The Jewish historian Josephus provides what little information is known about Pilate's life before A.D. 26 when Tiberius appointed him procurator of Judea. The data suggests that Pilate was probably an Italian born Roman citizen whose family was wealthy enough for him to qualify for the middle class. Probably he held certain military posts before his appointment in Judea. He was married - Matt. 27:19 - bringing his wife, Claudia Procula, to live with him at Caesarea, the headquarters of the province. Pilate governed the areas of Judea, Samaria and the area south as far as the Dead Sea to Gaza. As procurator he had absolute authority over the non-Roman citizens of the province. He was responsible to the Roman governor who lived in Syria to the north. - Luke 2:2 -

Pilate never became popular with the Jews. He seemed to be insensitive to their religious convictions and stubborn in the pursuit of his policies. But when the Jews responded to his rule with enraged opposition, he often backed down, demonstrating his weakness. He greatly angered the Jews when he took funds from the Temple treasury to build an aqueduct to supply water to Jerusalem. Many Jews reacted violently to this act and Pilate's soldiers killed many of them in this rebellion. This is an examples of Jesus inviting repentance.

It was just about this time that some people arrived and told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, 'Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? There were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not, I tell you, No; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.' - Luke 13:1-5 -

In spite of this, Pilate continued in office for ten years, showing that Tiberius considered Pilate an effective administrator. Pilate's encounter with Jesus. Since the Jews could not execute a person without approval from the Roman authorities, the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to Pilate to pronounce the death sentence. - Mark 14:64 -

They then led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was now morning. They did not go into the Praetorium themselves or they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover. So Pilate came outside to them and said, 'What charge do you bring against this man?' They replied, 'If he were not a criminal, we should not be handing over to you' Pilate said, 'Take him yourselves and try him by your own Law'. The Jews answered, 'We are not allowed to put a man to death'. - John 18:28-31 -

But Pilate is convinced that Jesus was not guilty of anything deserving death and he sought to release Jesus, and at the same time he did not want to antagonize the Jews, and run the risk of damaging his own reputation and career.

It is your own people and the chief priests who have handed you over to me: what have you done? Jesus replied, 'Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind'. 'So you are a king then?' said Pilate. 'It is you who say it' answered Jesus. 'Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice'. 'Truth?' said Pilate 'What is that?'; and with that he went out again to the Jews and said, 'I find no case against him. But according to a custom of yours I should release one prisoner at the Passover; would you like me, then, to release the king of the Jews?' At this they shouted: 'Not this man', they said 'but Barabbas'. Barabbas was a brigand. - John 18:35-40 - Matt. 27:11-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:13-25 -

Thus, when they insisted on Jesus' crucifixion, Pilate turned Jesus over to be executed. - Pilate said, 'Here is the man'. When they saw him the chief priests and the guards shouted, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' Pilate said, 'Take him yourselves and crucify him: I can find no case against him'. 'We have a Law', the Jews replied 'and according to that Law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God'. When Pilate heard them say this his fears increased. Re-entering the Praetorium, he said to Jesus, 'Where do you come from?' But Jesus made no answer. Pilate then said to him, 'Are you refusing to speak to me? Surely you know I have power to release you and I have power to crucify you?' 'You would have no power over me' replied Jesus 'if it had not been given to you from above; that is why the one who handed me over to you has the greater guilt'....... So in the end Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. - John 19:6-16 -

Pilate is a good example of the unprincipled achiever who will sacrifice what is right to accomplish, his own selfish goals. Although he recognized Jesus' innocence and had the authority to uphold justice and acquit Jesus, he gave in to the demands of the crowd rather than risk a personal setback in his career for the salvation of his soul. Instead, he chose and submitted to sin against an innocent man life. This is a real temptation to all peoples who hold positions of power and authority.

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Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -