Jesus Messiah Fellowship
Light To The Nations
The Cross Is A Symbol Of Jewish Intolerance
And Hate
Against Jesus and Messianic Believers
By Cohen G. Reckart, Pastor
Some have written and asked for Biblical proof that the Cross was a symbol of Jewish intolerance and hate against Jesus and early Christians. The following is written to help explain that charge.
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But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They me without a cause (John 15:25)
For dogs (Gentiles) have compassed me: the assembly (Jews) of the wicked have enclosed (captured) me: they pierced my hands and my feet (Psalms 22:16).
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him (at the crucifixion), as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zech 12:10).
And again another Scripture saith: They (the Jews) shall look on him whom they pierced (John 19:37), showing Zech 12:10 was fulfilled at the crucifixion not at the second coming of the Lord as Pre and Mid tribs teach the verse.
Behold he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him (Jews): and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him (Gentiles). Even so. Amen (Rev 1:7).
The New Testament is the Messianic historical record concerning the Cross and the Jewish demand of its use to have Jesus put to death (Mark 15:13).
The cross as we now know it (the Roman Cross) came into use as a means of capital punishment during the time of the Roman Empire. The Romans may have learned this method of killing from the Persians. To our knowledge it was not used by the Romans as an exclusive weapon against nations because they had funny religions or against people who practiced their religions with fervency. If so we would have seen it used against the Jews prior to the killing of Jesus. The cross was a device to kill hardened criminals and those deemed to be malefactors or traitors of the empire. It was not a tool to put religious believers to death, until the Jews in Jerusalem demanded it be used upon Jesus Messiah. After that, and because of it, many thousands of Messianic believers were put to death upon crosses in the most inhumane, cruel, mocking, and hateful manner, shown against such a peaceful non-violent people at any time in the history of the world. It was a time of the spirit of Cain revisited upon the earth.
There are symbols in antiquity like unto the Roman cross figure that have no connection to the Roman use. Such is the Egyptian ankh in the figure left which was to these ancient rulers a symbol of life and became a symbol of life and death within the authority of Pharaoh's hand (a form of a scepter). It was a symbol denoting blessings from Aton the sun god upon the Pharaohs. The ankh is in the shape of our modern *T* with a loop attached at the top to wear around the wrist or to hold in the hand by the staff as seen left. Scholars believe the ankh may also symbolize the male and female genitalia of Osiris and Isis as all life was thought to be generated from the union of the two.While there has been great attempts to associate the Cross of Jesus with the Egyptian ankh and even the first letter in the name of the Babylonian god Tammuz, such are simply exaggerations and false. There is no connection. There have been no crosses found at all in any ancient country that are associated with Tammuz or the first letter of his name! In fact, his name was not spelled with a *T* at all in the ancient languages but was written in cuniform style and in some languages with a *D*!
Criminals and certain captives were in some cases made to carry the cross piece to the place of death and there it was fixed upon a pole or tree already at the location. Carrying this stake, pole, or cross piece on the back-side of the neck with both arms wrapped under and over toward the front and tied into place, was called carrying the cross because it was the *cross piece*. The image in one's mind of such an event gives us a picture of a man carrying the cross piece and this walking figure forms the out-line of a cross before Jesus was ever crucified upon one giving us that same figure. The figure of the Cross can invoke Jesus carrying his Cross or being crucified upon a figure of the same likeness. In either figure the message is the same, ...the Cross became a symbol of Jewish hatred of Jesus. Little is to be gained by denying the Cross was in the shape of the Roman cross. Denying the shape of it is an exercise in mental gymnastics. True, to worship a Cross as if *it* contains power where it becomes a crucifix idol, is idolatry. It is not the Cross but he who died upon the Cross who is to be worshiped! Having a Cross as a reminder of the sufferings of Jesus and the hatred of the Jewish nation is not a sin or idolatry.
No greater joy could the Jews have than for Christians to deny Jesus was crucified upon a Roman Cross at their demand. The Cross should be emblazoned around the world but also with the written truth that it came among Christianity as the figure of Jewish intolerance and hate of Jesus. A plate or inscription of this fact should accompany it where ever it is erected or displayed.
In regards to the cross of Jesus *as it relates to Messianic history and prophecy* it was most definitely a Roman Cross. That Jesus would be *pierced* in his hands and his feet as described in prophecy gives us the belief that the Cross was a factor in the many prophecies fulfilled by Christ (we listed a few at the beginning). The Jews under the Law had no such death devise. Death was by stoning or strangulation. When Jesus had been tried by the Sanhedrin and it was determined by the determinate council in counsel that he should die because he claimed to be the Messiah, the Talmudic Temple Jews first condemned him to die and then delivered him to Pilate to execute the death penalty they had already decreed (Matt 26:66, 27:1). Post-facto revision of the Mishna or the Talmud in an attempt to claim the Sanhedrin could never have done such a thing as their alleged policies would have prohibited them of condemning Jesus, is just more plotting and deception by the antichrist in an attempt to remove any guilt for the crucifixion of their King Messiah.
At that time (a brief window of time to fulfill prophecy), the Jews had been deprived by Roman law from executing the death penalty. Later we see when Pilate was gone and Stephen was killed they could openly stone a person to death without any Roman interference. But at this precise moment they were required to present all cases for the death penalty to the procurator who was then Pilate. The accusations used against Jesus are found in Luke 24:1-2: "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King." So they wanted him dead on two charges that deal with Roman law and one charge of their own that he was just some *fellow* perverting their nation. How nice that they were so concerned about Caesar's taxes and there being another King. After all, did not Rome recognize several of the Herods as kings? But this claim of being a *KING* was connected to the emphatic right of Jesus to be Messiah and heir of David's throne. This throne they did not want over them and so determined the way to marshal the power of Rome against Jesus was to claim Jesus was somehow planning to replace Caesar, which was not at all true. The Messianic hope concerned Israel and no other nation at that time. Jesus made absolutely no statements against Caesar. The Sanhedrin was a kangaroo court and until this injustice is repudiated by all subsequent courts of whatever description and all Bet-Dins, then all of them are of the same character and spirit of this ancient Sanhedrin!
When Pilate examined Jesus he could find no fault in him worthy of death from these charges (Luke 23:15). But the Jews persisted that he be put to death (Luke 23:18), and then as a last resort threatened Pilate's future political ambitions by saying they would report him to Caesar: "If you let this man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar (John 19:12)." The Jews denied Jesus as their King and made an unequivocal confession and oath of allegiance that the pagan Roman emperor who himself was worshiped as a god, was the only king over them: "But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered,"" (John 19:15). Here in plain words the Jews surrendered the soul of Israel to Roman jurisdiction forever, when they denied Jesus and chose Caesar as their god-king! It was then that Pilate put his political ambitions above justice, morality, and human life. He washed his hands in their presence and said they were witness he was not guilty of his innocent blood. The Jews in response said: *let his blood be upon us and our children." These Jews sacrificed Jesus to maintain control of the temple and the national conscience. Pilate sacrificed him for his future employment and career. These facts are forever settled and NO MAN can change them!
When Pilate finished his deliberations he said to the Jews: "Behold your king!" It was then that the Jews themselves determined the death method of Jesus by calling for his CRUCIFIXION upon a cross,saying "." They could have called for him to be stoned! They could have called for his head to be cut off! The crucifixion was not the only option, it DID NOT have to happen. God knew it would happen but He played no role in making the Jews pick this selection. Criminals and alleged malefactors at that time were also stoned and beheaded under Roman law (see John the Baptist and James). Also, once the Jews had been given authority to put someone to death they then chose the method. The Roman government allowed this privilege to all of its vassal kingdoms.
While it is said that the Romans put Jesus to death, the Scriptures say that Pilate DELIVERED Jesus to the Jews to do this deed and it appears from the Gospels since they chose crucifixion as the method, they then employed temple soldiers to do the job as the Roman soldiers observed and participated under the joint death penalty provisions. "So he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away" (John 19:6, 16). The Cross then became a symbol of Christian murder by the Jews as Jesus was the first one to be killed using this method. Remember, it was Jesus who with foreknowledge of the Jewish hatred of himself and his Kingdom, admonished his followers to *take up their cross and follow him.* Thus signifying by prophecy his manner of death and also the manner in which many of his followers would suffer (Matt 23:34; read also Acts 2:23, 3:14-15; 1Thes 2:15).
Thus, the Cross as far as Christians are concerned became a symbol of Jewish hatred against Jesus Messiah and his Kingdom. It is the symbol of the Sanhedrin kangaroo court. And within Freemasonary where they *spit* upon a cross and step over it, the Jewish members of such secret orders do it with glee. The first spitting of this nature was in the hewn chamber of the Sanhedrin when after condeming Jesus those present *spit upon him* as a sign of rejection and utter hatred (Mat 26:67). The Talmud teaches Jewish conformist to mimic this *spitting* upon Jesus when they see a Cross or a Church where there is a Cross. And, if someone is around to see this act, they are to slobber upon their beards or their chest and it is counted the same as if they had spit upon Jesus and share in the hatred of the Sanhedrin Council in their spitting. We have no doubt then how and from whence the practice of spitting upon a cross in the Knights Templer degree of the secret order of Freemasonry came. These zrealots did not do this abomination before going to Israel and Jerusalem in the eleventh century during the Crusades. This spitting continues every week around the world in many Masonic, Rosicrucian, Witchcraft, and other cult meetings. And, I feel no shame to expose this hatred for what it is, ...*.* And, it gives me GREAT PLEASURE to go to the house of God and lift up a holy praise and worship the name they blaspheme. It gives me GREAT PLEASURE to meet in our mid-week service and lift up Jesus, knowing all the while in many secret lodges in the world they are spitting upon a cross and upon a representation of my Lord, to the ignorance of their ritual and in their stupidity!
The Romans did not choose the Cross as the device to murder Jesus. Pilate consented to use of the Cross only because the Jews in their inordinate hate to use it upon Jesus prevailed. They wanted all the world to know they hated and rejected him. They wanted his death to be a public spectacle where his body would writhed and tremble from the excruciating pain and agony while they mocked. They wanted to hear him cry with loud screams because of the torment. And last of all, they wanted to make God a witness of these events. Men may say one thing or another in their theologies and in their attempts of white-washing Jewish hatred concerning the Cross, BUT GOD WAS THE WITNESS and that will stand when the world is on fire.
As far as Christians are concerned when the Jews paraded behind Jesus as he carried his Cross to Calvary, this was a Jewish national shame that would never be cleansed from Israel if they slaughtered all the red heifers in the world and all the sheep and goats were sacrificed into extinction! This sin shall never be forgotten forever and indeed the assembly of Jews guilty of this plot knew this and said: "" This was a *forever curse to be upon thier children and descendants until time shall be no more.* These who were guilty have brought down upon themselves the entire crucifixion and the guilt of the Cross as the murder weapon of their hate. This will never be erased from heaven's book of eternal rememberance. It was the spirit of Cain. I can hear Abel now: O, Cain that hurts, please do not do this I am your Brother! O, Cain why are you doing this to me? Cain my brother why do you hate me, I do not understand? But the injuries to Abel's head, his back, his chest, his hands, were to much and there he fell with his blood upon the ground as his life departed. And the Scriptures say that his blood cried out from the ground in judgment against his brother. While we cannot see the blood of Jesus today on Calvary it is still there somewhere as a witness that will never be expunged from the eternal testimony.
No synagouge, temple, priest, rabbi, or sacrifice, can atone for this blood of the innocent Messiah. Although many Jews made boast to have the blood of Jesus upon them and their children as if Jesus was a reprobate and they would not be held guilty by God, the opposite is the truth. God does hold them guilty and so did the Apostles and early Christians. Jesus looked down from the Cross and looked at the Roman soldiers standing around having been deceived by the Jews. He looked at the multitude of Jews who had been deceived by the temple cult and who knew not of the intricate details and purpose of the plot, and upon these Jesus said: "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Those who knew what they were doing received no forgiveness and those Jews down to this day who consent and agree with the decision of the Sanhedrin and the temple cult to have Jesus crucified, ...still have no forgiveness! These are the core of that very *antichrist* that shall arise in the last days to destroy Jesus, Christians, the New Testament record, and blot them all out from the earth. This is the very reason why all of Talmudism is guilty of the death and blood of Jesus Messiah and within its theologies remain the secret coded ancient hatred against their King, Christians, and the New Testament.
Now, it is unfair and wrong to lay this blood curse upon all Jews because that is not true. Many Jews repudiate the ancient actions of the Sanhedrin and those guilty of the crucifixion evil and wickedness. Many Jews in their hearts do not hate Jesus, Christians, or the New Testament. This is the Judaism that is not controlled by congentital hatred found in many Synagouges throughout the world today. There were many such Jews who saw the wickedness of the temple and synagouge cults and came over into the Judaism or Israel of Messiah (referred to as the Kingdom or Church in the New Testament). The blood curse of the religious cult was not considered to be upon them and they were NOT personally held guilty of the crucifixion of the Messiah. The curse itself and the Scriptures seem to indicate that it descends down upon the families of the Sanhedrin, the Sanhedrin Council itself and all associated Courts and Bet Dins, the families of the false witnesses, the seed of Judas, the families of the temple priesthood involved, the families of the Scribes involved, the families of the doctors of the Law involved, others who plotted with the temple and synagouge cults who carried out the crucifixion, and upon the subsequent Talmudic system(s) that continued to perpetrate the antichrist hatred by the highpriests Caiaphas, Annas, John, and Alexander (Acts 4:6), upon Christianity. It would also subsequently come down upon anyone (Jew or Gentile) who would agree with the conduct of those involved and who would agree with the determinate Sanhedrin Council's counsel that Jesus should have been crucified. Any Jew or Gentile who goes to their grave who REFUSES to confess that Jesus was the Messiah based upon belieivng Jewish antichristism, will be equally guilty of the innocent blood of Jesus Messiah and be lost forever. The greater number in the world joined to this antichrist cursed group, the greater numner of children, families, homes, and people who forever damn themselves from the salvation grace of Jesus Messiah. As these numbers increase because of deception, the world will fall into great apostasy, lawlessness, hate, and governments including the United Nations will inact laws that under *discrimination* will prohibit these facts to be made known abroad. Soon a great purge will take place against the truth and even this internet web-site will be destroyed. One day you will log on and we will be no more. Those whom the Lord leads to these pages must avail themselves of all the truth while they can. Print out all that you find here and study, study, study. Pray, pray, pray. Let us lift up Jesus Messiah before our enemies.
So, the Cross becomes an offense to these antichrist as it testifies of the attitudes and crimes they and their ancestors committed against Jesus and Christians in the name of God. There remains great hope for many modern Jews, especially those who are Messianic and who believe Jesus was the Messiah, if they will separate from Talmudism, Law observances, and the great apostasy of the antichrist mother whore completely (Rev 18:4). They MUST come come out from among her! They must separate! They must also quit believing in the trinity doctrine of Catholicism, that Jesus is a second god-person and believe that Jesus was God himself manifested to Israel in the seed of David per Psalms 132:11. They must fulfill Acts 2:38 completely as did the first 3,000 Jewish converts to New Covenant Messianism, and take the name of Jesus Messiah upon them in water baptism and REALLY come on over into the Kingdom of the Messiah (Gal 3:27).
No Jewish person can hold on to Pharisee Talmudism, old nationalism, practice of the Law, or traditions of the Law, and also be in the Kingdom of Messiah (Luke 13:28; Gal 2:21, 3:19, 6:16). Believing in Jesus as a historical Messiah is not enough, ...Jew and Gentile must follow his doctrine and the teachings of the Apostles (Mark 16:16, John 14:21, 17:20). Mixing Jesus with Pharisee Talmudism, old nationalistic Israel images, or the Law, are the greatest heresies any Jew or Gentile could formulate against the Gospel Truths of Jesus Messiah, his Kingdom, and the true Israel of God.
Persecution and hatred by Jews against Christians who believe in Jesus and the New Testament is to accept the blood curse of the Cross. When Jews and Gentiles begin hatred and persecution again under the regime of the coming world ruler of antichrist, they will again be guilty of the blood curse of the Cross. If I had this upon my mind every time I saw a Cross and was an antichrist Jew or Gentile, I also would not want a Cross staring me in the face along the highways where someone died, upon a Church, in a private field or yard, or God forbid upon government property to remind me of the shame and condemnation of past history. Second best to this, is that I would want someone to agree with me as a Jew that the Cross is offensive and should not be publicly displayed at all and certainly not on government property. I would want antichrist judges and supreme courts to sanction my hatred of the Cross in the disguise of separation of Church and state. I would want and love for ignorant Christians to preach and claim the Cross has no Jewish history and is pagan, adopted by the Catholic Church, and has no connection to the crucifixion of Jesus. I would want them to blame the crucifixion upon God because he knew it would happen and did nothing to assit the Jews to stop them from doing it so He caused it, pre-ordained it, forced it upon them, or better yet, ...blame it on the Romans! But Jesus said this to Pilate who represented the entire Roman Empire and the Gentile world:"You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin (John 19:11)." The obvious conclusion is that the Jews charged by Jesus as guilty of his innocent bloodshed are liable through their acceptance of the agency of their temple rulers to deliver Jesus to Pilate. And this is witnessed in the text at verse 28 where after the Sanhedrin recessed to assemble and reconvene at Pilate's pagan courthouse, it is said "Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium." A multitude joined the temple cult along the way from the temple to the pagan Gentile courthouse. Gentiles and their courthouses with their unsaved antichrist judges have no more authority or right to pass laws in regard to Jesus and the Cross than did Pilate. That they do so makes them accessories after the fact of hatred against Jesus!
So, Caiaphas as high priest delivered Jesus by Sanhedrin decree to the members of the Sanhedrin and *THEY* took him with a great multitude to Pilate. So, as far as Jesus was concerned the Romans were not the ones to be held guilty for his crucifixion, the GREATER SIN would be laid to the Temple rulers and that multitude who delivered him to a pagan courthouse. The Temple rulers by blood oath placed that sin upon all of their seed. And in connecting this to religious sin, the entire crucifixion is laid upon the Talmudic descendants of those ancient families. The Talmud continues this blood curse and within it remains many hundreds of denigrating references to Jesus, his death, Christians, and the destruction of them at some later time in history when their antichrist messiah comes and they rule the world.
A Rabbi speaking to his congregation at Christmas time said: "Everytime I see a Cross it is a symbol of Hitler to me and every time I see a manger scene it is the birth of Hitler to me." This is exactly the hatred taught in the Talmud and that was used against Jesus, shown by such minds at his trial and at his crucifixion. Hate and bigotry against Jesus by unbelieving Jews continues today and it is taught to young Jewish boys and girls from the time they are born. They are taught to hate Christians, Christian Churches, the Cross, the New Testament, Ministers and Preachers, and especially Jesus!
On December 25, 1999, Apostolic Day was celebrated by over 600 in attendance at the Omni Rosen Hotel in Orlando, Florida. At the same time there was held in the Hotel, Sabbath services and a Regional Savadallah by over 200 Jewish youth and their leaders. Many of the Jewish youth came past the ballroom that evening where worship services were being held. Seeing many Spanish and African-American women with head coverings and their worship, several Jewish boys and girls went to their motel rooms and came back to the hallway entry to the ballroom and put panties, men's briefs, and boxer shorts on their heads and mocked the women and the worship going on inside. Such genetic hate conduct could not have taken place unless there was placed in their minds and hearts animosity for Jesus, Christians, and Christian worship. Jesus told the Apostles and us: "If they (the Jews) hated me they will hate you" and "you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake." And so it is today, try to talk to an unbelieving Jew about Jesus and especially the Cross and they are quick to mouth their hate and disgust against both. Jesus Messiah, son of David, KING of kings, LORD of lords, reigns from heaven upon the throne of David forever. Jesus Messiah, the GREATEST Jew who ever lived was God manifest in the flesh (Psalms 232:11, 1Tim 3:16, Rev 1:8).
The Cross may have been a symbol of Jewish intolerance and hate against Jesus and early Christians, but to us it is the symbol of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world by his precious blood. They may deny the Cross, but the true Christian will confess that it is the power of God to them that believe (1Cor 1:18).
Ministers preach the Cross, not as an idol or as symbol of idolatry, but as the Truth that upon it was crucified the Messiah by his people because of their intolerance and hate. Believers, do not be ashamed of the Cross of Messiah, but take up your own cross and follow him. If Jews hate you for your salvation and faith in Jesus you are carrying your cross. If Gentiles hate you for your salvation and faith in Jesus you are carrying your cross. If you are put to death in any manner for your salvation and faith in Jesus, you have carried your cross all the way home. Do not be ashamed, lift up your head, be proud, for ye are the real Messianic children and the Israel of God (Gal 6:16)!
In Jesus Messiah,
Cohen G. Reckart, Pastor
