Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] The Execution of Pontius Pilate for Killing Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman, read by John Paul Middlesworth in my previous post, I explained and provided a translation of the intriguing apocryphal letter that Pontius Pilate allegedly wrote to the emperor Tiberius to explain why he had crucified the Son of God.
[00:00:24] Later, another Christian author wrote a fictional account of what happened next.
[00:00:28] Tiberius did not take kindly to Pilate's horrible crime and well, it ends up not going well for the governor of Judea, but on the upside, he converts.
[00:00:39] Here's my introduction to the text and a fresh translation of it from the Greek as found in the collection of apocryphal Gospels I did with my colleague Zlatkopleja. The Other Gospels, Oxford University Press Introduction the Handing over of Pilate the handing over of Pilate is a fictitious account of Pilate being recalled to Rome and censured by the emperor Tiberius for his role in having the divine man Jesus crucified.
[00:01:10] Pilate pays the ultimate price for his heinous behavior by being beheaded, but only after he has repented of his deed and turned to Christ for salvation.
[00:01:19] The narrative is closely related to the report of Pontius Pilate.
[00:01:23] He refers back to the account given there of the darkness and earthquake at Jesus crucifixion. The same five Jewish leaders are named as culpable in Jesus death, and the emperor refers to the report itself when he speaks of Jesus as one who was so righteous and did such good signs as you yourself indicated in your report.
[00:01:47] The two documents are stylistically different, however, and were probably written by different authors.
[00:01:52] The handing over is closely tied to the other Pilate literature as well. The aim is to magnify the character of Christ and to malign the Jews responsible for his death.
[00:02:03] Here it is not Pilate but the hateful Jews who bear ultimate responsibility for Jesus death.
[00:02:09] Both Pilate and his wife become believers.
[00:02:12] Traditions of Pilate's conversion were already in circulation by the late 2nd century, as evidenced in the apology of Tertullian, who indicates that Pilate, who was already a Christian with respect to his most inner conviction, made a report of everything that happened.
[00:02:30] Apologies. 21:24 this reverence for Pilate could be found in various churches of the East. In the Coptic Church, Pilate was eventually recognized as a Christian saint.
[00:02:41] The handing over of Pilate seems to be leaning in that direction. As Pilate hears a voice from heaven, all the races and families of the nations will bless you, because under your rule everything spoken about me through the prophets was fulfilled. You yourself will appear as my witness at my second coming, when I judge the twelve tribes of Israel and those who do not confess my name.
[00:03:05] At Pilate's death, an angel receives his head, presumably to carry it up into heaven.
[00:03:11] On these grounds, it may be that the text was written somewhere in the eastern part of the empire.
[00:03:17] As with so much apocryphal literature, the text is riddled with historical problems, not just Pilate's alleged conversion. The author, for example, appears to confuse the destruction of Jerusalem under Titus in 70 CE with a non existent decree from Tiberius 40 years earlier, allegedly ordering the governor of Syria to lay the nation to waste.
[00:03:41] Translation the Handing over of Pilate Paradosis Pilati 1 when the letter arrived in the city of Rome and was read to Caesar with a large crowd standing by, everyone became amazed that the darkness and earthquake had struck the whole world because of the lawless deed of Pilate. Caesar was filled with anger and sent soldiers with orders to bring pilate as a prisoner.
[00:04:07] 2 When Pilate was brought to the city of Rome and Caesar heard that he was there, he sat in the temple of the gods before the entire senate, with all the people and all the multitude of his armed forces, and he ordered Pilate to stand in the entrance.
[00:04:21] Caesar then said to him, how could you dare to do such things, you most impious man, after seeing such great signs accompanying that man? By daring to do this wicked deed you have destroyed the entire world.
[00:04:35] 3 Pilate replied, Sovereign King, I am innocent of these things. It is the multitude of the Jews who are reckless and guilty.
[00:04:44] Caesar asked, who are they? Pilate said, herod, Archelaus, Philip, Annas, and Caiaphas, and the entire multitude of the Jews.
[00:04:55] Caesar said, why did you do what they wanted? Pilate replied, their nation is rebellious and unruly, and refuses to be subject to your power.
[00:05:05] Caesar said, the moment they handed him over to you, you should have kept him safe and sent him on to me, instead of being persuaded by them to crucify such a righteous man, who also did such good signs as you yourself indicated in your report.
[00:05:21] For it was clear from such signs that Jesus was the Christ, the king of the Jews.
[00:05:27] 4 When Caesar said these things and spoke the name of Christ, the entire multitude of the gods fell down and turned to dust where Caesar was sitting with the senate, and all the people who were standing there near Caesar were shaking because of the word he spoke and the falling of their gods, so that each one went home overtaken by fear, amazed at what had happened. Caesar ordered Pilate to be kept securely under guard so that he could learn the truth about Jesus.
[00:05:55] 5 On the next day, when Caesar sat in the capitol building with the entire senate, he again tried to question Pilate. Caesar said, speak the truth, you impious man, for through your profane act against Jesus even here your wicked deed was revealed as the gods were cast down, and so speak, who is that one who was crucified that his name has destroyed all the gods?
[00:06:21] Pilate said, yes, indeed, the accounts about him are true, for I myself was persuaded by his works that he is greater than all the gods we worship.
[00:06:31] Caesar replied, then why did you perform such an audacious act against him if you knew who he was?
[00:06:38] Or were you indeed plotting to harm my kingdom?
[00:06:42] But Pilate replied, I did this because of the anarchy and rebelliousness of the lawless and godless Jews.
[00:06:50] 6 Filled with anger, Caesar took counsel with the entire senate and all his armed forces, and he ordered a decree to be written against the Jews as Tulicianus, who rules supreme in the eastern region. Greetings. I have learned of the rash and lawless deed performed recently by the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the surrounding cities of the Judeans.
[00:07:14] How they compelled Pilate to crucify a certain God who was called Jesus.
[00:07:19] Through this sinful act of theirs, the world was darkened and dragged towards its destruction.
[00:07:25] Seek, therefore, to go in haste with a large army and take them captive. Authorized with this, be obedient and move against them, send them into dispersion and enslave them among all the nations, banish them from all of Judea, and make their nation of no account, so that it can no longer be seen at all, since it is so full of wickedness.
[00:07:49] 7 When this decree arrived in the eastern region, Lycianus obeyed it out of fear and laid waste to the entire nation of the Jews.
[00:07:58] And he took those who survived in Judea and sent them into dispersion among the nations to serve as slaves.
[00:08:05] Everything Lysianus did against the Jews in the eastern region was made known to Caesar, and it pleased him.
[00:08:12] 8 Once again, Caesar decided to interrogate Pilate, and he ordered a commander named Albaeus to behead him, saying, just as this one laid hands on the righteous man named Christ, so too will he fall and miss any chance of deliverance.
[00:08:28] 9 When Pilate went off to the place of execution, he began to pray silently, lord, do not destroy me with the wicked Hebrews, for I could not have lifted my hand against you if it were not for the nation of godless Jews as they were starting a rebellion against me. But you know that I acted out of ignorance. Do not therefore destroy me for this sin I committed. And remember no wickedness against me, Lord, or against your slave Procla, who is standing with me here in this hour of death, for you appointed her to prophesy that you were to be nailed to a cross.
[00:09:03] Do not hold her too accountable for my sin, but forgive us both and number us among your righteous ones.
[00:09:11] 10.
[00:09:13] And behold, when Pilate finished his prayer, a voice came from all the races and families of the Gentiles will bless you, because under your rule everything spoken about me by the prophets was fulfilled.
[00:09:27] You yourself will appear as my witness at my second coming, when I shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel and those who do not confess my name.
[00:09:36] Then the executioner severed Pilate's head, and behold, an angel of the Lord took it.
[00:09:42] When Procla his wife, saw the angel coming and taking his head, she was filled with joy and immediately gave up her spirit, and she was buried with her husband.
