or humanity?
Interestingly enough, history has generally pointed a finger at the "Jews" for crucifying Jesus Christ. While it is acknowledged that Jesus, being Jewish, was subject to Jewish law, he was also under Roman jurisdiction. Scripture tells us something about the fullness of TIME, "but when the designated time had come, God sent forth his Son born of a woman, born under the law, to deliver from the law those who were subjected to it, so that we might receive our status as adopted sons." (Gal 4:4,5) Situations and circumstances, along with human persons brought about the ingathering of the "Perfect Storm!"
The Herods were an Edomite line of kings, who, under Rome, got control of Judea before Christ. It was Herod Antipas who had John the Baptist beheaded and Jesus mocked. Herod was a descendant of Esau (Edomite) while Jesus was a descendant of his brother Jacob (Jew). In Gen 27:41, Esau holding a grudge against Jacob makes a vow, "When the time of mourning for my father (Isaac) comes, I will kill my brother Jacob." This vow is fulfilled with Herod in league with Pilate and the chief priests having Jesus crucified.
To God, ALL moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of "predestination," he includes in it each person's free response to his grace: "In this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, to do whatever your hand and your plans had predestined to take place." (Acts 4:27,28; Ps 2:1,2) Peter's sermon on Pentecost sheds light on this, "This Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God." This Biblical language does not mean that those who handed him over were merely passive players in a scenario written in advance by God. (CCC 599, 600)
Jews are not collectively responsible for Jesus death. The Historical complexity of Jesus' trial is apparent in the Gospel accounts. The personal sin of the participants (Judas, the Sanhedrin, Pilate) is known to God alone. Hence we cannot lay responsibility for the trial on the Jews in Jerusalem as a whole, despite the outcry of a manipulated crowd and the global reproaches contained in the apostles' calls to conversion after Pentecost. Still less can we extend responsibility to other Jews of different times and places, based merely on the crowd's cry: "His blood be on us and on our children!" (CCC 597)
In her Magisterial teaching of the faith and in the witness of her saints, the Church has never forgotten that "sinners were the authors and the ministers of all the sufferings that the divine Redeemer endured." Taking into account the fact that our sins affect Christ himself, the Church does not hesitate to impute to Christians the gravest responsibility for the torments inflicted upon Jesus, a responsibility with which they have all too often burdened the Jews alone: WE must regard as guilty all those who continue to relapse into their sins. Since our sins made the Lord Christ suffer the torment of the cross, those who plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the Son of God anew in their hearts (for he is in them) and hold him up to contempt. And it can be seen that our crime in this case is greater in us than in the Jews. As for them, according to the witness of the Apostle, "None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." We, however, profess to know him. And when we deny him by our deeds, we in some way seem to lay violent hands on him. Nor did demons crucify him; it is you who has crucified him and crucify him still, when you delight in your vices and sins. (CCC 598)
Legally, God delegated authority to Aaron and his sons as priests and Pilate received his authority over life and death from above (Caesar). "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We, all of humanity, crucified Christ Jesus because of our sinfulness. Demons may seduce and induce us to sin, but we possess free-will to accept or reject temptation from Adam to the last human person standing when Jesus returns. By giving up his own Son for our sins, God manifests that his plan for us is one of benevolent love, prior to any merit on our part: "In this is love, not that we loved God but he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins." God "shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (CCC 604)