10-29 Tiberius and the Jewish Messiahs

During this 20 year period (AD 10 - 29) the Roman Emperor Augustus died in AD 14 and was succeeded by his step-son, Tiberius (pictured).

From the start of Roman rule of Judea in 6AD - when Herod's son had failed to keep order - expectations about the imminent arrival of a messiah who would free them from foreign rule were met by several charismatic prophets who attempted, unsuccessfully, to lead the masses in revolt against the Romans.

Jesus of Nazareth was one of these charismatic Jewish prophets, but he was more interested in fulfilling the messianic prophecy and becoming King of the Jews than leading the masses to rebel against the Romans.

His fight, first, was with the priests in charge of the Temple in Jerusalem whose usurious practices were as repugnant to him as his teachings were to them.

Had Jesus succeeded in being recognized as the messiah - the King of the Jews - there is no doubt that his next fight would have been against the Romans, but in persuading the Roman Governor to order the execution of Jesus (ostensibly for treason, but actually for impiety) the Jewish priests succeeded only in empowering the followers of Jesus.