Claim: "His blood be on us and our children" means the Jews are cursed.
It rather means the opposite - Jesus' blood is a gift - the forgiveness of sins and the blessing of God.
During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, whomever they wanted. At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas. So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.) As he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent a message to him: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; I have suffered greatly as a result of a dreamabout him today.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!” He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”
When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” In reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified. Matthew 27:15-26 NET Bible
Throughout the Middle Ages and up to the twentieth century, many pogroms and persecutions were carried out against the Jews by unfaithful Christians who were not living by the gospel, the heart of which is love and forgiveness, and this rather notorious Bible verse was used by anti-Semites as the justification for their violence and hatred.
It was a great irony that in doing this, these nominal Christians of past ages were re-crucifying Christ, as the great Jewish artist Chagall realised, see this wonderful painting where he is making just this point.
Faithful Christians of all times have known that to be washed in the blood of Christ is to be forgiven and justified, cleansed of all sin.
This puts a different interpretation upon the phrase, “Let his blood be on us and our children”, does it not? We should all desire to have the blood of Jesus upon us, for His blood – the blood of the lamb of God – brings the forgiveness of sins.
The Jews are beloved of God, for the sake of their forefathers. And it may be that the partial hardening Paul speaks about in Romans 11 is ending. This should make Gentiles everywhere eager to slip in through the door of God’s kingdom, while it is still open a crack, before it closes forever!
For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The Deliverer will come out of Zion;
he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.
And this is my covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.”In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how unfathomable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?
Or who has first given to God,
that God needs to repay him?For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:25-36
ADDENDUM
This beautiful article speaks quite eloquently in Chagall’s own words about his love for Jesus.