Apparently most historians are extremely poorly educated. They claim that "Jews lacked a motive for killing Jesus," and that "it would be more accurate to blame the Romans for His death" since crucifixion was their specialty. Do these historians not read the Bible? The Jews had nothing but motives for killing Jesus (Matt. 26:3-5; Luke 22:1-2; John 5:16-18; 7:1, 19-20, 25; 8:37-44; 19:10-12; 18:36b; Acts 5:27-30). What was the single greatest motive for the Jews to kill Jesus?
"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am." Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple. John 8:56-59
"I and the Father are one." The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." John 10:30-31
Jesus identified Himself by the name that God had given to Moses in the desert—"I Am," and said that He and the Father were one. Unlike Muslims, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others cults, the Jews knew precisely what Jesus was saying. Look at their response: "You, being a man, claim Yourself to be God." Why else would they pick up stones to stone Him? Jesus was declaring that He was God. He declared His divinity even by giving Himself the title "Son of man." He was not acknowledging or declaring His humanity. (See this article.)
Each and every single Jew is not to blame for the killing of Jesus. Nevertheless, the Jews killed Jesus! It is no "myth," as ignorant individuals like to argue. There is no "idea" being "perpetuated." The Jews killed Jesus! The apostle Paul even acknowledges that the Jews killed Jesus in 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15. As with the apostle John in his Gospel, the term "the Jews" refers to those who opposed Messiah Jesus and His message, which predominantly was the hypocritical Jewish leaders: the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees. It never meant that each and every living Jew at that time, or since, is responsible for the death of Jesus.
Denying that the Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus is like denying that the holocaust ever occurred. God gave the nation of Israel many opportunities to repent and turn to Him. Yet, they rebelled in disobedience. That is what the prophecy in Isaiah 28 was about. God told Israel that some day He was going to speak to them through the languages of foreigners, which they deemed to be worthless in comparison to themselves, and that they would reject this and would subsequently be destroyed. On the day of Pentecost, part of this prophecy was fulfilled. As 1 Corinthians 14:22 says, "tongues are for a sign ... to unbelievers." They were a judgment sign upon unbelieving Israel. In A.D. 70, the rest of this prophecy was fulfilled.
To say that it would be more accurate to blame the Romans demonstrates a complete ignorance as to reality and truth. Open the Bible and read it! The Jews knew that they could not put someone to death of their own accord (John 18:31). This would bring the judgment of the Romans down upon them. They had to present their case to the Romans. Both Pontius Pilate and Herod questioned Jesus. Pilate found no fault with Him and wanted to let Him go. But what did the leaders of the Jews incite many of the Jews to do? They shouted all the more loudly, "Crucify Him!" (Matt. 27:22-23; Mark 15:13-14; Luke 23:21; John 19:15).
Realistically, we are all to blame for the killing of Jesus. The Jews pursued it; the Romans executed it; but it was our sin (all of us) that put Him there and drove the nails.