John 19:6 – When the chief priests and officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.”
Pontius Pilate has always fascinated me. He seemed to actually become a skeptical believer in Jesus in the story of the crucifixion. There are several instances in scripture where Pilate is given “pause” in his sentencing of Jesus. For example, he ordered a plaque to be positioned on the cross stating that Jesus is King of the Jews. That very statement on the cross was written in three languages, no less, for all passersby to see! Pilate must have felt some measure of conviction to have insisted that the sign be worded in this way. Furthermore, Pilate’s wife had a warning dream about Jesus and cautioned Pilate to “have nothing to do with that innocent man” (Matthew 27:19) After his wife’s warning, Pilate himself visually washed his hands in front of the masses, symbolizing his refusal to charge Jesus as guilty enough for crucifixion. And yet in the end, Pilate relinquished all responsibility for Jesus and turned him over to the mob to be crucified.
What happened? From New Testament writings, along with the works of the historian Josephus, it appears that Pilate was a conflicted soul. He governed Judea from 26 through 36 CE. From ancient writings we know that Pilate wanted to please his Roman superiors and was not afraid to use cruelty to earn praise. Although, in the case of Jesus, there were moments in scripture when it looked as if Pilate actually had a moral compass. Jesus intrigued Pilate, drew him in. This moment of consciousness was overridden by anxiety, however, as Pilate acquiesced to the masses in fear of being called a traitor to Rome.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Pilate died by suicide under orders from Emperor Caligula in 36 CE. His crime? He was accused of cruelty and oppression of the regions he oversaw. It is ironic to me that Pilate’s verdict and sentence was issued by Caligula, one of the cruelest emperors in all of Roman history. Pilate appears to have been too much, even for Caligula. History is much kinder to Pilate’s wife, Claudia Procula. She is venerated as a saint in the Ethiopian and Eastern Orthodox Churches for warning her husband to leave Jesus alone.
What can we learn from Pontius Pilate, the conflicted governor who found himself as judge of the most widely-known trial of all time? I think there is much we can learn! Pilate was a people pleaser, and his desire to please his superiors and quell an uprising at all costs, ultimately led to his demise. His repeated acts of cruelty defined his life, and resulted in his death. Conversely, Pilate’s wife is celebrated for her bravery and for speaking up at a time when it would have been all too easy to remain quiet. Individual, isolated actions over time combine to build a reputation and a legacy. How do we want to be remembered? What would Jesus say of the lives we’ve built?
Dear Lord, may our daily actions, thoughts, and words build the kind of legacy that would be pleasing to You. May we remember that the little things in life work together to define us. Character is built one action and word at a time.
Blessings to all in this first week of spring!
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