Pontius Pilate

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Pontius Pilate
Prefect of Roman Judaea
Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man"), Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pilate presenting a scourged Jesus to the people of Jerusalem.
Bornunknown
Italia, Roman Empire
Diedc. AD 37
Italia, Roman Empire
SpouseClaudia Procula
OccupationRoman governor of Judea

Pontius Pilate (/ˌpɒnʃəs ˈplət/ or /ˌpɒnti.əs ˈplət/;[1][2][3] Latin: Pontius Pīlātus, Greek: Πόντιος Πιλάτος, Pontios Pīlātos[4]) was the governor of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26 until 36.[5][6]

He was the sixth Procurator of Judaea. In modern times he is best known as the man who presided over the Trial of Jesus and ordered his crucifixion.

Pilate appears in all four canonical Christian Gospels. Mark, showing Jesus to be innocent of plotting against Rome, portrays Pilate as extremely reluctant to execute Jesus. The Jewish hierarchy was responsible for his death.[7] In Matthew, Pilate washes his hands of Jesus and reluctantly sends him to his death.[7] In Luke, Pilate not only agrees that Jesus did not conspire against Rome but King Herod also finds nothing treasonous in Jesus' actions.[7] In John, Jesus states: 'my kingdom is not of this world' when held by Pilate. (John 18:36)

Tacitus mentions in his Annales (15,44):[8] "Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus".[9]

Philo of Alexandria (Leg. ad Caj. 38) and Flavius Josephus (Antiq. 18:3, 4 and Bell. II:9, 2-4) also mention him.

Pilate's biographical details before and after his appointment to Judaea are unknown, but have been supplied by tradition, which include the detail that his wife's name was Procula (she is canonized as a saint in the Greek Orthodox Church).

Pilate's term serves as a reliable historical benchmark for Jesus' death.[source?]

Other websites[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. Lena Olausson, Catherine Sangster, ed. (2006). Oxford BBC Guide to Pronunciation. Oxford University Press.
  2. Timothy M. Milinovich, ed. (2010). Pronunciation Guide for the Lectionary. Liturgy Training Publications.
  3. Daniel Jones (2006). Peter Roach, James Hartman, Jane Setter (ed.). Cambridge Pronouncing Dictionary. Cambridge University Press.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
  4. pronounced /ˈpɔnʧəs ˈpaɪlət/; Latin: Pontius Pilatus, Greek: Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος
  5. "Britannica Online: Pontius Pilate". Britannica.com. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  6. Jona Lendering. "Judaea". Livius.org. Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Stephen L Harris (1985). Understanding the Bible. Mayfield,Palo Alto.
  8. auctor nominis eius Christus Tibero imperitante per procuratorem Pontium Pilatum supplicio adfectus erat "P. CORNELI TACITI ANNALIVM LIBER QVINTVS DECIMVS".
  9. "The Annals by Publius Cornelius Tacitus, Book 15".