Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from AD 26-36. He will forever be known for his part in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. All four Gospels in the New Testament give us an account of how these two unforgettable events involving Jesus unfolded. This includes how Pontius Pilate himself was directly involved. Based on the Gospel accounts, it could be said Pontius Pilate was an unwilling participant in the crucifixion that would change the world. In (John 18:38) Pilate tells the Jews, “I find no basis for a charge against him.” We can see this reluctance again in the Gospel Of Luke.
(Luke 23:22) For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
As Pontius Pilate struggled to decide what to do with the “King Of The Jews”, he asked Jesus (John 19:10-12), “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or crucify you? Jesus answered, ” You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” The Bible said from then on Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders insisted that if he let Jesus go he was no friend of Caesar. In the end Pilate gives in. Wanting to satisfy the crowd, he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified. (Mark 15:15)
The Pilate Stone
The Pilate Stone is a block of limestone with a carved inscription (writing) mentioning Pontius Pilate. The 82 cm x 65 cm stone dates back to the first century. It was discovered in 1961 by a team of Italian archaeologists while they were excavating around an old theater in Caesarea, Israel. This discovery was the first inscription found that refers to Pontius Pilate. The Pilate Stone is widely accepted as proof outside of the Bible that he was a real historical figure. The stone now resides at the Israel Museum.
More Evidence For The Existence Of Pilate
Tacitus, who is considered to be one of the greatest Roman historians, Philo the Jewish philosopher, and Josephus the Jewish historian, all three mention Pontius Pilate in their writings.
These writers all lived and recorded history at or around the same time Pontius Pilate was living. With this kind of evidence, it becomes hard to deny the existence of the man who was so directly involved in the crucifixion of Jesus. For those who are looking for proof that the Bible can be trusted, this is just another example of the many people and places God’s Word speaks of that have been proven to be historically accurate and true.
