So how about a little Pontius Pilate legend and lore?
It is alleged that when Pontius Pilate died he had to be laid to rest several times. The first time was in the Tiber river, where the water so churned with evil spirits that his body was removed and taken to Vienna. In Vienna the Rhone River once again churned with evil spirits, so that his body was moved again to Lausanne, Switzerland, where it still could find no rest. Finally, it was removed from there to its final resting place deep in a German lake atop a mountain now known as Pilatus. They say that during the Easter season Pilate still comes out to wash his hands in the water of the lake. Someone better call Scooby and grab the keys to the Mystery Machine.
The most frightening aspect of Pilate’s life isn’t his legend. It’s that he actually encountered the living Christ, but the encounter never manifested in his life. Pilate considered Jesus carefully. He spoke with Jesus, saw the innocence of Jesus, and declared it to the accusers standing in the crowd several times. Then after this encounter Pontius Pilate simply turned and surrendered to the world.
In literary terms, Pilate ends up being a sympathetic, somewhat complex character. Was he well intentioned and weak? Was he just a patsy for the High Priests, for Rome, for God? Was he a necessary part of the plan?
Pilate ends up embodying my personal Christian nightmare – encountering the living Christ and never having that encounter truly manifest in my life. You know which life I mean; the one behind my church smile. Go to work, go to church, raise my child, collect my stuff, read my Bible, and miss the point. Now that’s frightening.
And what is the point? I don’t know, ask Jesus.
The truth behind the legend of Pilate is that when they threw him in the river nothing probably happened. My guess is that it was anticlimactic. The 1st river probably swallowed him up, and he just sank down in his own infamy. Scary, huh?
October 28th, 2009 - 6:05 am
I really enjoy being your friend and brother in Christ. Your words this morning were not only entertaining, but thought provoking. How much of my life is all about me? All about “my” family? “My” job? “My” stuff? “My” faith?…huh?
Yup, Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of my faith. May I step back today and let Him run the show. It all belongs to Him anyways.
Jesus, may you show each of us today how to let you live through us. That having met You has dramatically changed us forever. Let us not have one foot in Heaven and the other in this world. It’s all or nothing. Make it so in our lives!
October 28th, 2009 - 6:35 am
Matt, thank you. I enjoy some light scary movies except life imitates art too many times.
I never thought much of Pilate other than he was probably much more cynical than sympathetic. He had a reputation for cruelty. As cruel as his legend, which included executions just for the fun of it, the Word says Pilate found nothing in our Lord worthy of death. His very cynicism confirms our Lord’s divinity and purity.
October 28th, 2009 - 8:00 am
First off, the fact that people were once buried in rivers is very unsanitary….yuk.
Thanks for your thought Matt. I especially resonate with not wanting to miss the point. I do not want my life to be around Jesus but not about Jesus. I want my life to be Jesus so much so that others see him.
I will think much about missing the point today.