![Evangelium Nicodemi manuscript](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Evangelium_Nicodemi_manuscript.jpg)
The Pilate cycle is a group of various pieces of early Christian literature that purport to either be written by
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of J ...
, or else otherwise closely describe his activities and the
Passion of Jesus
In Christianity, the Passion (from the Latin verb ''patior, passus sum''; "to suffer, bear, endure", from which also "patience, patient", etc.) is the short final period in the life of Jesus Christ.
Depending on one's views, the "Passion" m ...
. Unlike the four
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
s, these later writings were not
canonized in the New Testament, and hence relegated to a status of
apocrypha
Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...
. Some writings were quite obscure, with only a few ancient textual references known today; they merely survived through happenstance, and may not have been particularly widely read by
early Christians in the Roman Empire and
Christians in the Middle Ages. Others were more popular. The most notable example was the
Gospel of Nicodemus
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
(or "Acts of Pilate"), which proved quite popular and influential in medieval and Renaissance Christianity.
The group is collectively known as the Pilate cycle by some scholars; this is not a term used by early Christians, many of whom might have had access to only one or two of these accounts at most. It is rather an umbrella designation used much later to collect the writings attributed to Pilate. None of these documents are believed in the modern day to have been authentically written by Pilate or his contemporaries.
Background
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate (; grc-gre, Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος, ) was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea, serving under Emperor Tiberius from 26/27 to 36/37 AD. He is best known for being the official who presided over the trial of J ...
was the
prefect
Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area.
A prefect's ...
(governor) of the
Roman province of Judea approximately from 26 to 36 AD. He presided over the
execution of Jesus, likely due to accusations that Jesus had called himself "King of the Jews", leading Pilate to believe he was possibly fomenting a rebellion against the
Herodian dynasty to bring about a "
Kingdom of God". His activities are described in the Christian gospels that were canonized in the New Testament. The gospels are generally agreed to have be written between 70 and 110 AD, and provide a snapshot of Christian traditions about Pilate in the decades after Jesus's death.
Christians in later centuries hungered for more information than the gospels provided, however. Just as
infancy gospel Infancy gospels (Greek: ''protoevangelion'') are a genre of religious texts that arose in the 2nd century. They are part of New Testament apocrypha, and provide accounts of the birth and early life of Jesus. The texts are of various and uncertain or ...
s expanded the stories of young Jesus, various texts were produced that expanded the story of Pilate, Jesus's trial, and Jesus's execution. These
Passion Gospels
Passion Gospels are early Christian texts that either mostly or exclusively relate to the last events of Jesus' life: the Passion of Jesus. They are generally classed as New Testament apocrypha. The last chapters of the four canonical gospels ( ...
satisfied a natural curiosity and desire to know more about Jesus's death and its aftermath. In addition to expanding the gospel story, many of these accounts seem to have had an
apologetic
Apologetics (from Greek , "speaking in defense") is the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines through systematic argumentation and discourse. Early Christian writers (c. 120–220) who defended their beliefs against critics and ...
motive as well. They aimed to reassure Christians that yes, something amazing had happened in Judea during the time of Jesus, and reliable neutral parties such as Pilate confirmed it.
Attitudes about Pilate varied, and affected the style of literature produced. Loosely speaking,
eastern Christians revered Pilate, such as the
Syrian,
Coptic
Coptic may refer to:
Afro-Asia
* Copts, an ethnoreligious group mainly in the area of modern Egypt but also in Sudan and Libya
* Coptic language, a Northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century
* Coptic alphabet ...
, and
Ethiopian
Ethiopians are the native inhabitants of Ethiopia, as well as the global diaspora of Ethiopia. Ethiopians constitute several component ethnic groups, many of which are closely related to ethnic groups in neighboring Eritrea and other parts of ...
traditions; the Coptic tradition even deems him a saint. A version of this can be seen as early as the
Gospel of John
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "sig ...
, which portrays Pilate more positively than the
synoptic gospel
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in a similar sequence and in similar or sometimes identical wording. They stand in contrast to John, whose co ...
s.
Western Christians
Western Christianity is one of two sub-divisions of Christianity ( Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the Old Catholic ...
were more skeptical of Pilate; during various periods of persecution by the Roman Empire, Pilate was identified as the first persecutor. Western attitudes softened later in an attempt to show that Christianity need not be feared and that good Romans such as Pilate had acknowledged that Jesus was not a threat to Roman rule, and the Jews were the real problem. After Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire and after the
fall of the Western Roman Empire
The fall of the Western Roman Empire (also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Ancient Rome, Rome) was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rul ...
, Western attitudes toward Pilate became more hostile again, as there was no longer a need to justify to pagan rulers that Christians were harmless and not criminals.
The first major scholarly collection of the Pilate cycle was by
Constantin von Tischendorf
Lobegott Friedrich Constantin (von) Tischendorf (18 January 18157 December 1874) was a German biblical scholar. In 1844, he discovered the world's oldest and most complete Bible dated to around the mid-4th century and called Codex Sinaiticus a ...
, who published a series of collections of apocrypha in their oldest known versions, notably the ''Evangelia Apocrypha'' in 1853. Since Tischendorf's time, more works have been discovered, but much of the baseline terminology and assumptions were set by his pioneering work. More recent scholars to publish collections and translations include James Keith Elliott,
Bart Ehrman
Bart Denton Ehrman (born 1955) is an American New Testament scholar focusing on textual criticism of the New Testament, the historical Jesus, and the origins and development of early Christianity. He has written and edited 30 books, including t ...
, and Zlatko Pleše.
Acts of Pilate
The or Acts of Pilate is a Christian text that records Jesus's trial, execution, and resurrection and expands upon the details given from the gospels. It is by far the most popular and well-read of Pilate-related apocrypha, being compiled in the Gospel of Nicodemus (''Evangelium Nicodemi'') in the 9th century, which was a popular work among medieval European Christians. There are two main versions, usually referred to as A and B. It is unknown precisely when a form similar to the versions that survive was written.
Justin Martyr
Justin Martyr ( el, Ἰουστῖνος ὁ μάρτυς, Ioustinos ho martys; c. AD 100 – c. AD 165), also known as Justin the Philosopher, was an early Christian apologist and philosopher.
Most of his works are lost, but two apologies and ...
makes a reference to an Acts of Pilate as early as 160 AD, although the version he knew may have been much different than later traditions, or else Justin may have simply assumed that some record must have existed. Scholars estimate that the versions that survive may have been finalized as late as the 5th or 6th centuries, although earlier dates from the 2nd–4th centuries are possible as well; in particular, a compelling hypothesis is that the Acts were first written in the early 4th century as a counterattack to a rival
pagan Acts of Pilate. The work was originally written in Greek, although it implausibly claims to be translated from a Hebrew original within it. The authors appear to be familiar with all four of the canonical gospels, and include some material from each. While many of the other parts of the Pilate cycle survive on just a few ancient records, the Acts of Pilate was very popular; over 500 ancient manuscripts survive in a variety of languages and versions, indicating it was translated, copied, and modified many times across
Christendom
Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwine ...
. It proved especially popular in Western Christianity, with many surviving copies of the Latin translation.
The versions identifying themselves as the Gospel of Nicodemus include a prologue where an author identifying himself as Ananias, a bodyguard of Pilate, claims to be translating a Hebrew work by
Nicodemus
Nicodemus (; grc-gre, Νικόδημος, Nikódēmos) was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John:
* He first visits Jesus one night to discuss Jesus' teachings ().
* The second time Nicodemu ...
. The main Acts of Pilates then proceeds to describe Jesus's trial; in it, Pilate is portrayed positively, as someone who recognizes Jesus's greater authority as king. The Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of being a sorcerer. Jesus is brought in to be questioned, and the
Roman standards
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
(''aquila'') bow down and worship him. Pilate finds nothing to charge Jesus with; various witnesses attest to Jesus's miracles of healing. Pilate says he is innocent of the matter, while the Jews quote the Gospel of Matthew's claim that they said "
his blood be upon us and our children," a phrase repeated three times in the work. At Jesus's execution, the
day turning to night is written off by the Jews as a natural
eclipse of the sun
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of the Earth, totally or partially. Such an alignment occurs during an eclipse season, approximately every six month ...
. Jesus's resurrection proceeds similar to a harmonized account that attempts to combine all the gospel versions. Nicodemus searches for the resurrected Jesus, but instead finds only
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was, according to all four canonical gospels, the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. The historical location of Arimathea is uncertain, although it has been identified with several t ...
. Joseph, a rabbi named Levi, and other witnesses testify to Jesus's resurrection and divine nature.
The B version includes various content not directly related to Pilate. It includes chapters on the
Harrowing of Hell
In Christian theology, the Harrowing of Hell ( la, Descensus Christi ad Inferos, "the descent of Christ into Hell" or Hades) is an Old English and Middle English term referring to the period of time between the Crucifixion of Jesus and his re ...
, which describes exactly what happened while Jesus was dead after his execution. In it, a dead
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
preaches in
Hades (the realm) to other dead figures of the Jewish scriptures including
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
and
Seth
Seth,; el, Σήθ ''Sḗth''; ; "placed", "appointed") in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mandaeism, and Sethianism, was the third son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, their only other child mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible. A ...
, the patriarchs, and the prophets, and tells of Jesus's coming. Satan is misled into believing that Jesus is a mere human, and encourages Hades (the deity) to trap him. However, Jesus instead smashes the gates of Hades with his authority, freeing and saving the dead. Satan is bound by angels and given over to Hades in death to await the
Second Coming of Jesus
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on mess ...
.
Anaphora Pilati
The ''Anaphora Pilati'' or Report of Pontius Pilate is a report purportedly written by Pilate to Emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
describing Jesus's execution and its aftermath. Its date of authorship is unknown.
Tertullian
Tertullian (; la, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus; 155 AD – 220 AD) was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He was the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of L ...
references a report Pilate wrote to Emperor Tiberius in his ''
Apology'', written around 197 AD; however he provides no details, so he may well have been referring to a different text. The text is estimated to more likely originate from the late 4th century or the 5th century. The oldest versions that survive are Greek versions from the 6th century, and Arabic and
Karshuni versions from the 10th and 13th century.
The ''Anaphora Pilati'' is largely an anti-Jewish work. The miracles of Jesus are plain and obvious to Pilate as more powerful than any the Roman gods provide, yet the Jews blindly reject Jesus and demand his punishment, despite being unable to convict him of a single crime. Pilate only allows the execution to proceed to prevent a rebellion. After Jesus's death, a supernatural light comes down on Jerusalem at the third hour of the night. An earthquake opens the mountains, and the dead pour out from Hades. Jews who had dared speak against Jesus are swallowed by chasms from the earthquake, not even leaving bodies. All of the
synagogue
A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of worshi ...
s in Jerusalem are destroyed except one.
Letter of Herod to Pilate
The Letter of Herod to Pilate is a letter purportedly from
Herod Antipas,
Tetrarch
Tetrarch, Tetrarchs, or Tetrarchy may refer to:
* Tetrarchy, the four co-emperors of the Roman Empire instituted by the Emperor Diocletian
* Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs - a sculpture of the four co-emperors of the Roman Empire
* Herodian Tetrarc ...
of Galilee, to Pilate. Greek and
Syriac Syriac may refer to:
*Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic
*Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region
* Syriac alphabet
** Syriac (Unicode block)
** Syriac Supplement
* Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
versions exist, although Greek is considered the original language of the letter. A Syriac document from the 5th or 6th century is the oldest version available to us today, although it likely originates from the late 4th century. Despite the title, it is not part of a correspondence with the
Letter of Pilate to Herod; it is a separate work, although the two works are included together in manuscripts. Notably, Longinus has a completely different fate in this letter than in the Letter of Pilate to Herod.
In the Letter of Herod to Pilate, Herod has belatedly realized his evil deeds (such as cutting off
John the Baptist
John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...
's head), and writes to Pilate of the coming just punishment to him and the Jews. Herod's daughter Herodia is bizarrely decapitated after her mother grabs her head trying to save her from a sudden flood of the river. His son Lesbonaks is dying of a wasting disease. His wife is going blind, and he is being afflicted by worms. Herod affirms that God has handed over the Kingdom to gentiles like Pilate, that death was coming to the priests of Judaism, and that Jews like him had failed to abide by God's law. He requests that Pilate bury him and his family after their deaths, rather than the already damned Jewish priests. Herod adds that Longinus, who stabbed Jesus with his spear, had also suffered lopsided punishment: he was being eternally devoured by a lion. His body is restored every dawn, and the lion shreds his body each night, until the second coming of Christ (somewhat similar to the punishment of
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus (; , , possibly meaning " forethought")Smith"Prometheus". is a Titan god of fire. Prometheus is best known for defying the gods by stealing fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, kn ...
). The letter concludes with writing that Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had set down the record of this letter.
Letter of Pilate to Claudius
The Letter of Pilate to Claudius is a document purportedly written by Pilate to Emperor
Claudius
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusu ...
and written in Greek. It is potentially one of the oldest pieces of Pilate literature, dating from some point between the end of the 2nd century AD and the 5th century. The letter was later incorporated into the
Acts of Peter and Paul
The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message ...
, a 5th-century work. It evinces a positive attitude toward Pilate.
The account is largely a contradiction of the
stolen body hypothesis that suggests Jesus's body was stolen, rather than being resurrected. Pilate first affirms that Jesus performed amazing miracles during his term as governor. Pilate was convinced to hand him over to the Jews because the chief priests said he was a sorcerer who was violating Jewish law. The author then shows familiarity with the
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew), or simply Matthew. It is most commonly abbreviated as "Matt." is the first book of the New Testament of the Bible and one of the three synoptic Gospels. It tells how Israel's Messiah, Jesus, comes to his people and for ...
and repeats the story from there that Pilate had sent soldiers to watch the tomb, Jesus had risen from the dead before the soldiers, and the chief priests of the Jews had paid off the soldiers in an attempt to spread lies that Jesus's disciples had stolen the body instead. In the Letter of Pilate to Claudius, Pilate testifies that the soldiers instead informed him of the bribe and the truth of the matter, that the resurrection was real. He then decided to write up this report so that Claudius would not believe the lies of the Jews.
Historically, being a letter to Claudius is rather strange, as Claudius began his reign only in 41 AD, some years after both Jesus's death and Pilate's term as prefect. One possibility is that the author, writing centuries later, was misinformed about the correct timeframes of the succession of Roman emperors. Another is that the letter was originally to Tiberius, but when it was incorporated into the Acts of Peter and Paul, its recipient was updated to fit better into that story. In the Acts, the apostle Simon Peter and the deceiver
Simon Magus
Simon Magus (Greek Σίμων ὁ μάγος, Latin: Simon Magus), also known as Simon the Sorcerer or Simon the Magician, was a religious figure whose confrontation with Peter is recorded in Acts . The act of simony, or paying for position, is ...
appear before Emperor
Nero
Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 un ...
. When Nero hears about Christ, he asks how he can learn more about him. Peter suggests retrieving Pilate's letter to the previous emperor (Claudius), and it is read aloud.
The account is less anti-Jewish than some of the works attributed to Pilate that see him positively; in it, "all the people of the Jews called him
esus
Esus, Hesus, or Aisus was a Brittonic and Gaulish god known from two monumental statues and a line in Lucan's '' Bellum civile''.
Name
T. F. O'Rahilly derives the theonym ''Esus'', as well as ''Aoibheall'', ''Éibhleann'', ''Aoife'', and ...
Son of God", and it is the chief priests who are evil and bent on discrediting Jesus out of envy.
Letter of Pilate to Herod
The Letter of Pilate to Herod is a work purportedly written by Pontius Pilate to
Herod Antipas,
Tetrarch
Tetrarch, Tetrarchs, or Tetrarchy may refer to:
* Tetrarchy, the four co-emperors of the Roman Empire instituted by the Emperor Diocletian
* Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs - a sculpture of the four co-emperors of the Roman Empire
* Herodian Tetrarc ...
of Galilee. Greek and
Syriac Syriac may refer to:
*Syriac language, an ancient dialect of Middle Aramaic
*Sureth, one of the modern dialects of Syriac spoken in the Nineveh Plains region
* Syriac alphabet
** Syriac (Unicode block)
** Syriac Supplement
* Neo-Aramaic languages a ...
versions exist, although Greek is considered the original language of the letter. A Syriac document from the 5th or 6th century is the oldest version available to us today, however, and is seemingly incomplete in parts. The work is hypothesized to have originally been written in the 3rd or 4th century. It bears a number of similarities to the ''
Paradosis Pilati'', notably in its respect to Pilate and his wife converting. Unlike the ''Paradosis Pilati'', it is not overtly anti-Jewish in its message. Despite the title, it is not part of a correspondence with the
Letter of Herod to Pilate
The Pilate cycle is a group of various pieces of early Christian literature that purport to either be written by Pontius Pilate, or else otherwise closely describe his activities and the Passion of Jesus. Unlike the four gospels, these later wri ...
; it is a separate work, although the two letters would later be included in the same manuscripts.
In The Letter of Pilate to Herod, Pilate expresses remorse over executing Jesus. His messengers sent to Galilee find the resurrected Jesus and confirm his divine power. He, his
wife Procla, and the centurion
Longinus
Longinus () is the name given to the unnamed Roman soldier who pierced the side of Jesus with a lance and who in medieval and some modern Christian traditions is described as a convert to Christianity. His name first appeared in the apocryphal G ...
all convert to Christianity, and affirm Christian teachings. Pilate describes being personally blessed by a vision of the Lord.
Letter of Pilate to Tiberius
The Letter of Pilate to Tiberius is a short letter that Pilate purportedly wrote Emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
. It is a comparatively late text, perhaps as late as the
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
. It was originally written in Latin.
The depiction of Pilate is quite positive; Pilate describes Jesus as the most pious person who ever existed, and explains himself as having to execute him only because he feared an uprising of the Jews against Rome had he declined.
Letter of Tiberius to Pilate
The Letter of Tiberius to Pilate is a Greek text purportedly from Emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
to Pilate. Its date of authorship is unknown. It is hypothesized to be from comparatively late during medieval Christianity, around the 11th century at the earliest. Despite being written in Greek, it evinces later Western attitudes toward Pilate, considering him a criminal. The writer may have been familiar with the Acts of Pilate. While the letter alludes to an earlier letter from Pilate to Tiberius, this earlier letter does not appear to be the ''Anaphora Pilati'', the Renaissance Letter of Pilate to Tiberius above, or any other extant similar work; it is unknown if this other letter was a mere rhetorical flourish, or a lost work.
According to the work, the letter is sent by Tiberius and accompanied by 2,000 Roman soldiers and a courier named Rahab. Tiberius is enraged at Pilate's unjust sentence to Jesus, of whom Tiberius has received reports of his amazing deeds of healing. Pilate,
Herod Archelaus
Herod Archelaus (, ''Hērōidēs Archelaos''; 23 BC – ) was ethnarch of Samaria, Judea, and Idumea, including the cities Caesarea Maritima, Caesarea and Jaffa, for a period of nine years (). He was the son of Herod the Great and Mal ...
,
Philip
Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...
,
Annas
Annas (also Ananus or Ananias;Goodman, Martin, "Rome & Jerusalem", Penguin Books, p.12 (2007) , ; grc-x-koine, Ἅννας, ; 23/22 BC – death date unknown, probably around AD 40) was appointed by the Roman legate Quirinius as the first High ...
,
Caiaphas
Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famous ...
, and the Jewish leaders are to be arrested and brought to Rome. The soldiers are also to slay all Jewish males for the crime of the execution of Jesus and defile the Jewish women. The letter continues on to describe their later fates: the Jewish leaders suffer horrific deaths, being beheaded, impaled, crucified, and squeezed to death. The emperor personally kills Pilate as part of a divinely guided hunting accident; Tiberius was attempting to shoot a
hind A hind is a female deer, especially a red deer.
Places
* Hind (Sasanian province, 262-484)
* Hind and al-Hind, a Persian and Arabic name for the Indian subcontinent
* Hind (crater), a lunar impact crater
* 1897 Hind, an asteroid
Military ...
with his bow, but the arrow instead went into the window of Pilate's prison and killed him.
Mors Pilati
![Hans Memling 026](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Hans_Memling_026.jpg)
The or The Death of Pilate Who Condemned Jesus is a late medieval work written in Latin. Similar to the Letter of Tiberius to Pilate, it has a hostile attitude toward Pilate. It is an anonymous work that does not identify its author. While the modern form is from the 14th century, a version appears in the
Golden Legend
The ''Golden Legend'' (Latin: ''Legenda aurea'' or ''Legenda sanctorum'') is a collection of hagiographies by Jacobus de Voragine that was widely read in late medieval Europe. More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived.Hilary ...
of the 1250s; this work may have been inspired by an excerpt from a work called the from the 11th and 12th centuries, which itself might have been inspired by the of the 8th and 9th centuries.
In The Death of Pilate, Emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
is ill. He sends his emissary Volusian to seek out the famous healer Jesus of Nazareth, but Volusian is too late; Pilate has already executed him. Volusian instead finds
Saint Veronica
Saint Veronica, also known as Berenike, was a woman from Jerusalem who lived in the 1st century AD, according to extra-biblical Christian sacred tradition. A celebrated saint in many pious Christian countries, the 17th-century ''Acta Sanctorum' ...
, and takes both Veronica and Pilate back to Rome. Veronica uses a
handkerchief with Jesus's image imprinted on it to heal Tiberius instead. Tiberius brings Pilate before him for judgment, but is stalled because Pilate is wearing part of Jesus's tunic that had been divided the day of his execution, and the Emperor finds himself unable to act hostilely against someone wearing it. After a Christian strips Pilate of his scrounged holy tunic, Tiberius orders Pilate's execution. Pilate stabs himself with a dagger upon hearing the news. His dead body is then moved several times, as malignant spirits rejoice and stir up trouble around wherever his body lies, and the terrified locals move the body to stop the thunder, hail, windstorms, and so on. His body finally rests in a lake near Losania (
Lausanne
, neighboring_municipalities= Bottens, Bretigny-sur-Morrens, Chavannes-près-Renens, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Crissier, Cugy, Écublens, Épalinges, Évian-les-Bains (FR-74), Froideville, Jouxtens-Mézery, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne, Lugrin (FR-74), ...
) in the mountains of the Alps, which is isolated enough to trouble fewer people (presumably either
Lake Lucerne
__NOTOC__
Lake Lucerne (german: Vierwaldstättersee, literally "Lake of the four forested settlements" (in English usually translated as ''forest cantons''), french: lac des Quatre-Cantons, it, lago dei Quattro Cantoni) is a lake in central S ...
or
Lake Leman
, image = Lake Geneva by Sentinel-2.jpg
, caption = Satellite image
, image_bathymetry =
, caption_bathymetry =
, location = Switzerland, France
, coords =
, lake_type = Glacial la ...
).
The Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea
The Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea is a medieval legend written in Greek, purportedly by
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was, according to all four canonical gospels, the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. The historical location of Arimathea is uncertain, although it has been identified with several t ...
, the man who requested Jesus's body to bury it. It chronicles the passion of Jesus as well as some of Jesus's activities with Joseph after his resurrection. While Pilate is a minor player, it is usually included in the Pilate cycle due to its emphasis on Jesus's trial and execution. The date it is written is unknown; the earliest manuscripts surviving are from the 12th century. The author of the work seems to be familiar with the letters of Herod to Pilate and the Acts of Pilate (Gospel of Nicodemus), so any time after the Acts of Pilate was written (approximately the 5th century) to the 12th century is possible for the date of the composition of the work. The work has an anti-Jewish agenda and betrays colossal ignorance of Jewish customs. The author has Joseph condemn the "murderous Jews who wage war against God", that
Nicodemus
Nicodemus (; grc-gre, Νικόδημος, Nikódēmos) was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in three places in the Gospel of John:
* He first visits Jesus one night to discuss Jesus' teachings ().
* The second time Nicodemu ...
, the sole "good" Jew, held to the truth more than the entire multitude of the Jews, and directly expresses his hope at the conclusion that "all...
ill ILL may refer to:
* '' I Love Lucy'', a landmark American television sitcom
* Illorsuit Heliport (location identifier: ILL), a heliport in Illorsuit, Greenland
* Institut Laue–Langevin, an internationally financed scientific facility
* Interlibra ...
no longer serve the law of Moses."
The work goes into some detail on the thieves who were crucified with Jesus.
Gestas
The impenitent thief is a man described in the New Testament account of the Crucifixion of Jesus. In the Gospel narrative, two criminal bandits are crucified alongside Jesus. In the first two Gospels (Matthew and Mark), they both join the crowd ...
, the evil thief, is a psychotic murderer and highwayman who drinks the blood of babies.
Demas Demas or Demos was a man mentioned by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament of the Bible, and appears to have been involved for a time in his ministry.
Demas is mentioned in three of the canonical Pauline epistles:
*In Philemon he is mentioned ...
, the good thief, is a Galilean innkeeper and a proto-
Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legendary heroic outlaw originally depicted in English folklore and subsequently featured in literature and film. According to legend, he was a highly skilled archer and swordsman. In some versions of the legend, he is depic ...
; he steals from the rich and treats the poor well. Demas robs the Temple of Jerusalem and steals
Jewish law itself. While doing so, he humiliates the daughter of evil Chief Priest
Caiaphas
Joseph ben Caiaphas (; c. 14 BC – c. 46 AD), known simply as Caiaphas (; grc-x-koine, Καϊάφας, Kaïáphas ) in the New Testament, was the Jewish high priest who, according to the gospels, organized a plot to kill Jesus. He famous ...
, Sara, by stealing her clothes, and steals Solomon's treasure. The theft of the law sends the Jews into a frenzy. Judas is bribed by the Jews for thirty pieces of gold to gain evidence (rather than the usual silver), and accuses Jesus of the crime Demas committed. Jesus is arrested for the theft of the law. Jesus does not respond to the charges, as he is innocent. The Jews become unruly and want to burn Sara at the stake, since without the Law they cannot celebrate
Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holidays, Jewish holiday that celebrates the The Exodus, Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Ancient Egypt, Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew calendar, He ...
. Sara suggests instead that if the Jews collectively destroy Jesus, this will cause the law to be found. After Judas's betrayal with a kiss, Jesus is arrested again and handed over to Caiaphas and the chief priests.
On the cross, Jesus discusses matters with the two thieves. Gestas says if he had known Jesus was a king, he would have tried to kill him as well, and insults Jesus as a wild beast. Demas, sensing Jesus's power, asks for forgiveness. Jesus, from the cross, writes the angels that Demas should enter paradise. He also decrees that the children of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses (that is, the Jews) be cast into hell.
Joseph requests Jesus's body and buries it, but is then imprisoned by the Jews who violate their own law by imprisoning him on the Sabbath. A resurrected Jesus and Demas arrive at the prison and annihilate it with a great light, freeing Joseph. The three depart for Galilee, where they meet
John the Apostle
John the Apostle ( grc, Ἰωάννης; la, Ioannes ; Ge'ez: ዮሐንስ;) or Saint John the Beloved was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee a ...
, who is amazed at the robber Demas's new ineffable and beatific appearance.
Paradosis Pilati
The ''Paradosis Pilati'' or The Handing Over of Pilate is an account of Pilate being brought to Rome for judgment before Emperor
Tiberius
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...
for his execution of Jesus. It is written in Greek. The earliest surviving manuscripts are from the 12th century, but the work is hypothesized to be from the 4th or 5th century, similar to the ''Anaphora Pilati''. The account may have been one of the earliest to name
Pontius Pilate's wife
Pontius Pilate's wife is the unnamed spouse of Pontius Pilate, who appears only once in the Gospel of Matthew, where she intercedes with Pilate on Jesus' behalf. It is uncertain whether Pilate was actually married, although it is likely. In later ...
as "Procla". It also describes Procla as being an earlier convert to Christianity than Pilate himself. Its very high regard for Pilate suggests an origin in Eastern Christianity.
The more famous Acts of Pilate was possibly influenced by the ''Paradosis Pilati'', or the same traditions that inspired it. Some scholars suggest that the ''Paradosis Pilati'' may have been a sequel of sorts to the ''Anaphora Pilati'', describing Tiberius's response; however, as the ''Paradosis Pilati'' does not describe an author, other scholars such as Ehrman and Plese reject this possibility, although suggest that the author may well have been familiar with the ''Anaphora Pilati''.
In The Handing Over of Pilate, Tiberius orders Pilate brought to him as a prisoner, somehow intuiting that the
darkness that covered the world at Jesus's execution was his fault. At trial, Pilate deflects and says that the Jewish leaders as well as the "entire multitude of the Jews" were the ones truly at fault. Tiberius suggests that Pilate should have sent Jesus to Rome for his safety. At the speaking of Jesus's name, all the emblems and statues of the
Roman gods
The Roman deities most widely known today are those the Romans identified with Greek counterparts (see ''interpretatio graeca''), integrating Greek myths, iconography, and sometimes religious practices into Roman culture, including Latin lite ...
turn to dust. After he is pressed again, Pilate again blames the Jews for his act. Tiberius authorizes a decree to the Roman governor to enslave and disperse the inhabitants of Judea, and lay the nation waste. The governor, Licianus, does so.
[This is ahistorical; the ]First Jewish–Roman War
The First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE), sometimes called the Great Jewish Revolt ( he, המרד הגדול '), or The Jewish War, was the first of three major rebellions by the Jews against the Roman Empire, fought in Roman-controlled ...
would not occur until forty years later. Still aghast at the death of Jesus, the emperor orders Pilate beheaded. Pilate prays and again blames the Jews. A voice from heaven responds and says that all the races and families of the gentiles will bless Pilate because the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies of Jesus happened under him. Pilate will personally appear as a witness at the
Second Coming
The Second Coming (sometimes called the Second Advent or the Parousia) is a Christian (as well as Islamic and Baha'i) belief that Jesus will return again after his ascension to heaven about two thousand years ago. The idea is based on messi ...
and of the judging of unbelievers. After Pilate is beheaded, an angel personally brings his head to heaven. His wife dies with joy upon seeing his holy reward, and their two bodies are buried together.
Vindicta Salvatoris
The or The Vengeance of the Savior is a medieval legend written in Latin. It is an anonymous work that does not identify its author. The oldest text found is the
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer (; vls, Sint-Omaars) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France.
It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Saint Audoma ...
manuscript of the 9th century, although scholars have argued the text likely originates from the 8th century. An
Anglo-Saxon language
Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th cen ...
(Old English) version exists from the 11th century as well that was used as an ancient source before the Saint-Omer version was discovered; Latin is still believed to be the original language of composition, with the Anglo-Saxon version a translation. Despite Pilate only featuring in a minor role, it is generally grouped with other works of the Pilate cycle, due to it including the legend of Veronica and Tiberius that features in other Pilate literature.
The work is deeply anti-Jewish, and is a revenge fantasy wherein the Jews suffer horrifically for their
collective crime of killing the Messiah. Pilate is portrayed negatively as in the Western tradition, and has a terrible fate befall him as vengeance as well. The author of the work is quite ignorant of the geography of the province of Judea and the Roman Empire of the era. For example, the work writes that
Titus
Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death.
Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...
was a client ruler of "Libiae" (rather than a Roman Emperor who would reign decades later); includes
Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renov ...
, Tiberius, Titus, and
Vespasian
Vespasian (; la, Vespasianus ; 17 November AD 9 – 23/24 June 79) was a Roman emperor who reigned from AD 69 to 79. The fourth and last emperor who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled the Empi ...
as contemporaries (their lives and reigns were separated by decades); and incorrectly believes
Auster
Auster Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1938 to 1961.Willis, issue 122, p.55
History
The company began in 1938 at the Britannia Works, Thurmaston near Leicester, England, as Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Limited, ma ...
to be the north wind (it is the southern wind). "Libiae" may mean either (
Roman North Africa
Africa Proconsularis was a Roman province on the northern African coast that was established in 146 BC following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisia, the northeast of Algeria, ...
) or
Albi
Albi (; oc, Albi ) is a commune in southern France. It is the prefecture of the Tarn department, on the river Tarn, 85 km northeast of Toulouse. Its inhabitants are called ''Albigensians'' (french: Albigeois, Albigeoise(s), oc, albig ...
(in
Gallia Aquitania), neither of which would be described as north of Judea. These errors suggest the late date of composition in a place far removed from the Eastern Mediterranean. The work is also an expansion of the ''
Cura sanitatis Tiberii
''Cura sanitatis Tiberii'' ("The cure of the health of Tiberius") is a short legendary text which, like other supplements to the ''Gospel of Nicodemus'', is grouped among the New Testament Apocrypha.
According to the narrative, the Roman empero ...
'' legend from the 6th and 7th centuries, wherein Saint Veronica cures Tiberius. The story possibly builds on traditions from the
Aquitaine
Aquitaine ( , , ; oc, Aquitània ; eu, Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne ( oc, Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region of the country. Since 1 January ...
region, as the story associates Titus with Burdigala (Roman-era
Bourdeaux
Bourdeaux (; oc, Bordèus) is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Drôme department
The following is a list of the 363 communes of the Drôme department of France.
The communes ...
) in what may be a nod toward including the author's readers in the story.
In The Vengeance of the Savior, Nathan, an
Ishmaelite (Arab), leaves Judea and travels the Empire to collect a tribute for Emperor Tiberius. Winds blow him off-course north to the city of Burdigala, where the ruler Tyrus suffers from cancer and a mangled face. There, Nathan tells Tyrus of Jesus's miracles, trial, execution, saving of the human race from hell, and resurrection. Tyrus converts to Christianity on the spot. He swears that if he had known earlier, he would have avenged his death, killed Jesus's enemies, and hung their bodies from a dry tree. This vow of vengeance immediately cures Tyrus's cancer and restores his face. After he is baptized by Nathan, Tyrus changes his name to Titus. Titus and Vespasian leave Burdigala with an army and besiege Jerusalem for seven years. Amid the famine from the long siege, King
Herod the Great
Herod I (; ; grc-gre, ; c. 72 – 4 or 1 BCE), also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman Jewish client king of Judea, referred to as the Herodian kingdom. He is known for his colossal building projects throughout Judea, including his renov ...
commits suicide. Many of the Jews, following Herod's lead, commit mass suicide. The Jews agree that the Holy Land is no longer theirs, but that Christ has taken it from them to give to the Romans. After the city falls, various gory fates befall the remaining Jews: some are quartered into four pieces (as Jesus's clothing had been divided); some are speared; some are stoned; some are hanged; and the remaining are enslaved and sold at a rate of 30 Jews for one silver piece, in reference to the
thirty pieces of silver
Thirty pieces of silver was the price for which Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, according to an account in the Gospel of Matthew 26:15 in the New Testament. Before the Last Supper, Judas is said to have gone to the chief priests and agreed to hand ...
paid to Judas.
After this, the Emperor's emissary Volosianus comes to Jerusalem to investigate stories of Jesus. He interrogates Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, Simeon, and Pontius Pilate. Angered at what he has learned, Volosianus has Pilate thrown in an iron cage for killing the perfect man, and orders his punishment by the foulest death. Herod's son
Archelaus is stoned to death. Volosianus also finds Saint Veronica, and takes her
portrait of Jesus from her to bring back to Tiberius. Veronica insists on going on the boat with him so that she does not lose her image of Jesus. At court, Volosianus describes how the guilty Jews have been punished, and how Jews should be slaughtered and their names erased from the Earth. Veronica's portrait heals Emperor Tiberius of his leprosy, and Tiberius and his household are baptized as Christians.
Other apocryphal works with notable Pilate content
The
Gospel of Peter
The Gospel of Peter ( grc, κατά Πέτρον ευαγγέλιον, kata Petron euangelion), or the Gospel according to Peter, is an ancient text concerning Jesus Christ, only partially known today. It is considered a non-canonical gospel and w ...
is an apocryphal gospel that was not canonized by the early Church after accusations that it promoted
docetism
In the history of Christianity, docetism (from the grc-koi, δοκεῖν/δόκησις ''dokeĩn'' "to seem", ''dókēsis'' "apparition, phantom") is the heterodox doctrine that the phenomenon of Jesus, his historical and bodily existence, a ...
. It only exists in fragmentary form from a single surviving copy discovered in Egypt in 1886. One notable facet is that Jewish King
Herod Antipas is given the responsibility for Jesus's execution; Pilate washes his hands of the matter, but Herod and the Jewish judges refuse to do so. This is similar to how various works in the Pilate cycle seek to adjust blame for Jesus's death from Pilate to the Jews.
The "Gospel of Gamaliel" is a hypothetical book speculated to exist by some scholars. While no ancient sources directly refer to such a gospel,
Paulin Ladeuze and
Carl Anton Baumstark
Carl Anton Joseph Maria Dominikus Baumstark (4 August 1872 in Konstanz – 31 May 1948 in Bonn) was a German Orientalist, philologist and liturgist. His main area of study was Oriental liturgical history, its development and its influence on ...
first proposed that such a book existed in 1906. Scholars who believe such a book once existed have reconstructed it from a homily, the "Lament of Mary" (''Laha Maryam'') by a bishop named Cyriacus. They believe ''Laha Maryam'' extensively quotes the Gospel of Gamaliel; the Lament includes a section that leads with "I, Gamaliel" which caused the speculation that these sections were actually quoting an existing gospel. Other scholars believe that such inference is unwarranted, and these sections are simply written by Cyriacus from the perspective of Gamaliel. Reasonably complete manuscripts of ''Laha Maryam'' exist in both Ethiopian and Karshuni (Arabic). Regardless of whether ''Laha Maryam'' is quoting a lost gospel or is simply building on extant legends, it keeps to the Coptic and Ethiopian traditions in painting Pilate in an extremely positive light. The speculated book describes
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
and its aftermath, and is purportedly written by
Gamaliel the Elder, a Rabbi mentioned in the
book of Acts
The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message ...
and the
Mishnah
The Mishnah or the Mishna (; he, מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition", from the verb ''shanah'' , or "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Torah ...
. Pilate believes in Jesus; he interrogates the soldiers at Jesus's tomb and uncovers the truth; he witnesses Jesus's remaining grave-clothes at the
empty tomb
The empty tomb is the Christian tradition that the tomb of Jesus was found empty on the third day after his crucifixion. All four gospels relay the story, but beyond a basic outline, they agree on little. In the original ending of the Gospel of ...
causing miracles of healing; and he trades letters with King Herod on the matter.
Lost works
Acts of Pilate (pagan)
Eusebius
Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian ...
, in his work ''
Church History
__NOTOC__
Church history or ecclesiastical history as an academic discipline studies the history of Christianity and the way the Christian Church has developed since its inception.
Henry Melvill Gwatkin defined church history as "the spiritua ...
'', refers to a pagan Acts of Pilate that was promoted during the reign of Emperor
Maximinus Daza
Galerius Valerius Maximinus, born as Daza (20 November 270 – July 313), was Roman emperor from 310 to 313 CE. He became embroiled in the Civil wars of the Tetrarchy between rival claimants for control of the empire, in which he was defeate ...
(310–313 AD), but it is a
lost work that was not preserved. The document was distributed to towns and cities to be read as part of a government campaign against Christianity. Eusebius denounces it as a forgery, due to a chronological inconsistency between it and the timeline described in
Josephus
Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for ''The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly d ...
's histories; its claimed date was before Pilate was appointed governor. Eusebius writes it was "full of every kind of blasphemy against Christ"; presumably, it recorded that Jesus was a common criminal who had no special authority or power. As it was part of a propaganda campaign aimed at common people, it was likely short and simple: a list of charges against Jesus and an account of his trial, perhaps.
It is possible that the
Christian Acts of Pilate were written precisely as a counter to the pagan Acts of Pilate: a Christian author, angry at the pagan forgery, decided to record what "really" happened and produce a competing Acts of Pilate.
See also
* ''
Cura sanitatis Tiberii
''Cura sanitatis Tiberii'' ("The cure of the health of Tiberius") is a short legendary text which, like other supplements to the ''Gospel of Nicodemus'', is grouped among the New Testament Apocrypha.
According to the narrative, the Roman empero ...
'', a Latin work on Saint Veronica's healing of Emperor Tiberius that often features in Pilate literature
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
External links
''Evangelia apocrypha''(1876 second edition), a scanned copy of Tischendorf's compilation of Apocrypha including the Pilate cycle at the Internet Archive (original documents in Greek and Latin)
* {{wikisource-inline, list=
**
Acts of Pilate
The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its messag ...
, translations of the Acts of Pilate / Gospel of Nicodemus
**
Other Appendixes to the Acts of Pilate, translations & summaries by
M. R. James
Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918), and of Eton College (1918–1936). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambrid ...
in the 1924 book ''The Apocryphal New Testament''
New Testament apocrypha
Passion Gospels
Pontius Pilate