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185:1.1 If [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pontius Pilate] had not been a reasonably [[good]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province minor provinces], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius Tiberius] would hardly have suffered him to remain as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_procurator procurator] of [[Judea]] for ten years. Although he was a fairly [[good]] [[administrator]], he was a [[moral]] [[coward]]. He was not a big enough man to [[comprehend]] the nature of his task as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor] of the [[Jews]]. He failed to grasp the [[fact]] that these [[Hebrews]] had a real [[religion]], a [[faith]] for which they were willing to die, and that millions upon millions of them, scattered here and there throughout [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_empire the empire], looked to [[Jerusalem]] as the [[shrine]] of their [[faith]] and held the [[Sanhedrin]] in [[respect]] as the highest [[tribunal]] on [[earth]].

185:1.1 If [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pontius Pilate] had not been a reasonably [[good]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province minor provinces], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius Tiberius] would hardly have suffered him to remain as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_procurator procurator] of [[Judea]] for ten years. Although he was a fairly [[good]] [[administrator]], he was a [[moral]] [[coward]]. He was not a big enough man to [[comprehend]] the nature of his task as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor] of the [[Jews]]. He failed to grasp the [[fact]] that these [[Hebrews]] had a real [[religion]], a [[faith]] for which they were willing to die, and that millions upon millions of them, scattered here and there throughout [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_empire the empire], looked to [[Jerusalem]] as the [[shrine]] of their [[faith]] and held the [[Sanhedrin]] in [[respect]] as the highest [[tribunal]] on [[earth]].

185:1.2 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] did not [[love]] the [[Jews]], and this deep-seated [[hatred]] early began to [[manifest]] itself. Of all the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province Roman provinces], none was more [[difficult]] to [[govern]] than [[Judea]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] never really [[understood]] the [[problems]] involved in the [[management]] of the [[Jews]] and, therefore, very early in his [[experience]] as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor], made a series of almost [[fatal]] and well-nigh [[suicidal]] blunders. And it was these blunders that gave the [[Jews]] such [[power]] over him. When they wanted to [[influence]] his [[decisions]], all they had to do was to threaten an uprising, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] would speedily [[capitulate]]. And this apparent [[vacillation]], or lack of [[moral]] [[courage]], of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_procurator procurator] was chiefly due to the [[memory]] of a number of [[controversies]] he had had with the [[Jews]] and because in each instance they had worsted him. The [[Jews]] knew that [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] was [[afraid]] of them, that he feared for his position before [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias Tiberius], and they employed this [[knowledge]] to the great disadvantage of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor] on numerous occasions.

185:1.2 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] did not [[love]] the [[Jews]], and this deep-seated [[hatred]] early began to [[manifest]] itself. Of all the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province Roman provinces], none was more [[difficult]] to [[govern]] than [[Judea]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] never really [[understood]] the [[problems]] involved in the [[management]] of the [[Jews]] and, therefore, very early in his [[experience]] as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor], made a series of almost [[fatal]] and well-nigh [[suicidal]] blunders. And it was these blunders that gave the [[Jews]] such [[power]] over him. When they wanted to [[influence]] his [[decisions]], all they had to do was to threaten an uprising, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] would speedily [[capitulate]]. And this apparent [[vacillation]], or lack of [[moral]] [[courage]], of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_procurator procurator] was chiefly due to the [[memory]] of a number of [[controversies]] he had had with the [[Jews]] and because in each instance they had worsted him. The [[Jews]] knew that [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] was [[afraid]] of them, that he feared for his position before [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias Tiberius], and they employed this [[knowledge]] to the great disadvantage of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor governor] on numerous occasions.

185:1.3 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate]'s disfavor with the [[Jews]] came about as a result of a number of unfortunate encounters. First, he [[failed]] to take seriously their deep-seated [[prejudice]] against all images as [[symbols]] of [[idol]] [[worship]]. Therefore he [[permitted]] his [[soldiers]] to enter [[Jerusalem]] without removing the images of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar Caesar] from their banners, as had been the [[practice]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_soldiers Roman soldiers] under his predecessor. A large deputation of [[Jews]] waited upon [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] for five days, imploring him to have these images removed from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_flag military standards]. He flatly refused to grant their [[petition]] and threatened them with instant [[death]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate], himself being a [[skeptic]], did not [[understand]] that men of strong [[religious]] [[feelings]] will not [[hesitate]] to die for their religious [[convictions]]; and therefore was he dismayed when these [[Jews]] drew themselves up defiantly before his [[palace]], bowed their faces to the ground, and sent [[word]] that they were ready to die. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] then [[realized]] that he had made a threat which he was unwilling to carry out. He [[surrendered]], ordered the images removed from the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_flag standards] of his [[soldiers]] in [[Jerusalem]], and found himself from that day on to a large extent subject to the whims of the [[Jewish]] [[leaders]], who had in this way [[discovered]] his weakness in making threats which he [[feared]] to [[execute]].

185:1.3 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate]'s disfavor with the [[Jews]] came about as a result of a number of unfortunate encounters. First, he [[failed]] to take seriously their deep-seated [[prejudice]] against all images as [[symbols]] of [[idol]] [[worship]]. Therefore he [[permitted]] his [[soldiers]] to enter [[Jerusalem]] without removing the images of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar Caesar] from their banners, as had been the [[practice]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_soldiers Roman soldiers] under his predecessor. A large deputation of [[Jews]] waited upon [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] for five days, imploring him to have these images removed from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_flag military standards]. He flatly refused to grant their [[petition]] and threatened them with instant [[death]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate], himself being a [[skeptic]], did not [[understand]] that men of strong [[religious]] [[feelings]] will not [[hesitate]] to die for their religious [[convictions]]; and therefore was he dismayed when these [[Jews]] drew themselves up defiantly before his [[palace]], bowed their faces to the ground, and sent [[word]] that they were ready to die. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] then [[realized]] that he had made a threat which he was unwilling to carry out. He [[surrendered]], ordered the images removed from the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_flag standards] of his [[soldiers]] in [[Jerusalem]], and found himself from that day on to a large extent subject to the whims of the [[Jewish]] [[leaders]], who had in this way [[discovered]] his weakness in making threats which he [[feared]] to [[execute]].

185:1.4 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] subsequently [[determined]] to regain this lost [[prestige]] and accordingly had the shields of the [[emperor]], such as were commonly used in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar Caesar] [[worship]], put up on the walls of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod's_palace Herod's palace] in [[Jerusalem]]. When the [[Jews]] [[protested]], he was adamant. When he refused to [[listen]] to their protests, they promptly [[appealed]] to [[Rome]], and the [[emperor]] as promptly ordered the [[offending]] shields removed. And then was [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] held in even lower [[esteem]] than before.

185:1.4 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] subsequently [[determined]] to regain this lost [[prestige]] and accordingly had the shields of the [[emperor]], such as were commonly used in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar Caesar] [[worship]], put up on the walls of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herod's_palace Herod's palace] in [[Jerusalem]]. When the [[Jews]] [[protested]], he was adamant. When he refused to [[listen]] to their protests, they promptly [[appealed]] to [[Rome]], and the [[emperor]] as promptly ordered the [[offending]] shields removed. And then was [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] held in even lower [[esteem]] than before.

185:1.5 Another [[thing]] which brought him into great disfavor with the [[Jews]] was that he [[dared]] to take [[money]] from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_temple the temple] [[treasury]] to pay for the construction of a new [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_aqueduct aqueduct] to provide increased [[water]] supply for the millions of [[visitors]] to [[Jerusalem]] at the times of the great [[religious]] [[feasts]]. The [[Jews]] held that only the [[Sanhedrin]] could disburse the [[temple]] [[funds]], and they never ceased to inveigh against [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] for this [[presumptuous]] ruling. No less than a score of [[riots]] and much bloodshed resulted from this [[decision]]. The last of these serious outbreaks had to do with the slaughter of a large company of [[Galileans]] even as they [[worshiped]] at the [[altar]].

185:1.5 Another [[thing]] which brought him into great disfavor with the [[Jews]] was that he [[dared]] to take [[money]] from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_temple the temple] [[treasury]] to pay for the construction of a new [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_aqueduct aqueduct] to provide increased [[water]] supply for the millions of [[visitors]] to [[Jerusalem]] at the times of the great [[religious]] [[feasts]]. The [[Jews]] held that only the [[Sanhedrin]] could disburse the [[temple]] [[funds]], and they never ceased to inveigh against [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] for this [[presumptuous]] ruling. No less than a score of [[riots]] and much bloodshed resulted from this [[decision]]. The last of these serious outbreaks had to do with the slaughter of a large company of [[Galileans]] even as they [[worshiped]] at the [[altar]].

185:1.6 It is significant that, while this [[vacillating]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor Roman ruler] [[sacrificed]] [[Jesus]] to his [[fear]] of the [[Jews]] and to safeguard his [[personal]] position, he finally was deposed as a result of the needless [[murder|slaughter]] of [[Samaritans]] in [[connection]] with the pretensions of a [[false]] [[Messiah]] who led troops to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_gerizim Mount Gerizim], where he claimed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_temple the temple] vessels were [[buried]]; and fierce [[riots]] broke out when he [[failed]] to [[reveal]] the hiding place of the [[sacred]] vessels, as he had [[promised]]. As a result of this [[episode]], the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_legatus legatus] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Syria Syria] ordered [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] to [[Rome]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias Tiberius] died while [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] was on the way to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome Rome], and he was not reappointed as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_procurator procurator] of [[Judea]]. He never fully recovered from the [[regret]]ful [[condemnation]] of having [[consented]] to the [[crucifixion]] of [[Jesus]]. Finding no [[favor]] in the eyes of the new [[emperor]], he retired to the province of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lausanne Lausanne], where he subsequently committed [[suicide]].

185:1.6 It is significant that, while this [[vacillating]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor Roman ruler] [[sacrificed]] [[Jesus]] to his [[fear]] of the [[Jews]] and to safeguard his [[personal]] position, he finally was deposed as a result of the needless [[murder|slaughter]] of [[Samaritans]] in [[connection]] with the pretensions of a [[false]] [[Messiah]] who led troops to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_gerizim Mount Gerizim], where he claimed [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_temple the temple] vessels were [[buried]]; and fierce [[riots]] broke out when he [[failed]] to [[reveal]] the hiding place of the [[sacred]] vessels, as he had [[promised]]. As a result of this [[episode]], the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_legatus legatus] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Syria Syria] ordered [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] to [[Rome]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias Tiberius] died while [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] was on the way to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome Rome], and he was not reappointed as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_procurator procurator] of [[Judea]]. He never fully recovered from the [[regret]]ful [[condemnation]] of having [[consented]] to the [[crucifixion]] of [[Jesus]]. Finding no [[favor]] in the eyes of the new [[emperor]], he retired to the province of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lausanne Lausanne], where he subsequently committed [[suicide]].

185:1.7 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate's_wife Claudia Procula], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate]'s [[wife]], had heard much of [[Jesus]] through the [[word]] of her maid-in-waiting, who was a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia Phoenician] [[believer]] in the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]]. After the [[death]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate's_wife Claudia] became prominently identified with the spread of the [[Gospel|good news]].

185:1.7 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate's_wife Claudia Procula], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate]'s [[wife]], had heard much of [[Jesus]] through the [[word]] of her maid-in-waiting, who was a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia Phoenician] [[believer]] in the [[gospel]] of [[the kingdom]]. After the [[death]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate's_wife Claudia] became prominently identified with the spread of the [[Gospel|good news]].

185:1.8 And all this [[explains]] much that transpired on this [[tragic]] Friday forenoon. It is easy to [[understand]] why the [[Jews]] [[presumed]] to dictate to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate]—to get him up at six o'clock to try [[Jesus]]—and also why they did not [[hesitate]] to threaten to charge him with [[treason]] before the [[emperor]] if he [[dared]] to refuse their demands for [[Jesus]]' [[death]].

185:1.8 And all this [[explains]] much that transpired on this [[tragic]] Friday forenoon. It is easy to [[understand]] why the [[Jews]] [[presumed]] to dictate to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate]—to get him up at six o'clock to try [[Jesus]]—and also why they did not [[hesitate]] to threaten to charge him with [[treason]] before the [[emperor]] if he [[dared]] to refuse their demands for [[Jesus]]' [[death]].

185:1.9 A [[worthy]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor Roman governor] who had not become disadvantageously involved with the [[Sanhedrin|rulers]] of the [[Jews]] would never have [[permitted]] these bloodthirsty [[religious]] [[fanatics]] to bring about the [[death]] of a man whom he himself had [[declared]] to be [[innocent]] of their [[false]] [[Accusation|charges]] and without fault. [[Rome]] made a great blunder, a far-reaching [[error]] in earthly affairs, when she sent the second-rate [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] to [[govern]] [[Palestine]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias Tiberius] had better have sent to the [[Jews]] the best [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province provincial] [[administrator]] in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_empire empire].

185:1.9 A [[worthy]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_governor Roman governor] who had not become disadvantageously involved with the [[Sanhedrin|rulers]] of the [[Jews]] would never have [[permitted]] these bloodthirsty [[religious]] [[fanatics]] to bring about the [[death]] of a man whom he himself had [[declared]] to be [[innocent]] of their [[false]] [[Accusation|charges]] and without fault. [[Rome]] made a great blunder, a far-reaching [[error]] in earthly affairs, when she sent the second-rate [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilate Pilate] to [[govern]] [[Palestine]]. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberias Tiberius] had better have sent to the [[Jews]] the best [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_province provincial] [[administrator]] in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_empire empire].

<center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_185 Go to Paper 185]</center>

<center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_185 Go to Paper 185]</center>