"Quid est veritas?" What is the truth about Pontius Pilate?

Gloria Romanorum ^ | 4/15/17 | Florentius

[Netz]

Using your description:

“...to defend the innocent victim, Jesus, against the murderous lynch mob besetting Him”

You once again condemn the Jewish people as a murderous, lynch mob when Jesus himself was a Jew and there was no Christianity. This description is the source of Western Antisemitism.

Jesus claimed to be a Messiah in direct violation to what the Jewish (Jesus’own) teachings state there will be eventually.

Since his time we have witnesses what are called “False Messiahs” or “False Prophets”. Jesus can be seen as just another in a long line of Jewish rabble rousers yet, in his name, Paul created a new faith and did their best to eradicate the original Jewish religion by applying hatred and vilifying it for centuries.

[Antoninus]

You once again condemn the Jewish people as a murderous, lynch mob when Jesus himself was a Jew and there was no Christianity.

Oh, my bad. Those demanding the death of Jesus before Pilate were a peaceful group of social justice warriors who were offended because Jesus violated their theological safe space. Therefore, they were completely justified in calling for His death.

Considering Jesus Himself and all of His early Apostles and disciples were Jews, the charge of anti-semitism for describing those demanding His death as a murderous lynch mob is ludicrous. Were there evil men among the Sanhedrin? Yes. Were there good men among the Sanhedrin? Yes. Thus, the condemnation is not against "the Jews," but against wicked men who demanded the death of an innocent.

Otherwise, I reject your "The Shack" theology that says Jesus was just a Jewish rabble-rouser and that Saint Paul created Christianity. Such beliefs are revisionist and facile.

[af_vet_1981]

On the insistance of the Jewish heirarchy, Pilate is forced to act, as Jews were forbidden to carry out corporal action.

Forced ?

He chose of his own free will to crucify the King of the Jews, after his wife warned him, and even after Jesus asked Pilate if he was inquiring on behalf of himself or others, giving Pilate an opportunity for salvation.

Nonetheless, the scriptures had to be fulfilled, as they did concerning Judas' betrayal.

Judas hanged himself according to the scriptures. Pilate's end was not recorded in the scriptures. The closest historical accounts (Tacitus, Josephus, and Philo) are unfavorable yet the Ethiopian Orthodox regard him and his wife as saints.

[Slyfox]

No, I am a Catholic historian. I read between the lines for a living.

[ebb tide]

I read between the lines for a living.

So are you a politician or a judge?

[Slyfox]

Why are you upset with me and questioning me? I need more evidence about one thing. I happen to be doing research for a book I have been working on for 10 years where I have to line up all my facts for publication. It is just part of my nature to question. I really don’t care whether Pilate killed himself or not. And if he did, we cannot assign to him the same matters of the soul that surrounded Judas. Judas did have knowledge of God and was Jewish where self-murder was known to be a great evil. Pilate, on the other hand, had no such knowledge and his self-murder would be considered something different as a result.

[ebb tide]

Neither of the Marian doctrines of Her Immaculate Conception nor Her Assumption were promulgated until the past 170 years.

But that didn’t stop Catholics from believing so.

[ebb tide]

You misquote. The Catholic Encyclopedia does not state Pilate “seems” to have have committed suicide.

It states, “It is worthy of note that Pilate himself, who was governor in the time of our Saviour, is reported to have fallen into such misfortunes under Caius, whose times we are recording, that he was forced to become his own murderer and executioner; and thus divine vengeance, as it seems, was not long in overtaking him. This is stated by those Greek historians who have recorded the Olympiads, together with the respective events which have taken place in each period.”

The Catholic Encyclopedia also states, “And a few days after, sentence was therefore passed upon Pilate, that he should be condemned to the most disgraceful death. Pilate, hearing this, killed himself with his own knife, and by such a death ended his life.”

What good is a Catholic “historian” who ignores recorded history?

[ebb tide]

And if he did, we cannot assign to him the same matters of the soul that surrounded Judas. Judas did have knowledge of God and was Jewish where self-murder was known to be a great evil. Pilate, on the other hand, had no such knowledge and his self-murder would be considered something different as a result.

Pilate had knowledge that Jesus Christ was an innocent man and he stated such. Yet, Pilate turned Christ over to be executed.

Why is Pilate singled out in the Apostles' Creed and Judas is not mentioned?

[Slyfox]

I don’t really care.

[ebb tide]

As I said earlier, what good is self-proclaimed “Catholic historian” who doesn’t care?

[ebb tide]

True. That is why Pilate is singled out in the Apostles’ Creed.

[Slyfox]

Too bad. I really liked your posts.

[ebb tide]

“I don’t really care”.

[Zuriel]

**They help color in some peripheral bits of the picture painted by Scripture. If you reject anything you read that’s “extra-biblical”, why are you bothering to read anything on FR?**

Because I love truth. I taught my boys, as soon as they could comprehend, that faith in Santa Claus is idolatry. Of course I had to us simple terms such as, phony, fake, etc. Their mother and I told them the truth. They turned out just fine, no psychological scars or other nonsense.

This vain desire to ‘color’ stories is where we get much of the useless old wives tales that Paul warned about getting tangled up in. It’s useful for the the devil, as he can make up things that never happened, and turn it into doctrine.....like religions like to do.

People prosper financially and become famous (maybe even a ‘church father’) telling careful worded and entertaining stories, that only have a sliver of truth. Look at Joe Smith.

[Antoninus]

This vain desire to ‘color’ stories is where we get much of the useless old wives tales that Paul warned about getting tangled up in.

Here again, we have someone who is reading articles about Christian history on Free Republic and rebuking those who dare to read extra-biblical historical sources. Isn't Free Republic an extra-biblical source? If Scripture alone is sufficient for all understanding, why are you bothering to read anything else?

Don't worry, I'll answer the question for you: Without a solid understanding of the historical context within which Sacred Scripture was written, our understanding of Scripture will be deficient. This is why many Protestants become Catholic or Orthodox once they begin reading patristic literature.

[wally_bert]

Telly Savalas as Pontius Pilate.

puer quæ te diligit?

I ran it through an on-line translator so I'm prepared to be jumped on.

[2ndDivisionVet]

[Pelham]

” My question would be, who bore witness to that exchange? “

Jesus. He had plenty of opportunity after the resurrection to give John a verbatim account.

[Zuriel]

**Don’t worry, I’ll answer the question for you:**

Do you play chess against yourself as well?

**Without a solid understanding of the historical context within which Sacred Scripture was written, our understanding of Scripture will be deficient.**

Yes, yes, God was so lax at giving us the context of the scriptures. The historical perspective was so short on facts, like:

The time of creation.
The duration of the flood.
The ages of the principal fathers up through Joseph, and the nations that were around them during those times.
Then the approximate years Israel was in bondage.
Then the ages of Moses through the kings of Israel and Judah, and the nations that surrounded them.
Then the prophecies of Daniel, and the nations fortold by him.
Then the 400 yrs of silence from God.

I haven’t even scratched the surface of God’s sharing of historical context.

**This is why many Protestants become Catholic or Orthodox once they begin reading patristic literature.**

Itching ears is a big problem. Only made worse when not anchored in the scriptures. Teaching fables, such as Mary being omnipresent, is not very successful with folks anchored in the Word of God.