Herod Antipas looks for Jesus
Jesus shines at the Transfiguration
Map of Judea, ruled by Pilate AD 28
Map of Judea, ruled by Pilate AD 28
Map of Judea, ruled by Pilate AD 28
Israel's territory of Judea in Roman times was part of the larger Roman province of Judea. Romans established it after the Roman Empire had conquered the region in 63 BC.
The Roman governor rule the province included Judea proper, Samaria, and Idumea. Pontius Pilate was one of the governors.
Governor Pilate
Pontius Pilate was the fifth prefect (governor) of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius during the trial of Jesus Christ. He is known for his role in the crucifixion of Jesus, as depicted in the New Testament. Historians debate Pilate's actions during this event. Some say he was reluctant to carry out the execution and others paint him as a ruthless authority seeking to suppress dissent. Regardless of his true intentions, Pilate's name has become synonymous with the power and cruelty of the Roman Empire in Judea.
The Roman presence in Judea triggered a series of big events in the Bible. It was during the Roman occupation that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and eventually crucified in Jerusalem. In Judeo-Christian tradition, the Roman Empire is represented as the oppressive power that ruled the region and allowed the persecution of Jews by their neighbors.
Judea: King David's home
Judea was home to a number of key biblical figures, including King David and King Solomon. It was also the site of important biblical events such as the birth, ministry, and execution of Jesus Christ.
Jewish revolts
The Roman occupation of Judea was marked by numerous uprisings, some of which had religious motivations. Zealots, a group of Jewish rebels, believed in the imminent arrival of the Messiah. They saw the Roman presence as a desecration of Jewish land. This led to a number of rebellions against the Roman authorities during the first century AD, such as the Great Jewish Revolt from 66-73 AD. These uprisings ultimately ended in AD 70 with Roman crushing the revolt and destroying the Second Temple, a traumatic event in Jewish history. The Temple has never been rebuilt.
Written by AI Chat
Edited by Miller
For Pilate's story, Matthew 27, Casual English Bible
Compare other Bible versions at Bible Gateway
Unforgivable sin video
Unforgivable sin video
The forever sin
QUESTION
Pastors say one of the most common questions they get during counseling with people who know at least a little about the Bible is that they are afraid they are going to hell because they sinned against the Holy Spirit. Mark said,“There is no forgiveness for those who slander the Holy Spirit. That sin lasts forever” (Mark 3:29 Casual English Bible).That shocking quote from Jesus also shows up in the Gospels of Matthew (12:31-32) and Luke (12:10). It sounds as though we could be in big trouble if we give the Holy Spirit a good cussing out. What’s a pastor to say?
ANSWER
The footnote to this verse in the Casual English Bible might be a good place to start:“The word is more literally ‘blaspheme.’ It’s not clear what Jesus meant by this. Matthew reports that Jesus said this after some Pharisees accused him of casting out demons by the power of Satan (Matthew 12:22-27). Given that context, some scholars say the sin is crediting Satan with a miracle performed by the Holy Spirit. Others suggest it is simply a person’s persistent unwillingness to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, which describes the critics Jesus faced. For people who fear they have committed the unforgivable sin, Bible experts point them to 1 John 1:9, which says that if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. Period.”The way the story flows in Matthew’s account is that Jesus had just healed a man who was triple-dipped in trouble. The man was demon possessed, blind, and unable to talk. Pharisees knew that healing this man was the kind of thing God would do, and not the kind of thing Satan would do. Yet they talked themselves out of believing that God did it. And they talked themselves into believing Satan did it. They looked into the eyes of the Son of God who had just healed this man, and they called him the son of Satan. People who are that intent on not seeing God when he is standing right there in front of them will, in fact, not see him. God won’t forgive people who refuse to acknowledge him or their sins. That, perhaps, is the bad news Jesus delivered to the Pharisees. But for people today who are worried that they’ve committed a sin that can never be forgiven, their worry is evidence that they haven’t committed it. That’s what many pastors tell the people they counsel. If we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us. It’s a message that shows up throughout the Bible.
“Turn away from sinful living. If you do that, God will forgive you and erase your sins” (Acts 3:19).