Leon has worked with the Hanceville church of Christ, Hanceville, AL, for twenty-five years.

There are many instances where biblical characters are also named in historical records, including inscriptions. The “Pilate Inscription” is a case in point. Biblical Archaeological Review reported,

One of the most sensational discoveries at Caesarea was this inscribed stone mentioning Pontius Pilate. Found in a step of the theater, it was originally part of a nearby temple honoring the emperor Tiberius. The stone was moved to the theater to repair a step after the temple fell into disuse. The Latin reads: “Pontius Pilate, the Prefect of Judea, has dedicated to the people of Caesarea a temple in honor of Tiberius” (BAR 08:03 May/June 1982).

The inscription was chiseled in Latin on a limestone block, and is the only known occurrence of an ancient inscription bearing the name of Pontius Pilate. Pilate was governor of Judaea, AD 26-37. This artifact clarifies that Pilate’s rank was that of prefect, Latin praefectus, i.e. governor, and not procurator. Everett Ferguson explains that the office of prefect “combined military, financial, and judicial authority” (Backgrounds of Early Christianity). As prefect, Pilate would have had 500-1000 military troops at his disposal.

Of course, all four gospel records mention Pilate in connection with the (“kangaroo court”) trial of Jesus. John 18 records Pilate’s questioning of Jesus:

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world- to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him."

Pilate really did not want to crucify Jesus. His purpose in scourging Jesus was to satisfy the Jewish leaders and thereby avoid putting Jesus to death (John 19:1-6), but he underestimated their determination. John 19 continues,

7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”

Perceiving their very clear threat in the words, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar” (v. 12), Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified (v. 16).

Much of what is known about Pilate outside the Bible comes from Josephus (Antquities 18.2.2 §35; 18.3.1–2 §§55–62; 18.4.1–2 §§85–99; Jewish Wars 2.9.2–4 §§169–77). Also Philo references Pilate as “one of the emperor’s lieutenants, having been appointed governor of Judaea” (Legat. 299–305; compare Luke 3:1) and Tacitus confirms that “the crucifixion of Chrestus came by Pilate during the reign of Tiberius” (Annales ab exxessu divi Augusti 15.44.4).

The Pilate Inscription displayed in Caesarea shown here in our photo is a replica. The original is in the Israel Museum (see Truth Magazine Oct 2014 p.22 for photo). 

END NOTES

1 Evans, C. A. (2000). “Pilate Inscription.” In C. A. Evans & S. E. Porter (Eds.), Dictionary of New Testament Background: a Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship (p. 804).

2 Yonge, C. D. with Philo of Alexandria. (1995). The Works of Philo: Complete and Unabridged (p. 784).

3 Massey, M. B. Pontius Pilate. The Lexham Bible Dictionary.