Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For centuries, Jews were blamed for the crucifixion of Jesus. But the story starts in Roman-ruled Judea, where only Roman authority could carry out a punishment like this. The Gospels, written later, reflect debates within the Jewish world at the time. Over the years, a local conflict was turned into a much broader accusation, shaping attitudes and causing harm far beyond its original context.
0:00 Intro
0:50 Ancient Judea Under Rome
3:13 Rome in the Province
4:12 Jesus of Nazareth
6:30 The Temple and Its Economy
8:26 Pontius Pilate in History
10:00 How the Gospels Assign Blame
12:55 The Line That Changed Everything
15:27 The Legacy of the “Jews Killed Jesus” Claim
16:08 The Vatican Statement of 1965
17:57 Echoes in the Modern World
Sources
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (New Testament).
Tacitus. Annals, Book 15 (c. 116 CE).
Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews (c. 93-94 CE).
Josephus. The Jewish War (c. 75 CE).
Philo of Alexandria. On the Embassy to Gaius (Legatio ad Gaium) (c. 40 CE).
Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 9b (on "sinat chinam" - baseless hatred).
Jeremiah (Hebrew Bible).
Ezekiel (Hebrew Bible).
Second Vatican Council. Nostra Aetate (Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions), October 28, 1965.
Fredriksen, Paula. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews: A Jewish Life and the Emergence of Christianity. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1999.
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youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1
Recommended video – Why Don't Jews Believe in Jesus? - youtu.be/6BosIU_YI-8?si=PN47twbBneVG-lcW
We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch
Let’s connect:
Website — https://www.Unpacked.media
Instagram — /unpackedmedia
Twitter — /unpackedmedia
TikTok — /unpackedmedia
Facebook — /unpackedmedia
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Image and footage credits:
Photo used with permission of AAEJ Archives Online
Israeli Government Press Office: Zoltan Kluger, Moshe Milner
Yaki Zimmerman
IDF Spokesperson's Office
David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Acknowledgment is also given to 19th century artist James Tissot, whose work features prominently in the film
-----------
Executive Producers:
Michael Steinhardt
Co-Executive Producers:
Marc Shmuel Levine
Iris & Shalom Maidenbaum
Gold Level:
The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life
-----------
Translation credits:
Portuguese: Saymon Pires
About Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern State of Israel, we explain it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion.
Understand Jewish holidays, Israeli politics, Jewish diasporic communities, and more. Learn about Judaism in pop culture, debunking myths about Jews, and explore obscure Israeli landmarks. We’re asking questions as basic as “What is the Talmud?”, and as obscure as “How did hip-hop boost Kosher wine sales?”, and everything in between.
About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking.
#jesus #history #judaism
For centuries, Jews were blamed for the crucifixion of Jesus. But the story starts in Roman-ruled Judea, where only Roman authority could carry out a punishment like this. The Gospels, written later, reflect debates within the Jewish world at the time. Over the years, a local conflict was turned into a much broader accusation, shaping attitudes and causing harm far beyond its original context.
0:00 Intro
0:50 Ancient Judea Under Rome
3:13 Rome in the Province
4:12 Jesus of Nazareth
6:30 The Temple and Its Economy
8:26 Pontius Pilate in History
10:00 How the Gospels Assign Blame
12:55 The Line That Changed Everything
15:27 The Legacy of the “Jews Killed Jesus” Claim
16:08 The Vatican Statement of 1965
17:57 Echoes in the Modern World
Sources
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (New Testament).
Tacitus. Annals, Book 15 (c. 116 CE).
Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews (c. 93-94 CE).
Josephus. The Jewish War (c. 75 CE).
Philo of Alexandria. On the Embassy to Gaius (Legatio ad Gaium) (c. 40 CE).
Babylonian Talmud, Yoma 9b (on "sinat chinam" - baseless hatred).
Jeremiah (Hebrew Bible).
Ezekiel (Hebrew Bible).
Second Vatican Council. Nostra Aetate (Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions), October 28, 1965.
Fredriksen, Paula. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews: A Jewish Life and the Emergence of Christianity. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1999.
Subscribe and turn on your notifications so you don’t miss future uploads!
youtube.com/UNPACKED?sub_confirmation=1
Recommended video – Why Don't Jews Believe in Jesus? - youtu.be/6BosIU_YI-8?si=PN47twbBneVG-lcW
We have merch! – http://shop.Unpacked.media/?utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=video-description&utm_campaign=merch
Let’s connect:
Website — https://www.Unpacked.media
Instagram — /unpackedmedia
Twitter — /unpackedmedia
TikTok — /unpackedmedia
Facebook — /unpackedmedia
-----------
Image and footage credits:
Photo used with permission of AAEJ Archives Online
Israeli Government Press Office: Zoltan Kluger, Moshe Milner
Yaki Zimmerman
IDF Spokesperson's Office
David Rumsey Map Collection, David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Acknowledgment is also given to 19th century artist James Tissot, whose work features prominently in the film
-----------
Executive Producers:
Michael Steinhardt
Co-Executive Producers:
Marc Shmuel Levine
Iris & Shalom Maidenbaum
Gold Level:
The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life
-----------
Translation credits:
Portuguese: Saymon Pires
About Explainers: From ancient Jewish traditions to the modern State of Israel, we explain it all. Diving into anything and everything related to Jewish culture, history, and even religion.
Understand Jewish holidays, Israeli politics, Jewish diasporic communities, and more. Learn about Judaism in pop culture, debunking myths about Jews, and explore obscure Israeli landmarks. We’re asking questions as basic as “What is the Talmud?”, and as obscure as “How did hip-hop boost Kosher wine sales?”, and everything in between.
About Unpacked: We provide nuanced insights by unpacking all things Jewish. People are complex and complicated — yet we’re constantly being pushed to oversimplify our world. At Unpacked we know that being complex makes us more interesting. Because of this, we break the world down with nuance and insight to drive your curiosity and challenge your thinking.
#jesus #history #judaism
