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Interview IAn interview with the Roman Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, who sat in judgment of Jesus the Christ.Interviewer:“Retired Governor Pontius Pilate; welcome to our night’s interview as we consider the circumstances around the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and your involvement. We want very much to hear your perspective on the trial and events around it, and what led to your verdict.”Pilate: “It is appropriate for me to give a defense of my service to Rome and Judea concerning this affair.”Interviewer:“Who was L. Aelius Sejanus and what was your relationship with him?” Pilate: “He was my mentor and my nemesis.” “As Romans we were both of the Equestrian order, a class of citizens second only to the Senatorial class. Emperor Caesar Augustus had named Sejanus’ father, Seius Strabo, the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. When Emperor Tiberius Claudius Nero became Caesar, he promoted Sejanus to Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, and sent his father, Strabo, abroad to be governor Egypt. In the decade since that time Sejanus had gradually enhanced his office. His brilliant reorganization of the Praetorians put him in a very powerful place. He proposed and united the nine Praetorian Cohorts, or battalions, scattered throughout Italy into one large barracks near Rome. This elite home guard would be far more readily available to the emperor in any emergency. Tiberius wholeheartedly approved the idea and the new Castra Praetoria was erected on Viminal Hill, just outside the northeast city walls of Rome. These troops were very loyal to their Prefect, so when Sejanus spoke, 9000 guardsmen listened and obeyed. Emperor Tiberius considered Sejanus indispensable at this stage of Rome’s governmental evolution, and he considered Sejanus completely dedicated to him. It was Serjanus who recommended me for the position of Governor of Judea to Emperor Tiberius. He would later demand that I take from the Jews in Jerusalem some of their authority. This was not a command I could ignore. With his approval I took their right to enforce the death sentence without the review of the Roman Governor’s and his approval. Later Sejanus lost favor with Emperor Tiberius, declared a traitor in front of the Roman Senate and was executed as a traitor. Emperor Tiberius was paranoid and becoming very unstable, and ruthless. Anyone associated with Sejanus could, and many did, suffer the same fate. The governing philosophy of Judea changed immediately. Where Serjanus had wanted a firm, even, harsh hand, for ruling the Jews; now it was to be a supportive approach.There had been twelve bloody insurrections, by the time I arrived in Judea. Tiberius now wanted a relaxed, non-confrontational Prefect. His advice and demands in the later years almost led to my demise. I had staked my career to the fortunes of Sejanus, who had been second only to the emperor. Now you couldn’t get far enough away from him even when dead. My fortunes seemed to reverse with his fall from power. As time went on I became a little paranoid, also – – for good reason. This all happened about two year before the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. I had been there about four years Interviewer:“Were the high priests easy to work with?”Pilate: “No! Definitely not! Oh the Jewish community at Caesarea was easy enough, but the orthodox Jews headed up by Caiaphas in Jerusalem were really impossible. They never acknowledged any positive thing done for them, never forgave a mistake, and were always looking to tear you down, manipulate and embarrass you. I thought I could work with Caiaphas, but that proved impossible. He hated Roman rule, and by extension, me. As contemptuous as the Jews were, they could not be ruled even by themselves without great bloodshed. That is why Herod the Great was successful.”Interviewer: “What was your first negative encounter with the Jews?” Pilate:“That would be the iconic standard incident that took place in the first six weeks of my governorship of Judea. I needed to move my cohorts around to give the one in Jerusalem a break. The Jews really, really, don’t like us there. It was the beginning of winter. I re-stationed the Jerusalem Cohort to Caesarea, my capital, and I dispatched the Augustan Cohort of Sebastenians, a unit from Sebaste that had distinguished itself in putting down a Zealot insurrection some years earlier. The Emperor had rewarded it with special honors, which permitted the cohort to name itself “Augustan” and to carry identifying colors and special medallions with the emperor’s image.The Augustan Cohort Commander mentioned to me, that they had not been stationed at Jerusalem for some time. He said, “I don’t know how the Jews will react to our ensigns. The other cohorts don’t have iconic standards. Anything that’s pictorial offends them.” He explained that, a special command from their deity was the problem.I summoned a member of my council who was an authority on the Hebrew religion. He read from a book, the Jews called Exodus: “You shall not make yourselves a graven image or likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or the earth beneath, or the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them.” I didn’t think there was a problem. The Jews didn’t make our images; we did. And they certainly don’t have to worship them; besides removing them would hardly be good for my troop’s morale.”“There was, however, no need to offend the Jews so, I directed the cohort commander to enter Jerusalem late at night, so the standards wouldn’t attract attention, and then restrict the standards to the fortress Antonia. So the Tribune with a smart military salute took his men to Jerusalem. There was no trouble till early the next morning.”“It all began when an elderly Jew left the North portico of the temple after morning sacrifice and pronounced his daily curse on the tower Antonia, the Roman fortress, built into the north western wall of the Temple. He noticed a new set of standards fluttering from the battlements. Widening his eyes in disbelief, he scurried back into the temple enclave and climbed the wall for a better vantage point in which to confirm his horrifying discovery. The unhallowed site was unmistakable: Several spears, standing on a dais had crossbars from which wreaths and golden discs were hanging. And embossed on these in base relief, were the effigies of human heads! Compounding the horror for the aged Jew was the fact that just in front of the special shrine in which the ensigns were housed; two Roman centurions were burning incense or doing some mode of sacrifice to these standards. The old Israelite quivering with rage, his eyes red with tears, cried out, “Sacrilege! Idolatry! Turning about, he shouted at the top of his voice to the temple. “Abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem! Abomination! Abomination! Up on the tower, one auxiliary soldier, who had been watching as the crowd mass together, with growing contempt, suddenly sneered, “I’ll give these swine, something to really squeal about!” Grabbing the large central standard with the images of Augustus and Tiberius, he tauntingly swayed it to and fro before the multitude. An enraged, deep throated roar erupted from the crowd. The situation was worsening. When the Tribune of the Augustan Cohort appeared, he arrested the self-appointed antagonizer. The standards were jerked from his grasp, and he was led off in custody. This act temporily, calmed the crowd. The Tribune took advantage of the moment and called down from the parapets, Tribune: “Send your representatives into the courtyard. I will hear your grievances.” (Rabbis Helcias and Jonathan, accompanied by several of the Jewish Temple guards, met the Tribune inside the Antonia.) Jonathan: “Your military standards are idolatrous!” Tribune: “Only your opinion and how can you dictate what colors my cohort should fly?”Jonathan: “The disks. . .the disks carry graven images. They violate the law of Moses!”Tribune: “The medallions are engraved with the bust of Caesar Augustus, who sent the gifts of golden candlesticks to your temple and favored you in other ways. The other bust is that of Emperor Tiberius, for whom you just sacrificed two lambs and an ox in your temple this morning.”Rabbis Jonathan: “For whom, but not to whom!” “Your soldiers were offering sacrifices, worshiping the Emperor.” Tribune: (snarling) “How dare you question our insignia? My Cohort won the privilege of flying these medallions from the Emperor himself!” Rabbi Jonathan: “We object to your using them to desecrate the Temple of our God and His holy city!”Tribune: “Our standards will continue to fly. Only the Prefect Pontius Pilate can change this situation by ordering them lowered!”(After a hasty meeting of the great Sanhedrin, it was decided to send a delegation and the complaint to me at Caesarea.)Pilate: The Jews formed a delegation and allowed anybody who wanted to go along, to accompany them to see me in Caesarea. Instead of the normal twenty person delegation, the usual size for Mediterranean diplomacy, about 8000 came and encamped in my front courtyard. It looked like an ethnic migration had arrived. The leaders made their way to my Herodian palace and presented the formal petition identifying the offenses and requesting that the offenses be withdrawn from Jerusalem. They were:The standard specifically contradicted the Mosaic law against graven image, and were therefore idolatrous;Actual sacrifices to the standards had been performed by my soldiers in full view of the people of Jerusalem.The ensigns themselves, as well as the shrine in which they were housed, are regarded as numinous, spirit filled / supernatural, and thus contrary to the Mosaic law.For these insignia to be present anywhere in the holy city of Jerusalem is sacrilege, and to have them fluttering over God’s temple from the proximity of the Antonia is absolutely intolerable.The petition was signed by all seventy-one members of the great Sanhedrin.I dismiss the Jewish leadership with the technical suggestion that they do something, to disperse the mass of people outside. I would address their petitions the following day.The multitude of Jews did not break up for the day as I requested, but simply adjusted to spend the night where they were. They were in the great square adjoining the Herodian palace. They resolved not to move until their holy city was rid of the sacrilege.I and my council drew up a reply to the Jewish petitioners which rejected any removal of the medallions, on the following basis:The ensigns were designed for and owned by Romans and the Roman military, not Jews;Jews were not to draw religious conclusions from military customs which did not concern them.Jews were not required to references standards, and since Rome left Jewish practices and customs unmolested; why should Jews not exercise a similar tolerance towards Romans?To tamper with its choicest military medallions would unnecessarily penalize the worthy Augustan Cohort.Removing their imperial effigies from the cohort standards would be a direct and unforgivable insult to the Majesty of Caesar Augustus and Tiberius Caesar.(The next morning, the committee’s spokesman for the mass delegation was invited to appear before me and my counsel, and the reply was handed to them in written form. The priest and the scribes read it, then struck their breasts in anguish. It became increasingly apparent to them that I would not concede on any point. An elderly priest uttered a prayer, and then told me) Priest: “We cannot allow these abominations and the breaking of our ancient laws. We shall remain here in Caesarea and pray that God will lead you to remove the accursed abomination from Jerusalem!” Others: “Amen!” “Amen!” (They left to join the people)People: “Remove the abominations! Away with the idols!” Pilate: “This cry went on day and night.”(On the fourth day in my courtyard, still filled with this turbulent crowd, I ordered my armed cohorts to form a ring of steel three men deep around the thousands of people.) Pilate: “Those who wished to proclaim allegiance to the Rome, and go back to Jerusalem in peace should raise their hands and leave now.” (A few children and women did so.) Leading Rabbi: “ All children and women, including boys under sixteen should leave. All others should stand firm.” (The children and women complied.)Pilate: “Troops, unsheathe your weapons.” “This is your last chance to go unmolested!” (At this the Jews fell on their faces and bared their necks to show their willingness to die for their cause.) Pilate: Right then I composed a letter in my head to Tiberius: “I killed 6000 Jews in my first six weeks here, with an average like that, I should wipe out the entire nation in a short time…”Pilate: (To save face) “Troops, in the name of clemency of Tiberius Caesar and of the Senate and the Roman people, sheath your swords!” Pilate: “People of Judah, I was not sent to shed your blood, but to govern you with equity and justice. You will pardon this test of the sword, but I had to determine your sincerity in this matter. I see now that the military standards in question are truly offensive to you, and that you are not simply testing Roman policy.” Pilate: “Do not misunderstand. I shall not dishonor the Emperor by ordering his medallions removed from the standards of the Augustan Cohort. But I shall transfer the cohort back to Caesarea and send another in their place without iconic insignia. Now go in peace and be good citizens, so that you and Rome may live in concord.”Interview: “Pilate, you know now, and you knew then, that you lost that battle.”Pilate: “Yes, and it may have been better had I simply slaughtered them, rather than to let them think I was weak.”Interviewer: “This is about all we have time for tonight, but we hope to have you back to explain the circumstances around your judging Jesus the Christ guilty and having Him crucified.Pilate: I will set my calendar to accommodate you. Good night.By Rev. Dr. Hank MaloneMarch 19, 2020 ................
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