Oddbean

Great write up. I loved reading this. Since it's Easter, let's be sure to remember what this was all about and not what it was not about. The days chronicled here, came to be called Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and then Easter Sunday. Maundy Thursday refers to the "last supper" when Jesus identified Judas as his betrayer. Maundy came from Jesus command to love one another. (The Latin mandamus, mandatory, is the root for maundy.) Jesus said we are to love our neighbors, neighbors being everone else, just as he first loved us. All of the events leading to Jesus' betrayal, pseudo-trial, crucifixion, death, and resurrection were the culmination of his plan from the beginning...to atone for man's sin. Everything chronicled here looks well researched historically, i learned lots, and I really enjoyed reading through it, though I'd encourage folks to remember: Jesus was not on a fix-the-money mission. He had a laser-focussed mission of fix-the-sin. We've all heard, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evils," (1 Timothy 6:10, ESV). I think people often wrongly quote it as, "money is the root of all evil." The bible syas it's the "love of money," meaning the problem is actually man's sinful heart, not the metal or paper money. I like the ESV or NIV versions: all KINDS of evils. As is pointed out here, Herod, Pontious Pilate, the religious leaders during Jesus' time (and throughout history), the money exchangers with their table in the temple court, and many other rulers fall into this sin. When Jesus said to, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's..." (Mark 12:17), he was saying to follow the laws instituted by legal authorities. Bitcoiners likely may not like the lesson, but the Bible does instruct ua to adhere to legal authorities...including taxation. (See Romans 13:1.) This is a hard pill to swallow. We see corruption, greed, mismanagement, outright stealing, maybe even worse. Yet, still abide by laws and rules? Tough. Anyway, quick summary... Money run by men is broken because of sinful, imperfect man. Jesus came to fix sinful, broken man, not the broken money.