Quotes to support my side:

- Both Jewish and Roman soldiers were involved
- Blinzler states that it is out of the question that a Roman cohort commanded by a military tribune could have participated in the arrest of Jesus. Such a military unit consisted of six hundred men and it is unreasonable that so large a contingent would have been dispatched to arrest Jesus. Blinzer adds that if the Romans had arrested Jesus, he would surely have been taken immediately to the Roman prison.
- The Temple guard apparently accompanied the arrest party in order to transfer Jesus immediately to the custody of the High Priest. Such an arrangement would have required Pilate�s previous consent, for it certainly did not conform to the normal procedures of either Roman or Jewish law.
- In John�s Gospel, Judas is not only portrayed as betraying the whereabouts of Jesus, but he is even credited with initiating the arrest and leading the troops in seizing him. �Judas the traitor knew the place well, since Jesus had often met his disciples there, and he brought the cohort to this place together with a detachment of guards sent by the chief priests and the Pharisees, all with lanterns and torches and weapons� (Jn. 18:3)
- The story of his betrayal becomes a legendary way of expressing the Christian tradition embodied in the New Testament: that is, Jesus was undone by the Jews.
- According to Gospel accounts, after his arrest Jesus was lead away to the High Priest�s house where the Council of all the chief priests, elders, and scribes�that is, the Sanhedrin�was gathered.
- The Sanhedrin played a difficult role in the political and religious affairs of Israel, acting as the intermediary between the occupying forces of Rome and the subject Jewish people. The Jewish authorities actually had far greater autonomy during the direct rule of the Roman prefect than they had exercised during the stifling reign of Herod the Great�the �client king� who spared the Jewish people the immediate offense of foreign rule for some thirty years.
- Although there were members of the Sanhedrin from the Pharisaic party and from the lower order of the priesthood, the wealthy Jewish aristocracy, which centered around the Temple and its cultus, generally held sway in its decisions. The majority of these aristocrats, whether priests of laymen, were Sadducees. The High Priest himself was usually a Sadducee, and found his main support among the wealthy Sadducees of Jerusalem. While none of the Sadducees� own writings have survived, thereby making it difficult to define precisely the characteristics of their sect, other sources such as Josephus and Philo indicate that they were the conservative party within Judaism. They were ultraconservative in religious matters and tended to collaborate with the Romans in the political realm. They drew their support primarily from the High Priestly aristocracy and the wealthy classes of Jerusalem.
- At the time of Jesus, the Sadducees wielded the greatest authority in the Jewish circles which were most threatened by Jesus and his followers: the Temple authorities and the wealthy.
- The Jews which exercised effective influence in the circumstances which led to the death of Jesus were prominent members of the priestly aristocracy, persons of the Sudducaean persuasion.
- During the period of Jesus� life, and up to the Revolt of A.D. 66, the Sadducean aristocracy maintained the upper hand.
- Some Christians, as far as they are concerned, the contradictions in the gospels are blatant confirmations that the Jews were responsible for Jesus� death.
- It must be remembered that the Jewish leaders were a priestly aristocracy, who the Romans entrusted with the management with the management of Jewish domestic affairs.
- Jesus had not only challenged the position of the high priest and his party, he also constituted a menace to orderly government.
- Before releasing Barabbas, Pilate first asked the Jewish mob�s opinion as to what course of action ought to be followed with Jesus. The Jews pronounced sentence on Jesus, calling for his crucifixion. Pilate, still convinced of Jesus� innocence, tried once more to dissuade the crowd from causing Jesus� death: �Why, what harm has he done?� But to no avail: the crowd continued to shout for his crucifixion. Wishing to please the crowd, Mark says, and following their lead, Pilate then released Barabbas�
- Jesus was innocent (even Pontius Pilate testified repeatedly to his innocence), but the Roman prefect was compelled by a Jewish mob to crucify him.
- Pilate went so far as to wash his hands with water, declaring his own innocence and placing full responsibility for Jesus� death on the Jews.
- The Gospels make it clear that the Jews sentenced his death though the Romans carried out the actual execution.
- Pilate replied, �Take him yourselves and crucify him: I can find no case against him.� But the Jews insisted that Jesus had violated their Law by declaring himself Son of God.�Jn 19:6-7
- (Jn 19:35-40) Pilate answered, �Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?� Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, the would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence�. Pilate therefore said unto him, �Art thou a king then?� Jesus answered, �Thou sayest I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice�. Pilate saith unto him, �What is truth?� And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, �I find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?� Then cried they all again, saying, �Not this main, but Barabbas�.
- �and they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto use Barabbas�Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them. But they cried, saying, �Crucify him, crucify him�. And he said unto them the third time, �Why, what evil hath he done I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go� And they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.� (Lk 23:18-25)

Given an example�who is credited with the blame: A man is sentenced to death by a federal court. He is killed by lethal injection. Who is credited blame for his death: the government or the man (men) directed to give the injection? Would you say the government killed this man or the doctor with the needle?

Yes, the Romans carried out the actually execution of Jesus. But the Jews are responsible for his death, thus, the Jews killed Jesus.

This topic is of EXTREME controversy, there is a fine line that is walked upon in each gospel. There is no RIGHT answer and no WRONG answer.

I don�t understand why someone would stand by someone else�s comment when they so clearly make a mockery and a fool out of them.