How great is His patience with you, O beloved readers who pay so little attention to His call for repentance! End of the Letter to Pilate the Governor. He sent the prisoner to me that I might pronounce the sentence on Him. LETTERS OF PONTIUS PILATE Written during his Governorship of Judaea to his friend Seneca in Rome PART I ON THE WAY TO JUDAEA Shipboard off Alexandria We are at last within sight of Alexandria, my dear Seneca, and to-morrow we land. Thus amidst this town about to revolt, I found myself in a position where I had only a handful of soldiers at my disposal, same of them of the old guard, and had no power to suppress the rebellion, but was forced to bring Him forth. These eyes, which gave Jairuss daughter life again, looked at His tormentors with an indescribable expression of peace and love. The cheerful bonds of family life had long ceased to exist between usin my person he always saw a live witness who reminded him of his crime. When Pilate heard this he slew himself with his own dagger, and by such a death put an end to his life. From the Holy Scriptures report we nd the statement, uttered with utmost discretion, that Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. Luke, 23, 24. These eyes, which gave Jairuss daughter life again, looked at His tormentors with an indescribable expression of peace and love. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blogs author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. He proved to be a great-grandson of the chief of Intelligence Department who hid in Etruia in expectation of Catalina. All Rights Reserved. uence them against the authorities, and who preached a non-existing religion, and as such he was a danger to the community. The defence continued the strong plea and asked the judges of the present court not to be sel, sh, and not to victimise real righteousness for political reasons. Would the mob be just as happy if he released Barabbas instead of Jesus on the feast day (Mark 15:6 ff.)? Immediately after our departure from the temple I had to go with Pontius to the province to which he had been appointed. I trembled when I heard these words, and I asked my husband : You will protect Him, wont you? After these words he went out and left me alone, and I shed bitter tears in my hopelessness and pity. The righteous God may help you, and may He give you all the happiness which we wish each other. . N o doubt you are surprised to hear from me. Herod sends Him to you that you may pass judgment. The prosecutor continued grimly to accuse the martyr, basing his arguments on the documents he had brought with him. A feeling of pity and profound sadness grieved my heart. I had not the courage to raise my eyes to him and to look in his.- The sound of his words, his voice, with which he had pronounced his judgment, pierced and wounded my heart. And when he washed his hands after the meal, it seemed to me as if he washed them not in clear water, but in warm blood, the traces of which could not effaced. For in both we stand before the works of the living God; but this judgment, which is temporal, is for a time, while that to come is judgment for ever. I am very much upset and alarmed because of the grudging Hebrews. "Pilate's Wife" reimagines the crucifixion of Jesus Christ through the eyes of the wife of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor responsible for Christ's execution. I was just about to go to the law-court accompanied by my guard. And immediately he had him recalled, swearing and protesting that he was a child of death, and unfitted to live upon earth. One would have thought that the end of the world was near or that the universe returned to its original chaos. Around Him stood the enraged and excited crowd which had brought Him before the tribunal. The letter explains his turmoil and regret. Pilate was a governor by decree of Emperor Tiberius, who had awarded him the title of Imperium, the supreme power in the province. It seemed to me that even the heavens shared my sorrow, and that they suite-red as my own heart did. I saw Jesus, appearing as she (Salome) had described their God. My maid-servants caught me by the hand and led me to the window which opened on to the court of the tribunal. Incidentally, the letter makes interesting reading, as it refers, if indirectly, to several authentic details about the events pertaining to the life and death of Jesus. Oh, the fateful hour had come. As far as can be surmised, the reason for this omission may be found in the fear that the Emperor Tiberius should find Pilate guilty of an injustice. tions of St. Clement. And if they demanded this unrighteously, how didst thou transgress the law and command what was far from righteousness? And amid the terror dead men were seen rising again, so that the Jews who saw it said, We beheld Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs, who died some two thousand five hundred years before, and we beheld Noah clearly in the body. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1916.) I saw a column of troops approaching, and heard the sound of trumpets playing the march of the Emperor.. Our inquisitive minds are eager to know about the fates of the biblical characters. The emissaries who preach Jesus doctrines have inserted in the comments on their faith also the words: He was cruci. In vain had they formerly felt secure from suffering, and in vain they protected themselves with the eternal and insurmountable illusion. He was appointed prefect of Judaea through the intervention of Sejanus, a favourite of the Roman emperor Tiberius. The contents of the report of Pilates wife deserve greatest attention, because, as his wife, she was in constant contact with Pilate, the chief judge of Jesus. Then those unhappy men asked the rocks and the mountains of the earth to swallow and to cover them. Oh, beyond any doubt, He suffered, but He suffered gladly, and His soul seemed to me to be carried to invisible heights as a consuming pure, The hall in -the courts was crowded, and looked like a foaming stream whose waters increased by an inf, ux, beginning at the mount Zion, where the Temple stood, and. The door opened and I could see Semida, lying on a bed adorned with candlesticks and perfumes. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of Jesus and ultimately ordered his crucifixion.Pilate's importance in modern Christianity is underscored by his . He provoked both Jews and Samaritans to riot. For Vienne means, as it were, Way of Gehenna, because it was then a place of cursing. Corrections? And as many were exciting an insurrection against me, I ordered him to be crucified. These catastrophes serve as a terrible warning for all people, but especially for religious leaders and judges. He was therefore fastened to a great block of stone and sunk in the river Tiber. As soon as the emperor saw him he laid aside all his wrath, and forthwith rose to him, and was unable to speak harshly to him in anything: and he who in his absence seemed so terrible and fierce now in his presence is found comparatively gentle. The blog includes recent news and ministry updates of the Convent, as well as other information about Orthodox Christianity that may be useful to those who are either making their first steps in church or want to learn something new about our faith. And he did another yet more mighty work, which had been strange even among our gods, he raised from the dead one Lazarus, who had been dead four days, commanding by a word alone that the dead man should be raised, when his body was already corrupted by worms which bred in his wounds. When I came to their house, my servants could only with great difficulty force a way for me through the throng, for many mourners and a large crowd had gathered before my friends home. Pontius Pilate to Tiberius CsarGreeting: UPON Jesus Christ, whom I fully made known to thee in my last, a bitter punishment hath at length been inflicted by the will of the people, although I was unwilling and apprehensive. Every moment the number of the rebels increased. Shaking His head in sadness and with a divine grateful smile, Jesus replied: When that day shall arrived, there will be no escape for the Son of Man, even under the earth. May heaven guide you! For some time I remained rooted to the spot, and with veneration and fear I glanced at the figure of this supernatural man, whose form was unknown to the majority of our artists who have worked out the form and figure of so many gods. Here is what the chronicle of Nikophorus Kallista, in the 2nd volume, chap. After some fruitless attempts to save Him from the fury of His fiendish exasperated foes. Moses parts the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to safely escape the pursuing Egyptians (Exodus 13:17 14-31). He had rounded them up with his cavalry, and ordered the leader to be killed and the crowd to be dispersed with pikes, and any whom they m1ght catch to be slain. . According to popular apocryphal writings, complicity in the killing of Christ gave Pontius Pilate a guilty conscience that left him sleepless for many years and sent him looking for a way to wash away his iniquity. 8. I asked. Dear and beloved reader, have you ever thought that you might be one of those on the path leading to Christ-the path of Golgotha? Through her, God gave Pilate a chance to do the right thing. Now, of all accusations brought against Jesus, not a single one could have been proved and documented, for Pilate himself, by using the words: He is innocent, and conrming this statement by the washing of his hands, substantiated Jesus innocence. And lo, I know that thou art God, the Son of God, and I beheld thy humanity and not thy divinity. It's printed in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. You know that, in the sixteenth year of my maiden life, I was united in marriage with the Roman Pilate, a descendant of a renowned family, and who at that time held a position as a governor in Italy. Oh, what great salvation is promised to us, it wo follow God! Made using e, Book Cover for the Epistle His face shone in majesty like the sun. From the above quoted report of Pilate to the Emperor Tiberius, it appears that Pilate arrived in Jerusalem in his capacity of governor not long before Jesus commenced His mission of activity, and that Jesus and his prophecies exerted great influence upon him. And Joseph did not abandon her; but Joseph continued in sanctity without a wife, he and his five sons by a former wife; and Mary continued without a husband. And there were seen in that terror dead men raised up, as the Jews that saw them said: We have seen Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs, that died two thousand five hundred years ago; and we have seen Noah manifestly in the body. Another man, again, who had a withered hand, and lived in sorrow, and had not even the half of his body sound, he rendered sound by a single word. And that man wrought many cures, in addition to good works. Second-century Christian writer Tertullian suggested in one of his writings that soon after the crucifixion of Christ Pilate converted to Christianity and even tried to convince Emperor Tiberius to follow suit. He made the blind see; he cleansed lepers; he raised the dead; he healed paralytics who could not move at all, except that they only had their voice, and the joining of their bones; and he gave them the power of walking about and running, commanding them by a single word. To become better acquainted with this case we give the following short report on Revision of the Juridical Process of Christ.. How empty and unimportant then, was Dr. B1andeislers objection that Christs religion was at that time unknown, although his disciples accepted His higher wisdom. He showed Himself worthy. but I gave my secretary a hint to join the crowd and to listen to what He was saying. He had participated in seven wars, was brave and hardened by many. Pilate was afraid that his authority and the Roman power, which he so stronglv defended, might, be compromised by this menace. Upon my knees I called Him many times; against my will I pleaded with this God in the humility and tranquillity of my soul and heart, and Him to Whom I committed my destiny and my welfare as a slave submits to his master, and oh, wonder! She is commemorated on 9 November, new style. The letter would be explained authentic It seemed to me that even the heavens shared my sorrow, and that they suite-red as my own heart did. Oh, how profound are these wise words and how much peace and mercy are to be found in them! I rose and m feet would hardly drag me along. ve years old when Pilate, by the Emperors grace, was appointed procurator of Judea. And evil spirits were there and did the same things. Here they have beaten Jesus with a scourge, one of my servants said. But when they were troubled exceedingly by the aforesaid vexations, they put it away from them and sunk it in a certain pool surrounded by mountains, where even yet, according to the account of some, sundry diabolical contrivances are said to issue forth. the righteous, were raised by Him to the great eternity of divine salvation, but the second (the wicked) were thrown in a. res of Erebus and Phlegethon are nothing. My gloomy heart shall never feel any joy. O prince of the world, but to bring peace, and love and goodwill to all people. asked Him: It lawful to pay taxes to the Emperor? And as the messenger returned to his lodgings he met a certain woman named Veronica, who had been acquainted with Jesus, and he said, O woman, there was a certain physician in this city, who healed the sick by his word alone, why have the Jews slain him? Greeting: I have been informed of the audacity perpetrated very recently by the Jews inhabiting Jerusalem and the cities round about, and their lawless doing, how they compelled Pilate to crucify a certain god called Jesus, through which great transgression of theirs the world was darkened and drawn into ruin. The echo of these vociferations is still in my ears, and the. His peacefulness struck me with terror, for in my ears still sounded the words I had heard in my dream: Give me back My blood which I have spilt for you. That man has never caused any harm to a single person. re of hell I noticed the faces of these who exacted His death. Pilate asked again. My son Azbonius also is in the agony of the hour of death. The crowds of people were joined by guards and servants, Levites and Pharisees. I questioned him one last time. A man, by Hercules, so pious and strict, no age has ever had nor will have. How could Christ be accused of a crime which He never committed? The letter of Pilates wife throws further light upon the events in connection with the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and further con, rms the authenticity of the Gospels. And Csar, being filled with anger, sent soldiers and commanded that Pilate should be brought as a prisoner. At the ninth hour of the day it began to darken in the court, and the fog became thicker and thicker. For I should not be surprised if, in the course of time and in accordance with current rumours that in the last days the gods have ceased to be propitious to our petitions, the fate of our nation be entirely changed. 3. Now if there is place for our request, O Pilate, because we were at one time in power, bury my household carefully; for it is right that we should be buried by thee, rather than by the priests, whom, after a little time, as the Scriptures say, at the coming of Jesus Christ, vengeance shall overtake. They were only too glad to join the Herodians and Sadducees. He took Semidas hand, and turning His powerful look on her, He said, Maid, arise! Omissions? The soldiers jeered at Him, called Him king of the Jews. Has any reputable Christian claimed to have been physically visited by Jesus Christ Himself after Paul's conversion? The report of the Bible also tells us of the inscription, and of the inquest made by Ananias and Caiaphas at Herods place, and by Pilate in the courts. According to what history shows us, the ruling religion has not always had pure truth as a foundation, and in all times it was subject to errors. We have challenges here in Africa to find such information for, So glorious+++ Most Holy Theotokos save us, Pectoral Cross With one gesture He separated the righteous from the wicked. Please support your answer with sources. On vellum, of the vith or viith century. The death of the Nazarene! was the answer. 3 It was located by a researcher named . And when Csar said this and himself named the name of Christ, all the multitude of the gods fell down together, and became like dust where Csar sat with the senate. Even my wife had a dream about this Jesus and she had warned me to have nothing to with him. The danger grew every hour. The English version of the letter was provided by writer Catherine Van Dyke "--P. 3. The gospel speaks of his teaching and wisdom, and how people were amazed when they heard His word. As to His face, it has been said that this feature is contradictory to prophecy in Isaiah 53, where it was foretold 700 years B.C. Now while I stood in the way, our Lord saw me as he stood and talked with his disciples. He provoked both Jews and Samaritans to rioting during his tenure, and he later had to stand trial in Rome for cruelty and oppression. Then the emperor commanded him to be kept in prison till he should take counsel with the wise men what ought to be done with him. I remain, Your Majestys humble and obedient Governor, Pontius Pilate. Then those unhappy men asked the rocks and the mountains of the earth to swallow and to cover them. To subdue such an uproar I had no more than one Centurion and a handful of men. I nd it impossible to explain to you how I felt when I viewed Him. What happened to the wealthy youth who left Christ in sadness, the Canaan woman and her daughter, the demon-possessed man from the land of Gerasenes? rm the sentence issued so long ago, as this was their duty and in accordance with the sound principles of justice. They are not aware that the wolves in them. And when I was going in the way I testified these things; that Herod did these things by me, that he took counsel with me, and constrained me to arm my hands against him, and to judge him that judgeth all, and to scourge the Just One, Lord of the just. About Us, Bible Blender Pontius Pilate crucified Jesus because the people who told him that Jesus committed blasphemy, a capital sin. I said to Him: Because of your wisdom you are dearer to me than all these rebellious and bombastic Pharisees who abuse the liberty granted to them by the Roman they conspire against the Emperor and keep us in perfect fearthese dangerous rebels. But I'm not sure it's more on topic on. The poem depicts Pilate's wife's frustration: at her husband, at her inability to prevent Jesus's death, and at her own lack of power. Then I decided I should take some steps to establish order in the town and to avoid any consequences in the Praetor district. Many paintings make references to it. And as to His teachings, they have in no case been dangerous, and represent no heresy whatsoever; so Rome was inclined to concede Him every freedom and, by His deeds. At the ninth hour of the day it began to darken in the court, and the fog became thicker and thicker. And as lightnings come on in winter, so majestic men of indescribable splendor of dress and of glory appeared in the air, and an innumerable multitude of angels crying out, and saying: Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace, among men goodwill: come up out of Hades, ye who have been kept in slavery in the underground regions of Hades. Jesus was still the object of all the banter and beating in the courts on the part of the crowd and of rough soldiers; their passions were even more in, Beating, jeering, the general scorn, and the imminent death as martyrnothing could darken His divine and radiant face. But I replied that I, in my view of the facts that Jesus was born in Galilee, He fell under the jurisdiction of Herod, and I ordered Jesus to be brought before him. When He came nearer to me, He said: Behold, here I am! And Csar said, For what cause then didst thou perpetrate against him such daring and doing, not being ignorant of him, or assuredly designing some mischief to my government?
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