Evensong St Mary’s. 25th Nov 2007: Colin Hull
Texts
Ps 72. 1-7
I Sam 8: 4-20
Jn 18: 33-37

Theme: Letter to Tiberias
(Pontius Pilate and military government)

Introduction

The theme running through this evening is about kingship and government.

The Psalm was all about what a good king should be and I suppose what good government should be about. I will use it as a basis for the prayers later.

The OT lesson was a warning by Samuel that any king might become a tyrant and not be the kind of leader they wanted. It was a prophetic criticism of what too much of their subsequent kings of Israel became.

And the NT lesson was taken from John’s account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate, about Jesus saying he was no an earthly king but had come to bare testimony to God’s truth. Jesus, heir to the prophets and the True King of all.

Perhaps we can reflect that today although we and many nations live under democratic government, however imperfect, many others still live under one-party government, monarchies or military rule.

We only have to think of recent events in Burma or in Pakistan to realise that may of the world’s citizens still live under the arbitrary rule of governments that will not tolerate opposition and may crush opposition brutally and imprison and even kill those who challenge their rights to rule.

Partly for that reason I decided to investigate the background to the story of Jesus and Pontias Pilate, to look into more of what kind of man Pilate was as military ruler with authority over a place of foreign and military occupation. What follows is an imaginary letter to Tiberias. It is based upon historical facts, although Pilates reasoning is my imagination. I hope will help you to think about him but also the plight of many around the world who still do not have our freedoms to choose their leaders and debate the conditions under which we live.

The letter

From Pontius Pilate, Prefect of the lands of Judea and Samaria

To my august patron and emperor, Tiberias Ceasar, from whom I take my authority

I thank you for giving me the role of Prefect of this province, to govern it for the honour of Rome and our people. Coming from the Equestrian class I could not have hoped to have this position without the support of you and other patrons who have given me this opportunity. Since I came here I have all the while determined to govern in the best interests of Rome and the station entrusted to me. It is because of this that I feel I must write and correct certain information that I understand has reached your ears. I shall of course come to Rome to explain more if you summon me, but I want to lay before you certain facts you may not be aware of that has been the cause of some enemies sending false information to you.

I have been accused of excessive use of violent force against some Samaritans. I wish to refute this and shall set out my reasons for what I did. In this instance I have been accused of unjustly making arrests and executions to quash what some claimed was to be Samaritan religious procession. Let me tell you what happened.

A Samaritan, I did not find out who, had given out that it was in his power to discover the sacred vessels which, as he alleged, had been hidden by Moses on Mount Gerizim. Following this armed, Samaritans came in large numbers to Gerizim. When I heard of this I considered this armed crowd to be a pretext for rebellious acts and assault on a local small garrison. I considered it a cover for more important activities against the peace of the realm. The Samaritans hate us and the Jews, and the Jews hate us and the Samaritans. For this reason I sent a force of the auxiliaries from Ceaserea to attack this crowd, and many were killed in the assault.

Others have repeated the lie that I attacked an innocent religious procession and so have appealed to Vitellius the legate in Syria, saying that nothing political had been intended, and complaining of my whole administration since I have been here. It is all lies and I feel I must not only defend my actions in this case but also in several other respects set before you the whole situation here.

When I came here I remember your words that I should endeavour to keep the peace of Rome in the province and work with the local religious and civil administrations. This I have done, particularly with regard to their peculiar and stern religion and sensibilities. It has not been easy and for the first six years I had no support from legions based in Syria, there being no Legate there at the time with a legion and authority to command them. I only had my 3000 auxiliaries based at Caesaria. It has been difficult to recruit others from the local population.

When I first came here and soldiers under my command went to Jerusalem, I made them carry their ensigns with them to remind the people of our authority over them and to whom they were bound in peace. On the ensigns were the usual images of the yourself.. I found out that these were considered idolatrous by the Jews. The ensigns were brought in secretly by night, but their presence was soon discovered. Immediately multitudes of excited Jews rushed to Caesarea to petition me for the removal of the ensigns. I ignored them for five days, but the next day I admitted the Jews to hear their complaint. I had them surrounded with soldiers and threatened them with instant death unless they ceased to trouble me with the matter. The Jews then threw themselves to the ground and bared their necks, declaring that they preferred death to the violation of their laws, saying they could have no images of other gods in the city near the temple. Some have said I was insensitive to start with but I could not bring myself to kill so many, so I had the ensigns removed from sight and away from their temple.

It has been very difficult to get funds for some necessary building works. There was a need to pay for the building of a new aqueduct to bring fresh water into Jerusalem. The demands of water were already high not only to satisfy the need for drinking and normal bathing but also for the extra water that the inhabitants require for their temple rituals and ceremonial washing. I saw no reason why the temple treasury should not foot the bill for this. I therefore ordered funds to be taken from their “Corban” funds used to maintain the temple. A crowd came together and clamoured against this. I had soldiers dressed as civilians to mingle with the multitude, and at a given signal they fell upon the rioters and beat them so severely with staves that the riot was quelled. I did this because I had no support from the Syria and the work was needed to be done. The riot had to be stopped.

I have mentioned that there is a hatred for us Romans here and among the locals there is a large and violent faction, the Zelotees. They wander around in secret bands dressed as civilians. They will not go about openly like good soldiers but practice their murder of Roman soldiers and citizens they call collaborators by stealth in the name of their god. There have been several ring leaders that I caught and had crucified to try and make an example of them and bring their insurrection to an end.

In this respect I must tell you of another strange event that may also have come to you hearing. Three years ago I had fortunately apprehended one rebel leader, Barabbas, whom I intended to crucify after their religious festival of Passover.

But on the morning of the start of their festival officials of their religious and civil council, the Sanhedrin, brought to me another man they claimed was also an insurrectionist called Jesus ben Joseph from Nazareth in Galilee. ( I should add that his region of Galilee has been especially infested with these Zelotee).

The Sanhedrin had found this Jesus ben Joseph guilty of some religious charges but claimed to me that he was stirring up trouble, claiming he was of the royal line of their past and long dead king Davidius. They also claimed he forbade people to pay taxes because your noble head was inscribed upon the coins.

He did not look the violent type at all and my questioning of him certainly did not indicate to me any insurrection was intended by him. I found out that he did have a band of followers who believed in his royal descent from Davidius but I thought he was a religious fanatic, a dreamer but no insurrectionist.

At first he was completely silent to my questions but later he mumbled something about his kingdom not being an earthly one and that he had come to preach “the truth”. It sounded like a load of religious nonsense to me. What kind of kingdom was he talking about? Was it a threat to Rome? Possibly not but it was stirring up dissent. I did not understand all this talk of other- worldly kingdoms, although I know there are all sorts of beliefs about living with the gods.

I had every intention of letting him go. I had him flogged with whips and canes to teach him a lesson not to upset the peace, hoping that would be the end of the matter.
My soldiers made fun of him by dressing in a robe and putting a crown on his head made from thorns. Quite a sight, beaten up and wearing a crown. But those who had brought him to me made a great fuss. They had a large crowd arranged outside the court, drawn partly by spectacle and curiosity but also quite malicious and calling for his death.

I decided on a ruse to rid me of the problem, to get the crowd to decide his fate for me. I really could not be bothered with this religious nonsense. I brought out the insurrectionist Barabbas hoping the crowd would see sense and choose this Jesus.

But a faction in the crowd stirred up so much trouble I though another riot might take place, and mindful of previous troubles I thought it better to let one man die to stop not only a potential riot but to stop any of his followers fermenting any rebellion stemming from their belief in his kingship.

He might have been a foolish dreamer but I heard many of his followers were wanting insurrection in his name. It was better that this fool died. So I had him crucified as a rebel against Rome and hung up a sign above his head saying “King of the Jews”, so must die all who seek to destroy the peace and society of Rome.

This should have been the end of matter but it transpired that several days after his burial there were some of his followers saying he had risen from the dead, proving he was their god’s “Anointed One”. This sect has now been growing steadily, despite opposition from other factions in the land. So now it seems we have another Jewish sect to worry about. We will need to keep and eye on them. I am still not sure if they are a threat to Rome’s peace.

And so I conclude my case to you. I have been accused of undue cruelty and brutality towards innocent people. But as I have tried to show, I have always acted in the interests of Rome and it has been difficult to keep the peace here because of the religious fanaticism of the population and their particular beliefs in their god sending a descendant of the heroic Davidius, trying to unsettle the land.

If I have appeared to be brutal it has been exaggerated by my opponents and others have done similar things elsewhere without charge brought against them. So therefore I would hope you will understand my case and ignore the charges against me.

Your ever loyal Pontius Pilate.


What happened after that?

The charges made against Pilate are real history.
Was he fair or brutal? I’ll let you judge the facts, if not his words and explanation and defence I put in his mouth.

How often do those in power claim that what they do is for “the Peace”?

Maybe you are curious, what happened to Pilate after this?
Well, he was recalled to Rome to answer the charges against him about his killing the Samaritans. Before he reached Rome Tiberias died and Caligula became Emperor.

Pilate disappears from history and there is no reliable account of him after left for Rome.

Two apocryphal stories:
The first, highly unlikely, that he and his wife became Christians
The other is that he committed suicide

No one knows.
Pilate remains the enigma of a military official of the Roman Empire who just happened to be the man notorious for passing Jesus’ death sentence. The governing official of a military occupation of a subject people.

That Jesus “Suffered under Pontius Pilate” are the enduring words of history and our faith.

Prayers based on Psalm 72
Give the king thy judgements, O God, and thy righteousness unto the King’s son. Then shall he judge the people according to right and defend the poor

We pray for our Queen Elizabeth and all the royal family. Thanking you for her Christian faith and commitment to public service. Give her wise counsel with head’s of state from other nations.
We also pray for our judges and magistrates and all who work in the service of the nation to uphold the laws of our country. Help them especially with difficult cases when it is hard to determine the truth and give them compassion when people of disturbed and deprived backgrounds are brought to court.

We also pray for our prison service. Give wisdom and good judgement in dealing with all who have broken the law, and guide those who seek to give prisoners the chance of reform and a new life when the leave the prison.

He shall keep the simple folk by their right, defend the poor and the widow and punish the wrong doer.
We pray for all on low incomes and who struggle for a secure future. May the laws and tax systems made by our government be made to support the weakest and most vulnerable. Guide those with wealth and security to support those without.
We pray also for our relations with the poorest countries of the world, to assist their trade and development, to feed their people and nurture good government.

They shall fear him as long as the sun and moon endureth, from one generation to another
Lord Jesus, your kingdom alone lasts forever and for that we honour you and bring our praise. You are not like the short lived kingdoms and governments of the word. It is from you were learn true goodness. Oh that your goodness shall affect every nation and people.
 
He shall come down like the rain into a fleece of wool, even as the drops that water the earth.
Your Love and Righteousness are like the freshness of rain and dew, making all things new. Touch every land and people with your spirit that we may know the beauty of your kingdom.
Bring to an end all corruption and cruelty, that those who act with brutality and oppression are called to account and new governments take their place.

In his time shall righteousness flourish, yea the abundance of peace, so long as the moon endureth.
When your kingdom comes in any place there is your true peace
Peace in families
Peace between communities
Peace in industry and commerce
Peace between cultures

We ask for this abundant peace in all places of strife. We ask for the end of conflicts and warfare.
Your Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever

Amen