​The first century was a volatile time for the nation of Israel. Rome was hated. Religious institutions had been corrupted. The ordinary people suffered injustices of many kinds. 

Jesus came on the scene c.a. 30 AD with a message of forgiveness. Jesus' message is that the path forward to peace is through forgiveness, not violence or hatred of one another (think Zealots). 

Jesus' message was that "a house divided cannot stand" (Matt. 12:25). One must be able to forgive their brother/sister for any upset that has been caused.

Even more than forgiving your fellow Israelite, you must also choose to forgive your enemy and those who persecute you.

This was a hard message to accept. In fact, they rejected it.  

"The Burnt House" museum in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. 
​This house was burned by the Roman army in 70 AD. 

​Over the next forty years, the violence towards and hatred of one another increased in Israel.

In 66 AD. Rome put it's boot down, and a war began. By 70 AD, Jerusalem was under siege. Eventually, under the command of Titus, the Roman army destroyed both God's Temple and the city of Jerusalem. 

As the Rabbi's reflected back on this period and how God's house could be destroyed a second time, the answer they arrived at was "baseless hatred."

"Baseless hatred" - they hated each other for no reason. 

Join us in this lesson as we compare Jesus' message of forgiveness with the idea of "Baseless Hatred."  

One can' help but recognize the similarities to the times in which we live today. 

To help you with your studies see the lesson plan below:

This is the second of two videos looking at the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Mark 12:1-12).  

In this video we will look at Psalm 118:22-24 - "the stone the builders rejected" - and look at how Jesus claims to be the "stone."  

Additionally, we will look at a Rabbininc saying that will help us understand a comment that is added in Matthew (Matt. 21:44) and Luke (Luke 20:18). 

​If Jesus is the stone - then woe to the one on whom it falls. 

Stones from the Temple Mount thrown down by the Romans in 70 AD. 

For more photos of the area known as Robinson's Arch at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem - Jerusalem Robinson's Arch

To help you with your studies - see the lesson plan below: 

Reference Material:

Brad Young, Jesus the Jewish Theologian -  has an extended discussion of this parable and the connections to Jewish thought.