[donh]

That just might have been the way it happened.

In a pig's eye. Even Rome herself was embarassed by the bloodthirst of Pontius Pilate, who never hesitated for a second to off any jew that looked to exhibit leadership potential of any sort. Whatever any evil cabel of jewish leaders (which is your apparent defense now--argument by captulation, I guess) might have had in mind for jesus would have had the effect of a fart in a hurricane on Pontius Pilate.

[.cnI redruM]

>>>>In a pig's eye.

Oh, I see. You were there personally and had a lawnchair out by Golgotha.

>>>>>Even Rome herself was embarassed by the bloodthirst of Pontius Pilate, who never hesitated for a second to off any jew that looked to exhibit leadership potential of any sort.

Rome fully expected Pilot to do that. Titus would later put Jerusalem to the sword in 69AD. According to Flavius Josephus, Titus "Put every man woman and child he could find to the sword out of hatred ofthe nation and its peoples."

>>>>>argument by captulation, I guess)

Which is far less obnoxious and more convincing than argument by stylized contempt and outright rudeness.

>>>>Whatever any evil cabel of jewish leaders....might have had in mind for jesus would have had the effect of a fart in a hurricane on Pontius Pilate.

True, but supportive of my contention rather than yours. (More of that argument by capitulation. You just have such vast expertise in reading the minds of people dead over 2,000 years that I just can't compete.) He gave them their joice of Jesus and Barabus precisely because he wanted them to shut up, go back to work and pay their taxes. Which were the source of income for Roman Proconsuls. Whomever they chose, made no difference to him whatsoever.

BTW, if Pilate was as brutal as you claim, he would have just thrown them both into a gladiatorial school or a salt mine and enjoyed watching them suffer. Crucifixion wasn't the most brutal thing that a Roman Proconsul could dish out.