why was there no general riot among when Jesus was arrested?

[dio9]

Matthew 26:3
"Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill Him. 5 “Not during the festival,� they said, “so there won’t be rioting among the people.�

Caiaphas cautioned the conspirators not to arrest Jesus because he was afraid there would be rioting among the people.
Why was there no riot?
Did the people not really believe Jesus was the Messiah?
After All the wonders in Galilee where he made the blind to see and the lame walk, preached to and fed multitudes , where was the riot?

[bluethread]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness]

Jesus didn't have popular support of the Jerusalem religious community .
If such a thing happened today there would be riots for sure and in those days too there were riots uprisings against Roman occupation. But not for Jesus, why not?

Because people do not generally get involved in riots unless they are stirred up and/or they see something in it for themselves. Sure a lot of people liked what Yeshua did, but they weren't going to step up and defend Him. He didn't call for the overthrow of Roman rule like the Maccabees or Bar Kochba. He called for serious observance of HaTorah. The rewards he spoke of sounded good, but they were not bread and circuses. Even today, most of the demostrations here in the west are highly organized for the cameras. We saw this in the occupy Wall Street protests. They quickly divided between the idealistic intellectuals and the ne'r do well rabble. This conflict caused it to die out in short order.

[dio9]

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[TSGracchus]

why was there no general riot among when Jesus was arrested?

Probably because the real Jesus was never really popular and still isn't. Jesus disapproved of public prayer. Christians demand it and try to force it on everyone. Jesus disapproved of wealth. Christians think wealth is a sign of God's favor. Jesus advised people not to judge others. Christians condemn everyone who doesn't believe as they do, even ... especially ... other Christians.

In short there was no riot because Jesus, the real Jesus, a Jew, not the mythical, Christian, Biblical Jesus, has never been popular.

[bluethread]

why was there no general riot among when Jesus was arrested?

Probably because the real Jesus was never really popular and still isn't. Jesus disapproved of public prayer. Christians demand it and try to force it on everyone. Jesus disapproved of wealth. Christians think wealth is a sign of God's favor. Jesus advised people not to judge others. Christians condemn everyone who doesn't believe as they do, even ... especially ... other Christians.

In short there was no riot because Jesus, the real Jesus, a Jew, not the mythical, Christian, Biblical Jesus, has never been popular.

If by "public prayer" you mean prayer for the purpose of being seen praying, I agree to some extent. However, I do not think that He disapproved of praying in public. Also, I do not think that Yeshua disapproved of wealth. What I think he disapproved of was acquisitiveness. That is working simply for the purpose of aquiring more power and assets. He did not disapprove of the employment of ones power and assets in the furtherance of productive activity, which is a more accurate defintion oif wealth. The difference is the focus. One focuses on the consolidation of power and assets and the other is focused on encouraging human interaction. Third, He did encourage introspection and personal responsibility over focusing on the faults of others. However, He was no opposed the commandment to (Lev. 19:17-18) "Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt." However, he understood that is part of the commandments, "Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart." and "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself." So, in all of these things, it is not the specific activities, but the focus of those activities. The proper purposes of praying, wealth and confrontation is to improve one's character and help out one's fellow man.

[TSGracchus]

[Replying to post 14 by bluethread]

bluethread: "If by "public prayer" you mean prayer for the purpose of being seen praying, I agree to some extent. However, I do not think that He disapproved of praying in public."

You agree "to some extent". Would that be to the extent that you pray en masse before football games and political meetings?

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." --- Matthew 6:6 NIV

Or perhaps you only follow football and politics from the privacy of your room?

The point I'm trying to make (if you can focus on such a fine point), is that Christians, as anyone can observe, may follow Jesus "to some extent" as long it doesn't interfere with their own behavior.

bluethread: " Also, I do not think that Yeshua disapproved of wealth. What I think he disapproved of was acquisitiveness. That is working simply for the purpose of aquiring more power and assets. He did not disapprove of the employment of ones power and assets in the furtherance of productive activity, which is a more accurate defintion oif wealth."

"Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.�… Matthew 19:24 NIV

You seem to think he said what you want to hear, and not what he actually said. That is the point. I don't think he mentioned "productive activity". And perhaps he just wasn't focused enough on your "more accurate definition" of wealth?

bluethread: "The difference is the focus. One focuses on the consolidation of power and assets and the other is focused on encouraging human interaction."

Focus on what you want to hear. It doesn't matter that what he actually said goes out of focus, and gets just a little blurry.

bluethread: " Third, He did encourage introspection and personal responsibility over focusing on the faults of others. However, He was no opposed the commandment to (Lev. 19:17-18) "Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt."

Where did he say that he agreed with Leviticus? He didn't always follow the Torah. He gathered food on the Sabbath. He said that the Sabbath, and by implication, the law, was made to serve man not to enslave him.
Ahh! But you agree with Leviticus, so Jesus must also, because Jesus always agrees with you. Every Christian has a personal Jesus, and personal divinities have been fighting and killing each other since... only god knows!

bluethread: "However, he understood that is part of the commandments, "Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart." and "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself."

But it is quite all right to hate the non-Israelite, anyone who is not "your people", anyone you can see as a non-neighbor if you only adjust your focus? I think he sort of implied in the parable of the Samaritan that we are all, or might be, neighbors. But maybe not.

bluethread: " So, in all of these things, it is not the specific activities, but the focus of those activities. The proper purposes of praying, wealth and confrontation is to improve one's character and help out one's fellow man."

"And be sure you always do
Your good deeds
When there's someone watching you." --- Tom Lehrer, Be Prepared!

Focus on what you want to believe. Ignore those inconvenient out of focus blurs. That is what we humans do. Everybody does it. We have to make sure that we go along and that everyone can see how righteous we are, that we are conforming to the social norms.

That is the point I was trying to make. All around me, I see Christians, judging, gouging the mote out of their neighbor's eye with a splintery stick, pietistically, publicly, prominently praying, even patriotically praying to a piece of cloth, placing sacrifices on the altar of war, and storing up as much treasure as they can while neighbors starve, and are homeless. Some Christians are even (GASP!) Republicans! I don't evaluate Christianity by what Jesus said. I evaluate it by what I see Christians do, by the fruits of the blasted tree.

I don't judge Christians, just as I don't judge the victims of a crippling, disfiguring and deadly disease. Indeed, I pity them. But I don't really have much fondness for the disease. Still, they could cure themselves if they really wanted to, but then they wouldn't fit in.

Christianity is not really about Jesus or his teachings. Judaism isn't about Moses. Religion is not about doctrine, dogma, ritual, or scripture. It is about fitting in.

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple." --- Luke 14:26 NIV

When is the last time you heard that from a pulpit?

[JehovahsWitness]

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple." --- Luke 14:26 NIV

When is the last time you heard that from a pulpit?

What do you believe Jesus meant by those words?

[TSGracchus]

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple." --- Luke 14:26 NIV

When is the last time you heard that from a pulpit?

"What do you believe Jesus meant by those words?"

The most charitable interpretation I can put on them is that he meant that it was unacceptable to do an evil deed because it would somehow interfere with your family relationships, or your profits, and you should not partner yourself to evildoing even to save your own life.

[JehovahsWitness]

"If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple." --- Luke 14:26 NIV

When is the last time you heard that from a pulpit?

"What do you believe Jesus meant by those words?"

The most charitable interpretation I can put on them is that he meant that it was unacceptable to do an evil deed because it would somehow interfere with your family relationships, or your profits, and you should not partner yourself to evildoing even to save your own life.

So you interpret "hate your mother and father etc " to mean "don't do evil"?

[TSGracchus]

[Replying to post 18 by JehovahsWitness]

JehovahsWitness: "So you interpret 'hate your mother and father etc 'to mean 'don't do evil'?"

No, as I clearly stated, the most charitable interpretation I can put on that passage is, "Don't use your family as an excuse. Don't even use your fear of death as an excuse." For examples: "I had to steal to keep my poor old father from being evicted." "If I hadn't joined the lynch mob they might have lynched me!" It may seem a bit harsh, but it seems to me Jesus could be a bit harsh.

"But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." -- Matthew 7:14 NIV

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 18 by JehovahsWitness]

JehovahsWitness: "So you interpret 'hate your mother and father etc 'to mean 'don't do evil'?"

No, as I clearly stated, the most charitable interpretation I can put on that passage is, "Dont use your family as an excuse. Don't even use your fear of death as an excuse." ...

So you interpret "hate" (your family etc) ...to mean "don't use as an excuse" ?