Pontius Pilate was the emblem of the Roman oppression in the province of Judea, existing since AD 6.
He moved his court to Caesarea and disdained the affairs in Jerusalem. Or rather, like many corrupt and greedy governors of provinces (I can mention Verres, made immortal by Cicero's work), he took advantage of his office to rob temples and local wealth.
He had the idea to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem, which was fine. Very useful. But instead of using the province's treasury, he robbed the Temple's treasury, which had nothing to do with the construction of public works.
Pontius Pilate was greedy, cruel, immoral.
And it's so enigmatic how the Gospels don't focus on these negative traits. But we need to read between the lines.
To understand how rotten his soul was.
He did want to crucify Jesus. If he had been a good man, he would have freed him immediately. Because he knew that he was not a real Zealot, and that he wouldn't have led a violent revolt against the army.
Yet he hated him, because he used to speak of a kingdom of Heaven. Of something superior, that someone so spiritually poor, could not understand.
But killing a healer, a preacher would have made him a monster.
So he devised a ploy. A very astute and sly move: he knew how the crowd used to consider Barabbas a national hero.
For he had killed a Roman, so he fought for the liberation of his own people.
So he told the people: it's you who decide which prisoner will be released.
It's obvious that the pro-Zealots people would have chosen Barabbas.
And so Pilate used this cunning and diabolical expedient to murder an innocent, yet to appear like an innocent saint, in the eyes of the people.
His monstrous deeds will end very badly: after violently repressing a revolt in Samaria, he will be charged with misconduct by the governor of Syria, and taken to Rome to be held accountable.
He moved his court to Caesarea and disdained the affairs in Jerusalem. Or rather, like many corrupt and greedy governors of provinces (I can mention Verres, made immortal by Cicero's work), he took advantage of his office to rob temples and local wealth.
He had the idea to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem, which was fine. Very useful. But instead of using the province's treasury, he robbed the Temple's treasury, which had nothing to do with the construction of public works.
Pontius Pilate was greedy, cruel, immoral.
And it's so enigmatic how the Gospels don't focus on these negative traits. But we need to read between the lines.
To understand how rotten his soul was.
He did want to crucify Jesus. If he had been a good man, he would have freed him immediately. Because he knew that he was not a real Zealot, and that he wouldn't have led a violent revolt against the army.
Yet he hated him, because he used to speak of a kingdom of Heaven. Of something superior, that someone so spiritually poor, could not understand.
But killing a healer, a preacher would have made him a monster.
So he devised a ploy. A very astute and sly move: he knew how the crowd used to consider Barabbas a national hero.
For he had killed a Roman, so he fought for the liberation of his own people.
So he told the people: it's you who decide which prisoner will be released.
It's obvious that the pro-Zealots people would have chosen Barabbas.
And so Pilate used this cunning and diabolical expedient to murder an innocent, yet to appear like an innocent saint, in the eyes of the people.
His monstrous deeds will end very badly: after violently repressing a revolt in Samaria, he will be charged with misconduct by the governor of Syria, and taken to Rome to be held accountable.