Pontius Pilatus: Antike Überlie ferung, moderne Sic ht und historische Reali tät

Abstract

As part of a seminar entitled Luca-Atti: Prospettiva teologica e storico-sociale a confronto, the tradition concerning Pontius Pilate was analyzed. What is reported about him in the Gospel of Lucas as well as in the other Gospels, especially in the trial against Jesus, is so strongly influenced by the respective intentions of the evangelists that it is not possible
to get through to the personality of Pilate. But even the Jewish authors Philo and Josephus’ statements about him are decisively influenced by their negative attitude towards Roman power, as embodied by the prefects in Judea. They do not derive their judgment of Pilate primarily from his actions; rather, their judgment is already predetermined,
which usually appears in contrast to what they report about his actual actions. Ultimately, the only thing that is certain is that Pilate as prefect was not the governor of an independent province, but acted as a subordinate of the governor of Syria appointed by the emperor, partly taking Jewish sensitivities into consideration, but partly also enforcing his decisions out of the conviction that Rome was the dominant power in Judea as elsewhere. A special propagation of the imperial cult in Judea, which was attributed to
him, has no foundation, as the Tiberieum in Caesarea Maritima was not a cult building but a lighthouse, which Pilate only had restored.

Keywords : Gospel of Lucas; Pontius Pilatus; Josephus; Philo of Alexandria; Judea.