My Lengthy Reply

I have a rule that if my comment became too lengthy, I make it into a post. This is in reply to a very interesting post by @offgridlife, that can be read here.

Originally here:
https://yeshuhanotzri.blogspot.com/2016/02/execution-of-yeshu-ha-notzri-on-eve-of.html

Hung on a Tree

The Talmud Sanhedrin 43a, states that Yeshu ha Notzri was both stoned and hung from a Tree. Do the Gospel accounts or any other non-Biblical accounts indicate in any way that jesus was Stoned and then hung on a Tree? Acts 5:30: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree [xulon]."

Yes, I believe Yeshua was crucified on a tree, He carried the crossbeam up to the Mount of Olives. I also believe the Temple curtain that ripped was the huge OUTSIDE curtain, which could be seen from the mountain.

Very few people have recognized the idea of Yeshua crucified on an actual tree, perhaps it was even the fig tree which He had previously cursed near Bethany (on the Mount of Olives).

I also believe He was stoned WHILE on the tree, after being left there by the Romans.

The Authority of Yeshua

Jesus was not stoned and hung on a tree to die for claiming to be the “Son” of God, but for claiming to be God. Creator of the Universe.

I used to believe this also, but upon further study I came to understand that Yeshua always remained under the authority of His Father. He is not given the THRONE of God, all power and authority is given to Yeshua, yet the Father is greater than Him in regards to the throne.

Joseph is our template to understand the position and authority given to Yeshua by His Father. When Pharaoh (a type of the Father) made Joseph (a type of the son) ruler in Egypt (a type of the world), He granted authority of the entire "house" (a type of the house of Israel) to Joseph (the son), but Pharaoh (the Father) will be greater than Him (the son) in regards to the THRONE.

You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.” Genesis 41:40

The Sin of Blasphemy

The stoning on the tree was for supposed "blasphemy" (Leviticus 24:16). According to Jewish Law, blasphemy could not be punished unless the NAME of God is Uttered, ensuring it wasn't a mistake or misunderstanding.

The blasphemer is punished only if he utters the [Divine] Name. Tractate Sanhedrin 55b-56a

Yeshua never claimed to be God or equal to God although He fulfilled prophecy, and performed signs and miracles in the Name of His Father. He did claim to "come in the name of YHVH", referring to himself as "the son of man who sits at the right Hand of YHVH." a description of the SON OF GOD. This fits with the conversation before His conviction:

And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. Matthew 26

It's very likely Yeshua didn't say "right hand of Power", He said "right hand of YHVH".

Equal With God?

Evidence of this, is that when they heard Him "utter" this NAME and they "heard his blasphemy", they didn't need any further witnesses. They believed that the only one with the authority to pronounce that NAME of God (with certain exceptions) is God Himself. Therefore by "uttering" this name openly among common or unclean people, Yeshua was supposedly "blaspheming" the Holiness of the Name and claiming the position and authority of God.

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. John 5:18

Both of these accusations were false, neither did Yeshua break the Sabbath nor make Himself equal with God.

Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped Philippians 2:6

The High Priest asks if Yeshua is "the Son of the Blessed" and Yeshua answers in the affirmative by saying "I am".

The high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? Mark 14

When the High Priest refers to God, he calls Him "the Blessed", yet when he hears Yeshua speak the forbidden four-letter NAME of God, (recorded in scripture as "Power") he tore his garments.

The Forbidden NAME of Which Yeshua Speaks

Later in acts, the ineffable name of God is described as "The NAME of Jesus", a shortened form of "The [forbidden] Name of [which] Jesus [spoke]." This was the supposed crime He was stoned for while being crucified by the Romans.

“What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this NAME.”

The Sanhedrin was in a difficult position - they were required to stone any person who utters "the [forbidden] Name of [which] Jesus [spoke]", but people were doing mighty miracles in this NAME and being BAPTIZED in this NAME.

“I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the NAME of [which] Jesus Christ of Nazareth [speaks], rise up and walk!

Later it continued further and not only were believers in Yeshua uttering the Holy Name of God, but began saying "Yeshua [comes in the name of] YHVH" as a profession of faith, intentionally uttering the NAME of God to be saved. (Joel 2:32)

I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. John 5:43

Confessing with your mouth, uttering the NAME, professing that Yeshua "comes in the NAME of YHVH" could result in the believer literally "bearing your cross" because you would have committed what was viewed as "blasphemy" by the religious leaders in Israel and STONED in the same manner as Yeshua the Messiah, Son of the Living God.

The Stoning of Stephen

I believe this is what happened to Stephen:

"You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did. Which of the prophets did your fathers fail to persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And now you are His betrayers and murderers— you who received the law ordained by angels, yet have not kept it.”

The phrase "ordained by angels" may be an edit hiding his actual words... "ordained by YHVH"

On hearing this, the members of the Sanhedrin were enraged and they gnashed their teeth at him.

Enraged by hearing the utterance of the NAME?

But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Again, the phrase "right hand of God" may have been spoken as "right hand of YHVH", causing them to cover their ears and cry out.

At this they [the false witnesses] covered their ears, cried out in a loud voice and rushed together at him [Stephen]. They [the false witnesses] dragged him [Stephen] out of the city and began to stone him.

Could this be because they heard him utter the NAME?