Pontius Pilate

I wonder if all the other Procurators gave Pontius Pilate a “roast” when he retired as governor of Judea. I can just imagine his response to some of the jokes: A look of bewilderment followed by, “Jesus who?”

Did he know that he would be played by Telly Savalas opposite Max Von Sydow? Did he remember J.C. out of the many Judeans who were crucified during his tenure? (Some say he was recalled by Rome for being too cruel!) Did he know the Judeans would take the rap for the famous judicial murder that he must have ordered?

The gospels and Mel Gibson play him sympathetically, but he was a Roman official and necessarily cruel. They were raised to cruelty, my ancestors. You don't conquer and hold the Mediterranean basin without being cruel. They were desensitized to violence by the shows in the amphitheaters. We use TV.