JESUS AND PILATE (7 OF 19)
Scripture: Matthew 27:1-2, Matthew 27:11-14, Matthew 27:22-26
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Jesus and Pilate (7 of 19)
Series: Cross Examination
Wyman Richardson
Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14, 22-26
Read Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14, 22-26
Two days from now the Greek Orthodox Church will be honoring a rather unlikely saint: Pontius Pilate's wife. The scriptures do paint her in a rather favorable light, so it is not that difficult to see her as good woman. However, I must say it is indeed surprising to see the Ethiopian Church venerating Pilate's wife and Pontius Pilate every June 19. While this is quite surprising to a lot of us, it apparently would not have been so to many in the early Church.
In Jerry Ryan's Commonweal article, ''Saint Pontius Pilate?'' he notes that many in the early Church viewed Pilate in a favorable light.
Early Christianity went easy on Pilate...Tertullian invokes Pilate as a witness to the death and resurrection of Christ and of the truth of Christianity-and explains that this is why he is mentioned in the Nicean Creed. St. Augustine saw Pilate as a prophet of the Kingdom of God (cf. sermon 201). Hippolytus draws a parallel between Pilate and Daniel-in so far as both proclaim themselves absolved from the shedding of innocent blood (Daniel 14:40). Other Church Fathers likened Pilate to the Magi, who also recognized Jesus as King of the Jews.
As somebody who tries to be a student of Christian history, and who believes that we should dismiss the wisdom of the early Christians only with great care and after firmly establishing their error, I must say that I simply disagree with this. The picture of Pilate that emerges from the pages of the New Testament is not one that inspires appreciation, much less veneration. On the contrary, the picture that emerges of Pilate is one of a selfish, self-serving, and cowardly politician who tried to have his cake and eat it too.
Pilate rejected Jesus in order to safeguard his own life and career.
To be perfectly blunt about it, Pilate was looking out for one person: Pilate! Here is what ...
Series: Cross Examination
Wyman Richardson
Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14, 22-26
Read Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14, 22-26
Two days from now the Greek Orthodox Church will be honoring a rather unlikely saint: Pontius Pilate's wife. The scriptures do paint her in a rather favorable light, so it is not that difficult to see her as good woman. However, I must say it is indeed surprising to see the Ethiopian Church venerating Pilate's wife and Pontius Pilate every June 19. While this is quite surprising to a lot of us, it apparently would not have been so to many in the early Church.
In Jerry Ryan's Commonweal article, ''Saint Pontius Pilate?'' he notes that many in the early Church viewed Pilate in a favorable light.
Early Christianity went easy on Pilate...Tertullian invokes Pilate as a witness to the death and resurrection of Christ and of the truth of Christianity-and explains that this is why he is mentioned in the Nicean Creed. St. Augustine saw Pilate as a prophet of the Kingdom of God (cf. sermon 201). Hippolytus draws a parallel between Pilate and Daniel-in so far as both proclaim themselves absolved from the shedding of innocent blood (Daniel 14:40). Other Church Fathers likened Pilate to the Magi, who also recognized Jesus as King of the Jews.
As somebody who tries to be a student of Christian history, and who believes that we should dismiss the wisdom of the early Christians only with great care and after firmly establishing their error, I must say that I simply disagree with this. The picture of Pilate that emerges from the pages of the New Testament is not one that inspires appreciation, much less veneration. On the contrary, the picture that emerges of Pilate is one of a selfish, self-serving, and cowardly politician who tried to have his cake and eat it too.
Pilate rejected Jesus in order to safeguard his own life and career.
To be perfectly blunt about it, Pilate was looking out for one person: Pilate! Here is what ...
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