# Easter question; What law did Jesus break? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878 "2006-04-16T14:33:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/1 "2006-04-16T14:33:05Z")
What law/laws was he charged with breaking, and sentenced to crucifiction for? ---
**Author:** ![Stentor\_2.5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Stentor\_2.5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stentor_2.5)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/2 "2006-04-16T15:12:04Z")
Overturning the moneychangers tables. In modern law he would probably be charged with Vandalism and Causing a Breach of the Peace. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/3 "2006-04-16T15:23:03Z")
**John 18:29-31 (New International Version)** > [@](#): > > So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you brining against this man?” > > “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.” > > “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” > > “But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. When Jesus was taken to Pilate, the Jews say what crime they thought he had committed. They only said that he was a criminal. Pilate was having none of it, so he told them to judge him by their own law. They protested that they didn’t have the authority to execute anyone. Move on to verse 38: > [@](#): > > …he [Pilate] went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the King of the Jews’?” > > They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Pilate didn’t want to have Jesus crucified, but Jesus was in Pilate’s custody, and custom dictated that he had to release a prisoner in honor of the local Passover holiday. Since all he had were Jesus and Barabbas, and the people demanded Barabbas, Jesus was crucified. There’s slightly more to it than that, and the other three gospels flesh out the story. Read Matthew 26 through 27; Mark 14:43 through the end of chapter 15; and Luke 22 and 23 for a more complete picture. If you don’t have a Bible, go to [www.biblegateway.com](http://www.biblegateway.com) and read on-line. There are several versions to choose from: I recommend the New International Version of The Message. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/4 "2006-04-16T15:25:07Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomieWhen Jesus was taken to Pilate, the Jews say what crime they thought he had committed. They only said that he was a criminal. [/QUOTE] Make that: “…the Jews **did not say** what crime…” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/5 "2006-04-16T15:27:56Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > I recommend the New International Version of The Message. Make that: “ **OR** The Message.” :smack: :smack: :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/6 "2006-04-16T15:41:44Z")
Thanks for the link, **HeyHomie**. I have got a couple more questions, though. > [@Matthew 26:63-66 (New International Version)](#): > > The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” > > “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” > > Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” > “He is worthy of death,” they answered. This makes it seem like they (the high priests, anyway, not Pilate) were wanting to charge him for blasphemy, but i’m not sure if they’re talking legally or not. > [@Matthew 27:12-14](#): > > When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. And this seems like they convicted him because of his silence; that they assumed his guilt on the (various false charges) because he didn’t deny them. > [@Luke 23:13-16](#): > > Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.” And this makes it look as though the main crime he was charged with was incitement to rebellion. (Apologies if I got my quoting confused, it’s been a good while since I learned how it works). ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/7 "2006-04-16T16:12:20Z")
Disturbing the peace. And creating a public nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/8 "2006-04-16T16:31:57Z")
I think it likely that the only laws Jesus broke were ones put in place by the occupying Romans to deal with agitators, etc. We know from Josephus that Pilate was an extremely harsh procurator who would have had no qualms about crucifying people whom he considered troublemakers. The gospel writers found it expedient to cast the blame for his death on the Jews, a calumny which has resounded throughout history with the most dreadful consequences. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/9 "2006-04-16T16:37:35Z")
Maybe Christians could ditch the anti-Semitic gospels and replace them with some non-anti-Semitic ones. They must have a lot of gospels in the attic that they aren’t using. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/10 "2006-04-16T17:10:17Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I think it likely that the only laws Jesus broke were ones put in place by the occupying Romans to deal with agitators, etc. We know from Josephus that Pilate was an extremely harsh procurator who would have had no qualms about crucifying people whom he considered troublemakers. The gospel writers found it expedient to cast the blame for his death on the Jews, a calumny which has resounded throughout history with the most dreadful consequences. Consider Matthew, who was writing the gospel for the Jews. I think that Jesus was actually quite a minor political concern. He avoided the big cities. He didn’t advocate armed confrontations, unlike the Jewish revolutionaries of the time. He delibrately ‘chased’ off many of his followers, after saying that they would eat his flesh and drink his blood. The law which Jesus broke, I think, is mentioned in the Gospel of John, where he claimed to the Son of God. Then the religious people begin to look for ways that they might kill him. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/11 "2006-04-16T17:53:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Easter question; What law did Jesus break? Simply stated, NONE > [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > What law/laws was he charged with breaking, and sentenced to crucifiction for? That’s a new can of worms. Anything and everything the Pharisees and others could come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/12 "2006-04-16T20:52:32Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Maybe Christians could ditch the anti-Semitic gospels and replace them with some non-anti-Semitic ones. They must have a lot of gospels in the attic that they aren’t using. Or, perhaps, you might take this to GD or the Pit. None of the Gospels are anti-Semitic in the modern use of the term; the closest is the one that uses “the Jews” synecdotally for “the High Priest and his cronies, and the more venal of the Pharisees, who together opposed him.” I’m not fond of one-line zingers in GQ, and I hadn’t thought to see you perpetrating them, Johanna. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/13 "2006-04-16T21:21:47Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Maybe Christians could ditch the anti-Semitic gospels and replace them with some non-anti-Semitic ones. They must have a lot of gospels in the attic that they aren’t using. You obviously didn’t realize what Forum you’re in. Don’t do it again. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/14 "2006-04-16T21:52:26Z")
Religious offenses of concern to the Jewish authorities: Blasphemy (in claiming, at most, Deity & applying the Name to himself; or at least, being God’s Right-Hand Man & Viceroy.) Challenging Priesthood/Temple system (rhetorically- “Destroy this Temple…”, “Alas for you… your house will be left desolate”- Matthew 23, & in his act of Cleansing the Temple Market) Challenging the Fence around the Torah, especially RE the Sabbath Claiming authority to forgive Sins Political offenses of concern to Roman authorities: Pretender to the David Throne, potential challenger to Rome Challenging Priestly Authority (as the High Priest was a Roman appointee) Other Jewish authority concerns- Jesus’s Messianic/Kingly movement bringing on harsh Roman reaction; Jesus’s Messianic/Kingly movement coupled with his Sermon on the Mount- “go along to get along” policy getting Rome’s interest as a potentially more- reliable, more-popular ally. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/15 "2006-04-16T22:00:02Z")
My understanding is that we are instructed not to break man’s law, with the exception if it conflicts with God’s law. So Jesus, having never sined, never broke any law of man. So I submit that he broke some laws of physics, The water into wine, walking on water, talking with Satan were up there. Then just to shove it in our faces He had the nerve to actually rise from the dead 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/16 "2006-04-16T22:05:14Z")
My guess would be sedition. You know, encouraging people to think of him as the King of a conquered country which already had a Rome-appointed ruler, encouraging insurrection, plotting to establish a Jewish kingdom. I’ll bet that Palm Sunday business looked a lot like the start of a revolution, with the new king riding into the capital city to screaming crowds. Rome didn’t put up with that sort of thing; that’s how they got to be King of the World. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/17 "2006-04-16T22:18:47Z")
> [@ExtraKun](#): > > The law which Jesus broke, I think, is mentioned in the Gospel of John, where he claimed to the Son of God. Then the religious people begin to look for ways that they might kill him. I thought he never actually claimed to be the Son of God. It was only his followers and whatnot, that made the Son of God claim. Or maybe I’m wrong. I believe his crime was just be a rabble-rouser and whatnot, and making it difficult for the Romans and the high priests to do their thing. That’s good enough to be executed, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/18 "2006-04-16T22:20:47Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > My understanding is that we are instructed not to break man’s law, with the exception if it conflicts with God’s law. So Jesus, having never sined, never broke any law of man. Unless, of course, there were laws that conflicted with God’s law. In which case he would have broken them. > [@](#): > > So I submit that he broke some laws of physics, The water into wine, walking on water, talking with Satan were up there. Then just to shove it in our faces He had the nerve to actually rise from the dead 😃 Honestly, some people are just showoffs, aren’t they? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/19 "2006-04-16T23:27:39Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Pilate didn’t want to have Jesus crucified, but Jesus was in Pilate’s custody, and custom dictated that he had to release a prisoner in honor of the local Passover holiday. Since all he had were Jesus and Barabbas, and the people demanded Barabbas, Jesus was crucified. [Nitpick]There were at least two other people (a couple of thieves, IIRC) who were crucified with Jesus, so I doubt that Jesus and Barabbas were Pilate’s only two choices.[/Nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878/20 "2006-04-16T23:51:52Z")
> [@gabriela](#): > > Disturbing the peace. > And creating a public nuisance. And littering? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/easter-question-what-law-did-jesus-break/352878.md?page=2)