Posted on 04/01/2022 10:21:48 AM PDT by Cronos
The Ethiopian and Coptic Orthodox Churches hold that Pontius Pilate, the governor who condemned Jesus Christ to death, later converted to Christianity himself. So they revere Pilate as a saint.
Pontius Pilate is a curious character in the New Testament. He is the symbol of Rome’s authority in Judaea, and yet he declines to punish Jesus for insurrection against that authority. When the Sanhedrin present their prisoner to him, Pilate cross-examines him and then famously declares to the crowd:
Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
John 19:4 Pilate offers the crowd an opportunity to pardon Jesus, but they decline. He therefore washes his hands of the whole affair and condemns Jesus Christ to crucifixion and death
One apocryphal text from the fourth century CE called The Acts of Pilate rehabilitated the governor. After the crucifixion, he summons “all the rulers and scribes, and doctors of the law” and tries to get to the truth of the matter. They conclude / confess:
And so it appears, that Jesus whom we crucified, is Jesus Christ the Son of God, and true Almighty God. Amen.
The Acts of Pilate The Medieval view of Pontius Pilate split into Western and Eastern traditions. The West vilified him and developed a long story about his fall and demise. But in some Eastern Christian traditions Pilate and his wife converted to Christianity themselves. In the Ethiopian and Coptic Christian Churches he and his wife are actually revered as saints. In the Ethiopian tradition their feast days are on June 25.
Again, returning to the Gospels, we see this tendency of showing Pilate in a favorable way in his efforts to get Jesus released. He is quoted as saying, “I find no guilt in him” (Jn 18:38) and as quickly releasing Jesus’ body to Nicodemus for prompt burial (Jn 19:38). (An unusually magnanimous gesture.)
The ancient historian Eusebius supports this claim by saying Pilate converted after seeing the many wonders that occurred after Jesus’ death, even reporting it to Tiberius.
And when the wonderful resurrection and ascension of our Savior were already reported abroad, in accordance with an ancient custom which prevailed among the rulers of the provinces, of reporting to the emperor the novel occurrences which took place in them, in order that nothing might escape him, Pontius Pilate informed Tiberius of the reports which were reported abroad through all Palestine concerning the resurrection of our Savior Jesus from the dead. He gave an account also of other wonders which he had learned of him, and how, after his death, having risen from the dead, he was now believed by many to be a God.
FIFY
Made sense—When trying to convert Romans you must stop vilifying them though Pilate and show he could be converted. I believe it because Jesus was such a compelling figure—he changed all who came in contact with him. Meeting this person altered one’s life. Mary Madeline is an example. Meeting this master, made one change ones life as part of a Devine plan for the betterment of all humanity. This even goes for Judas Iscariot.
We can also consider the long-term influence of Pilate’s wife, who was already favorable to Our Lord, and called him just. (St. Matthew 27:19)
On the other hand, Scripture says that Pilate was friendly with Herod after that day, and Herod is evil.
He washed his hands of it, and the Jews proclaimed to let “his blood be on our hands/heads.” Paraphrasing.
There are four Herod's in the NT. Herod the Great, who tried to kill infant Jesus, was the most evil. But that wasn't the Herod that Pilate befriended.
Pilate's Herod was the one who beheaded John the Baptist. Interestingly, much like Pilate didn't want to kill Jesus, Herod didn't want to kill John. Like Pilate, Herod felt pressured to do so (in his case, by his rash public promise to his lover's daughter).
Herod the Great, interestingly was “King of the Jews” and an usurper.
Here’s father was an Edomite, as was his mother. The Edomites were conquered by the Jewish king John Hyracanus around 100 BC and forcibly converted to Judaism. So his background would have made him edgy on hearing about a Jewish king of David’s bloodline in Bethlehem.
The Edomites were absorbed into the Jewish nation completely after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD
I would note that it was just the Jews in the crowd there. The Apostles were Jews as were most of Jesus’s disciples and , as was Jesus Himself.
I know the Herods are different, but while Pilate was intrigued by Our Lord, and “saw no guilt in the man”, Herod was contemptuous and mocking him from the start. Also, because of his behavior Our Lord did not even see fit to answer him, though He did answer Pilate.
Jesus wasn't interested in performing magic tricks for people whose hearts were closed to His message.
“just the Jews in the crowd there.”
Very true, but, who were the leaders who approved of it? Since the Jewish leaders approved...
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