A Life for God: A Rabbi’s Analysis of Life, the Cross, and Eternity

by Greg Hershberg

just like the prophets had said, Yeshua went on to say, “For he will be handed over to the Goyim [nations] and be ridiculed, insulted and spat upon. Then, after they have beaten him, they will kill him. But on the third day he will rise” (Luke 18:32-33). He foretold exactly what would happen to Him. He was handed over to the Romans because the Jews didn’t have the authority in their laws to crucify anyone. They couldn’t do it. The Romans, however, crucified people on a regular basis. Why was He handed over to the Gentiles? Well, God used the Gentiles to punish Israel for their sin, so Yeshua had to be handed over to the Gentiles to pay for their sin. He was handed over to them, and they took Him to their courts where He was ridiculed, insulted, spit on, beaten, and then killed – just like He said.