Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea who condemned Jesus to crucifixion, but shifted the blame to the Jews. He was unpopular and removed from office after ten years. Legends abound about his life and death, including a well-known one about Tiberius falling ill and blaming Pilate for Jesus’ death.
Pontius Pilate was the Roman prefect, or governor, of Judea from AD 26 to 36, best known for his appearance in the New Testament. He was officially responsible for condemning Jesus to crucifixion, although he had “washed his hands” of the matter, shifting the blame to the Jews. Little is known of him outside of the appointment of him in Judea, but some legends exist.
According to Biblical accounts, the Sanhedrin, the Jewish legislative body, arrested Jesus and handed him over to Pilate after questioning, as they considered him a threat to organized religion. According to the synoptic gospels – Matthew, Mark and Luke – Pilate did not consider Jesus a political threat after conducting his own trial. However, he offered the audience a choice of a prisoner to release, Jesus or a man named Barabbas, and they chose Barabbas. Pilate then literally washed his hands in front of the crowd, claiming that he was not responsible for Jesus’ execution, although the official decision of him was his. Several Christian groups today are divided over the prefect’s responsibility in the matter.
A contemporary Jewish historical account of Pilate, by the author Josephus, relates that he was not well liked by the Jews and that he repeatedly came into conflict with them over religious issues. Although he removed the Roman war standards after a Jewish outcry against them, he reportedly used Temple funds to build an aqueduct and violently put down the resulting uprising. He was so unpopular as governor that he was removed from office after ten years.
Accounts of Pilate’s life before and after his tenure as governor are varied. There is no consensus as to where he was born or the circumstances of his death, although traditions abound. Sometimes he is said to have committed suicide, and other times that he was executed by the Roman emperor Tiberius. Some stories claim that the bodies of water constantly rejected his corpse.
A well-known legend has it that Tiberius fell seriously ill and asked to see Jesus, of whom he had heard of miracles. Pilate stopped, fearing to give Tiberius the news that Jesus was dead. A woman named Veronica then traveled to Rome with her handkerchief, which exhibited a miraculous image of Jesus after she used it to wipe his face as he carried the cross. Tiberius was healed by the presence of Veronica’s handkerchief, but furious with Pilate. Back in Rome, Tiberius sentenced him to death.
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