[A_perfect_lady]

So whoever wrote the book of Matthew says that Pilates wife had dreams about Jesus, eh? So a Roman law-maker was afraid to sentence this man to death because his wife was dreaming about him? I think you and I would both do better to lean into our own understanding, particularly of human nature, than to take the word of strangers from the Middle East who wrote with a very specific agenda in mind.

You do understand that the book of Matthew wasn't written by Matthew and seems to be dated around 80 years after it all happened, right? Would you believe a Hollywood movie written decades later to glorify FDR?

[MarDav]

Not sure where you got 80 years after the fact, when most date the gospel of Matthew at between 60-80 AD.

As for someone having a bad dream or a premonition and then acting on that bad dream/premonition...that doesn’t sound too far outside the realm of human nature to me. You aren’t trying to say that people don’t do that, are you?

But to the real question: You do believe that the Book of Matthew and indeed all the books of the bible are the divinely inspired word of God, right? You do believe this, right?

[Elsie]

I think you and I would both do better to lean into our own understanding, particularly of human nature, than to take the word of strangers from the Middle East who wrote with a very specific agenda in mind.

I think you are having fun; setting these things up!

[Elsie]

You do understand that the book of Matthew wasn't written by Matthew and seems to be dated around 80 years after it all happened, right?

Who TAUGHT you this?

Some stranger with an agenda?

[caww]

.....”So a Roman law-maker was afraid to sentence this man to death because his wife was dreaming about him?”.....

Well I wouldn't pass that off as not significant. The nations peoples were 'highly superstitious' at that time, they really believed that stuff.......I think they could have easily trumped the middle-ages in all the buffoonery they were involved with!

.... Heck if you look at the world even today, it's actually not much better....just hidden under the bushel. So yes, I can easily see this disturbed Pilate.....scared him in fact or he wouldn't have given it a thought if he wasn't superstitious himself....coupled with the fact he was face to face with Christ....imagine the delima he faced overall.. Pilots an interesting character in this as he's not far removed form many politicians today. He was caught between a rock and hard place.....but in the end his political position trumped everything else....a little water on the hands would turn the guilt fully over to the Jewish 'Leadership' demanding Christ's death.

(Am trying to catch up on this thread from the get go to here....you raise questions that are answerable for the most part....)

I believe you are looking at this mostly from a 'political' viewpoint..coupled with the 'religion' of that time...You are correct that the two overlapped, but mostly in the Roman and the Jewish 'Leadership' positions...more than with the people. Rather as today in our country. The people are generally the same type of masses we see today and can be easily led.