While the Roman government put Jesus to death, God holds the Jews of that time responsible for crucifying Jesus. First, we have the Jews’ own words to Pilate. Mark 15:14, “Then Pilate said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they cried out all the more, ‘Crucify him!’” John 19:15, “Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’”

The prophet Zechariah directly identifies the Jews of that time as the ones who crucified Jesus. Speaking of the time when the Jewish nation will be converted, Zechariah prophesied, “I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they (the Jews) will look on me whom they pierced…” Zechariah 12:10. “And again another scripture says, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” John 19:37.

These scriptures teach that the nation of Israel will recognize their sin. And then they will repent. Zechariah 12:10, “…then they will look on me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn.”

Then Jesus’ prophecy will be fulfilled, “Your house is left to you desolate (at 33 A.D.) and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.” Luke 13:34-35. This will occur at their conversion.

The Apostle Paul explained that Israel was put into God’s disfavor (for 1845 years, from 33-1878 A.D.), but they are not in disfavor forever. Romans 11:1-2, 20, 25-27, 29, “…Has God cast away His people? Certainly not!… God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew…Because of unbelief they were broken off…blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (until the Bride of Christ – the faithful followers of Jesus – is complete). And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins…For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

God promised many times throughout the Old Testament that He would forgive Israel’s sins. One such promise is in Jeremiah 31:33-34, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people…For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Therefore, even though the Jews of that time were responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion, let us never be hateful nor punishing to them. The nation of Israel is God’s chosen people. We should now comfort them. Isaiah 40:1, “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’ says your God. ‘Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.”

Additional Resources:
To clearly understand the events that led to Jesus’ death, we can examine a really simple question – “Who crucified Jesus?” The most obvious answers are “the Jews,” as provoked by their leadership, and “the Romans.” These are two groups of people who were very much at odds with each other. That just makes us ask another question – did they collaborate together on this or was there more to it? Well, there was more to it – MUCH more.

(Video): “The Politics of the Crucifixion”

Christian Questions Podcast
Episode # 965: “How Were Politics Part of Jesus’ Crucifixion?”
The Pharisees, the Sadducees and the politics of the crucifixion
CQ Rewind Show Notes