Pontius Pilate - The Man Who Washed His Hands

The Pilate Inscription at Caesarea

PONTIUS PILATE

I have had requests for a post on Pontius Pilate, so I thought I would share with you in this article.  That he is an actual individual, and not someone who was just made up, the picture to the left shows an inscription from Caesarea, discovered in 1961 on a limestone block dedicated to Tiberius Caesar from "Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea."  As a person of history, Pontius is his family name indicating he was of the tribe of Pontii.  He was appointed by Tiberius in A.D.26 and made Caesarea Maritima his official residence and designated it the Roman Capital of Judea under direct control of the Roman Government. This area included all of the southern half of Palestine, Idumea and Samaria.   His official title was " procurator cum porestate, (possessing civil, military, and criminal jurisdiction)" although his chief responsibility was fiscal to the Roman Government.  According to Flavius Josephus, Jewish/Roman historian of the day (Ant, XVIII, iv, 2) Pilate held the office in Judea for 10 years. 

To say that Pilate receives mixed reviews, goes without saying. What ruler doesn't? There is one thing for certain, Pilate was a Roman at heart, and his actions demonstrate such. Pilate made an immediate impression upon the Jews of the day by moving his army headquarters from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Marching into Jerusalem bearing Roman standards and the image of the "divine emperor" he set up the headquarters right in the corner of the Temple in a palace-fortress designated "The Fortress of Antonia"(Josephus Ant. 18.3.1-2; Wars 2.9.2-4). To say that his relationships with the Jews were stressed during this 10 year  period is a matter of historical record. There are numerous other incidents, to which the Jews were virtually incited to riot that are too long for this post. 

Bronze coin of Pontius Pilate,
 Procurator of Judaea. Roman,
 AD 30/1 From Judaea
 (modern Israel). British Museum.

What is interesting about the historical encounter, is that it is not just the Bible that confirms Pilate's meeting with Jesus. The crucifixion of Jesus takes place around AD.30-33 depending upon sources consulted. If so, then this encounter takes place about midway through Pilate's tenure. While the Bible is more concerned about Jesus than Pilate, the encounter is recorded long enough to show us in the scripture, what history shows us in the man. He is a man known in historical record for at times indecisive, questionable and politically motivated decisions. That Pilate was politically motivated in the death of Jesus, is a matter of both scripture and historical record.

What happens to him after this though? Josephus (Ant, XVIII, iv, 1, 2) states that a religious fanatic arose in Samaria who promised the Samaritans that if they would assemble on Mt. Gerizim, he would show them the sacred vessels which Moses had hidden there. A great multitude of people came but were attacked by Pilate's cavalry, and many were slaughtered. The Samaritans therefore sent an emissary to Vitellius, the legate of Syria (immediately above rank to Pilate), to accuse Pilate of murdering innocent people. Vitellius, wanted to maintain friendship with the Jews, therefore removed Pilate from office and appointed Marcellus in his place. Pilate is ordered to go to Rome and answer the charges made against him before the emperor. Pilate set out for Rome, but, before he could reach it, Tiberius had died and Gaius (Caligula) had succeeded as Emperor. From this point onward history knows nothing more of Pilate from scripture or history.  Speculative theories however are rampant - some saying that he was exiled to Gaul and there committed suicide, while others state he was thrown into the Tiber River or buried on some unknown mountainside. Other fanciful legends have him becoming a Christian and have him commemorated as a saint.

It is interesting to me, that while Pilate faded into history, Jesus became emblazoned in it.  

Jim