If your life is not in jeopardy for what you
believe, you’re probably on the wrong side!
“Indeed, all who want
to live a godly life united with the Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted.” (2Tim 3:12)
It is what you actually believe that determines how you walk out your faith,
“but avoid stupid controversies, genealogies,
quarrels and fights about the Torah; because they are worthless and
futile.” (Titus 3:9)
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Please Note: Absolutely nothing on this website should be taken as anti-Church. I am not anti-anything or anyone. I am only pro-Torah and pro-Truth (see “Philosophy”), but sometimes the Truth upsets our long-held beliefs. I know it certainly upset mine! For example, see “Why Isn’t My Theology Consistent Throughout the Website?”
Gordon’s Calvary
In this photograph the skull on the face of the hill can be clearly seen. Most evangelical Christians believe this is the place where Yeshua was crucified. The hill is part of Mount Mariah and overlooks the ancient main road that led to Jericho and Damascus in the First Century. This is in keeping with the Roman tradition of performing executions in places where as many people as possible would pass by close enough to see their suffering victims and read the charges against them that were nailed with them to their crosses, yet far enough away so the stench would not overpower the city.
The location and physical features of the hill correspond exactly to the biblical description. Additionally, it is less that a hundred meters from the Garden Tomb.
If this is not the actual Golgotha, it is certainly close enough to give us a very good idea of the original.
This might be a good time to talk about something that has puzzled many people for a long time. Why were the Jewish leaders so upset about the sign that Pilate nailed to Yeshua’s cross?
19Pilate also had a notice written and posted on the stake; it read, YeshuaJesus ha Natzrithe Nazerene v'melekhand king ha Yehudimof the Jews. 20Many of the Judeans read this notice, because the place where Yeshua was put on the stake was close to the city; and it had been written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. 21The Judeans’ head cohanimpriests therefore said to Pilate, “Don’t write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, “I am King of the Jews.”’” 22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” (John 19:19-22)
The reason that they were so upset makes absolutely no sense in either English or Greek, but in the language in which John’s Gospel account was originally written — Hebrew — it makes perfect sense that they would be irate. Pilate was rubbing it in their noses that the chief priests had accused Yeshua of blasphemy, claiming to be God:
57Those who had seized Yeshua led him off to KayafaCaiaphas the Cohen haGadolHigh Priest, where the Torah-teachers and elders were assembled. … 59The head cohanimpriests and the whole Sanhedrin looked for some false evidence against Yeshua, so that they might put him to death. 60But they didn’t find any, even though many liars came forward to give testimony. … 63Yeshua remained silent. The Cohen haGadol said to him, “I put you under oath! By the living God, tell us if you are the MashiachMessiah, the Son of God!” 64Yeshua said to him, “The words are your own. But I tell you that one day you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of HaG’vurahthe Power (God) and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65At this, the Cohen haGadol tore his robes. “Blasphemy!” he said. “Why do we still need witnesses? You heard him blaspheme! 66What is your verdict?” “Guilty,” they answered. “He deserves death!” (Matthew 26:57-66)
There is no possible way that Pilate could not have been familiar with the Hebrew language and their religious traditions. The sign that Pilate posted clearly said to every Jew that Yeshua was being executed for being YeHoVaH! He was rubbing their noses in it! “See, I have the power to crucify your God!”
| English | Transliterated Hebrew |
Hebrew | First Letter |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus | Yeshua | ישוע | yod | Y |
| the Nazerene | ha Natzri | הנצרי | heh | H |
| and King | v'melekh | ומלך | vav | V |
| of the Jews | ha Yehudim | היהודים | heh | H |
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