This study reconstructs the historical Pontius Pilate and looks at the way in which he is used as a literary character in the works of six first century authors: Philo, Josephus and the four evangelists. The first chapter provides an introduction to the history and formation of the imperial Roman province of Judaea. The following two chapters examine the references to Pilate in Philo and Josephus, looking at each author’s biases before going on to assess the historicity of their accounts. The next four chapters look at the portrayal of Pilate in each gospel, asking how a first century reader would have interpreted his actions. Each chapter asks what this portrayal shows about the author’s attitude towards the Roman state, and what kind of community found this useful. The conclusion distinguishes between the ‘historical Pilate’ and the different ’Pilate of interpretation’ preserved in our first century literary sources.
• The only full-length scholarly book on Pontius Pilate in English • Emphasises the extent to which theological and rhetorical concerns were at work in the descriptions of Pilate in all our literary sources • Shows that the commonly held assumption that the Jewish writers Philo and Josephus were more ‘historical’ in their descriptions of Pilate than the gospel writers is not true
Contents
Introduction; 1. Pontius Pilate and the Roman Province of Judaea; 2. Pilate in Philo; 3. Pilate in Josephus; 4. Pilate in Mark's Gospel; 5. Pilate in Matthew's Gospel; 6. Pilate in Luke/Acts; 7. Pilate in John's Gospel; 8. Historical events behind the gospel narratives; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.
Review
‘A valuable contribution … thorough and scholarly study.’ John Court, Church Times
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