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Bible Dictionaries
Pilate
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
or In the Roman government of Palestine, the regions of Judea and Samaria were governed by procurators, or governors, sent out from Rome. (Galilee and other parts to the north and east were governed by Rome through the sons of Herod the Great.) Pilate governed Judea and Samaria from AD 26 to 37 (Luke 3:1). His headquarters were at Caesarea, though during the Jewish festivals he moved to Jerusalem to keep order in the city (Matthew 27:27; see PRAETORIUM).
Early records indicate that Pilate hated the Jews, and on occasions deliberately provoked them to riot by displaying images of Roman gods in Jerusalem. In one incident he massacred some of the Galilean Jews who had created a disturbance while in Jerusalem for one of the festivals (Luke 13:1-2). This may have contributed to the hatred that existed between Pilate and Herod Antipas, the governor of Galilee (Luke 23:6-12).
Besides being cruel, Pilate was a coward. This is seen clearly in the event for which he is chiefly remembered, the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Jewish Council, the Sanhedrin, had earlier condemned Jesus to death for blasphemy, but it had no power to carry out the death sentence. Only the Roman governor could authorize execution. The Jews therefore worded their accusation to try to convince Pilate that Jesus was a traitor to Rome and should be executed (Luke 22:66-71; Luke 23:1-5).
Pilate knew that Jesus was not a political rebel and that the Jews had handed him over because they were jealous of his religious following (Luke 23:4-5; Luke 23:14-15; Matthew 27:18). His knowledge of Jesus’ innocence only increased his crime in condemning Jesus. He had tried to calm the Jews with offers that he hoped would please them while enabling him to release Jesus, but the Jews refused his offers (Luke 23:16; Matthew 27:15-23). Pilate’s concern was only for himself. His great fear was that he could be in trouble with the Emperor if a riot broke out. Therefore, to satisfy the Jews and protect his own interests, he crucified the man he knew to be innocent, and released the man he knew to be a murderer (John 19:12; John 19:16; Luke 23:24-25).
A few years later Pilate was involved in another religious conflict when he slaughtered a number of Samaritans on their sacred mountain. He was ordered back to Rome to answer for his actions, and never returned to Judea. According to tradition he died by committing suicide.
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Fleming, Don. Entry for 'Pilate'. Bridgeway Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/bbd/p/pilate.html. 2004.
