Posted on 05/17/2018 9:15:47 AM PDT by ebb tide
May 9, 2018 (National Catholic Register) Rejoicing in the Easter glow, I hesitate to look back to two figures instrumental in the Passion and Death of the Lord, but I often get questions or comments about Judas and Pilate that demonstrate fundamental flaws in moral reasoning. Many people today either seek to exonerate them for their role in the crucifixion or they sympathize with them, citing what they view as exculpatory evidence.
One approach is to see Judas and Pilate as mere puppets in a play written by God; they were only doing what they had to do. Such a view robs both men of their dignity as free moral agents responsible for their actions (something at the very heart of being human). It also turns God into a kind of monster or manipulator, forcing people to do evil things. Further, it would have God break a fundamental moral principle: that we are not to do evil even if good may come from it. If Judas, Pilate, and others were forced by God to play a predestined role then God would be an evildoer because He would have compelled evil so that good would result.
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To my mind Pilate was nothing more than a Roman administrator who wanted to keep things quiet.
I think that is a fair assessment of Pilate.
Of course, Jesus could have looked at Pilate and said “in 300 years, I will own you” since Constantine did the whole Nicea thing.
Well, God did ‘harden’ Pharaoh’s heart. Who’s to say he didn’t harden Pilate’s?
Which isn't to say he was necessarily a nice guy.
I dont think family connections were the enough to get and keep Pilate as a regional governor. There was a certain ruthlessness/indifference that went with getting there too.
I'm not sure Prefect of Iudaea was the kind of prized position coveted by high ranking Romans.
True...it was the eastern frontier filled with a troublesome population.
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