Friday Apr 12, 2024

The historical figure of Pontus Pilate.

Homily for Good Friday

7^th April 2023

Little is known about the historical figure of Pontus Pilate, other than he was the Roman Prefect who served in Judea from A.D. 26 to 36. Some legends say he was born in Italy to an equestrian family, others say he was from a Scottish family. Philo of Alexandria, the Jewish philosopher, claimed in his writings in A.D. 50, that Pilate was not averse to “briberies, insults, robberies, outrages and wanton injuries, executions without trial”[i], and is extremely cruel. Though this was not an uncommon practice for Roman Rulers, it is noted that Pilate was “more ruthless than most”[ii].

Philo also writes about a time when Pilate allowed soldiers to bring military standards with an image of the emperor into Jerusalem. Many Jews travelled far and wide to surround Pilate’s palace and lay prostrate in protest “for five days until he relented”[iii] and had them removed.

The historical writer, Josephus, was born in Jerusalem at the end of Pilate’s time in Judea. He tells how Pilate robbed the Temple treasury to construct an aqueduct. Again, many in Jerusalem gathered in protest, but Pilate infiltrated the gathering with soldiers in plain clothes, who beat the protesters to death on his signal.

As long as Pilate kept Palestine quiet, Rome was content. If taxes were paid, the Roman authorities did not mind the Jews had a little self-rule.

Pilate lived, with his wife, Claudia, in Caesarea. Their marriage is claimed to be an arranged one to help “bolster Pilate’s political standing”[iv], because she “was the granddaughter of Emperor Augustus”[v], but was in exile with her mother, Julia, because of the latter’s promiscuous lifestyle.

Pilate wanted a quiet life and only travelled to Jerusalem during festivals when there was the potential for unrest. He had at his disposal three thousand troops. For Claudia to be with him during the Passover, was unusual as she needed her stepfather, Tiberius’s permission, which suggests she had genuine affection for Pilate.[vi]

When Jesus was presented to Pilate in court, he felt it was a waste of his time, as he did not see any political threat in this man. He wanted the Jewish leaders to sort the problem out themselves. It was more out of annoyance Pilate went inside to interrogate Jesus.

“Are you the King of the Jews? Pilate demanded. Jesus tells him his kingdom is not of this world.

“So you are a King?”

“Yes, I am a King,” replies Jesus. He then states that he had come into the world to bear witness to the truth.

“Truth. What is truth?” asks Pilate. He is not concerned about “truth, justice, [or] morality”[vii], he just needed to demonstrate “power, superior force and advantage”[viii]. To Pilate, Jesus was a joke with wishy, washy ideas and of no concern of his.

Going back to the Jews, he states there is no case against Jesus, and that under the Passover custom, he could release him as a goodwill gesture. But the Jews insisted on Barabbas being released instead. For a bit of a laugh, Pilate had Jesus scourged and dressed him as a king, hoping the crowd would be more sympathetic to this poor man, Jesus. But the mob wanted him crucified and would not relent.

Pilate’s plan backfired; the crowd were becoming more restless. He felt trapped. In the Gospel of Matthew we are told Claudia had also messaged him to have nothing to do with Jesus as he was an innocent man, having herself been tormented by a dream about him. She was the “only person who attempted to intervene on Jesus’s behalf”[ix].

Trying to reason with Jesus, who seemed to not respond, Pilate tells him he has the power to release him or crucify him. Jesus remarks that Pilate would have no power over him unless it had been given to him from above. Those who had brought Jesus to him were more guilty.

With the crowds baying for Jesus’s death, Pilate washes his hands of the murder but is unable to wash away his responsibility for not preventing it. At this point, Pilate demonstrates how weak he is. Jesus is led away and crucified. As Jesus hangs on the cross, Pilate orders a sign to hang with him. A statement of Pilate standing his ground, in claiming “Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews”[x]. He refused to relent at the Jew's request for the sign to be removed. Here, Pilate suddenly tells the truth, the Gospel truth.

References

[i] Klein, C. (2023). Why Did Pontius Pilate Have Jesus Executed?. [Online]. History.com A&E Television Networks, LLC.. Available at: https://www.history.com/news/why-pontius-pilate-executed-jesus [Accessed 7 April 2023].

[ii] Klein, 2023.

[iii] Klein, 2023.

[iv] Griffin, A. (2021). How Was Pontius Pilate's Wife Connected to Christ?. [Online]. . Available at: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holidays/how-was-pontius-pilates-wife-connected-to-christ.html [Accessed 7 April 2023].

[v] Griffin, 2021.

[vi] Griffin, 2021.

[vii] Edwards, P. Ed. (2009). Lost for Word?. Chawton: Redemptorist Publications. p.406

The historical figure of Pontus Pilate.

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