Old Lutheran Quote of the Day

Yet one must not interpret this to mean that God the Lord implanted such murderous thoughts into the hearts of Judas, Herod, Pilate, and the rulers of the people or compelled them to act thus in order to accomplish His decree, for that would be contrary to Scripture, which testifies that God is not the cause of sin nor forces anyone to sin. Instead, one must understand this hand and counsel of God within the context of Christ's suffering; namely, that God the Lord allowed the enemies of Christ enough leeway so that they were able to bring to completion the murderous plot against Him, which the Devil had inspired within them and which had been nurtured within by their own hatred and envy. And God the Lord permitted the Devil and his tools this, not because He had pleasure and delight in their evil deeds, but because He knew how to direct this suffering of Christ to a blessed end; namely, for the redemption of the human race. -- Johann Gerhard, *An Explanation* p. 51,52