A Letter to Caesar

Editor's Note: Imagine what it would have been like to have stood in Jerusalem the day of Christ's Resurrection. Or, for that matter, the days leading up to it! Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" throws some light upon the frenzy of the time and the brutality imposed upon our wonderful God. There was a witness, Pontius Pilate, and The Archko Volume highlights his fascinating account of events. Reading the following excerpts cannot help but summon up a picture in your mind's eye of the most important event in history.

"To Tiberius Caesar, Emperor of Rome."

"Noble Sovereign, Greeting: The events of the last few days in my province have been of such a character that I will give the details in full as they occurred, as I should not be surprised if, in the course of time, they may change the destiny of our nation, for it seems of late that all the gods have ceased to be propitious. I am almost ready to say: Cursed be the day that I succeeded Vallerius Flaceus in the government of Judea; for since then my life has been one of continual uneasiness and distress.

Among the various rumors that came to my ears there was one in particular that attracted my attention. A young man, it was said, had appeared in Galilee preaching with a noble unction a new law in the name of the God that had sent him. At first I was apprehensive that his design was to stir up the people against the Romans, but my fears were soon dis pelled. Jesus of Nazareth spoke rather as friend of the Romans than of the Jews. One day in passing by the place of Siloe, where there was a great concourse of people, I observed in the midst of the group a young man who was leaning against a tree, calmly addressing the multitude. I was told it was Jesus. This I could easily have suspected, so great was the difference between him and those listening to him. His golden colored hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial aspect. He appeared to be about thirty years of age. Never have I seen a sweeter or more serene countenance. What a contrast between him and his hearers with their black beards and tawny complexions!

Three powerful parties had combined together at that time against Jesus: First the Herodians, and the Sadducees, whose seditious conduct seemed to have proceeded from double motives; they hated the Nazarene and were impatient of the Roman yoke. They never forgave me for having entered the holy city with banners that bore the image of the Roman emperor; and although in this instance I had committed a fatal error, yet the sacrilege did not appear less heinous in their eyes.

The Pharisees were the avowed enemies of Jesus. Timid and too weak to act by themselves, they had embraced the quarrels of the Herodians, and the Sadducees. Besides these three parties, I had to contend against the reckless and profligate populace, always ready to join a sedition, and to profit by the disorder arid confusion that resulted therefrom.

Jesus was dragged before the High Priest and condemned to death.

I had taken a wife from among the Gauls who said to me: "Beware, beware, and touch not that man; for he is holy... Ah! Pilate, evil awaits thee... "

I asked the people what they wanted: "The death of the Nazarene" was the reply. "For what crime?" "He has blasphemed; he has prophesied the ruin of the temple; he calls himself the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of the Jews. " " Roman justice " said I, "punishes not such offences with death." "Crucify him! Crucify him!" cried the relentless rabble.

There was but one who appeared to be calm in the midst of the vast multitude; it was the Nazarene. After many fruitless attempts to protect him from the fury of his merciless persecutors, I adopted a measure which at the moment appeared to me to be the only one that could save his life. I proposed, as it was their custom to deliver a prisoner on such occasions, to release Jesus and let him go free, that he might be the scapegoat, as they called it; but they said Jesus must be crucified.

I then ordered Jesus to be scourged, hoping this might satisfy them; but it only increased their fury. I then called for a basin and washed my hands in the presence of the clamorous multitude, thus testifying that in my judgment Jesus of Nazareth had done nothing deserving of death; but in vain. It was his life these wretches thirsted for.

By degrees the day darkened like a winter's twilight, such as had been at the death of the great Julius Caesar. A loud clamor was heard proceeding from Golgotha, which, borne on the winds, seemed to announce an agony such as was never heard by mortal ears. Dark clouds lowered over the pinnacle of the temple, and setting over the city covered it as with a veil. So dreadful were the signs that men saw both in the heavens and on the earth that Dionysius the Areopagite is reported', to have exclaimed, "Either the author of nature is suffering or the universe; is falling apart."

I returned to the praetorium, sad and pensive. On ascending the stairs the steps of which were still stained with the blood of the Nazarene, I perceived an old man in a suppliant posture. "Father" said I to him, "who are you and what is your request?" "I am Joseph of Arimathea" replied he, "and am come to beg of you upon my knees the permission to bury Jesus of Nazareth." "Your prayer is granted" said I to him.

A few days after, the sepulchre was found empty. His disciples proclaimed all over the country that Jesus had risen from the dead, as he foretold. This created more excitement even than the crucifixion. Joseph buried Jesus in his own tomb. Whether he contemplated his resurrection or calculated to cut him another I cannot tell. I sent for Malcus, who told me he had placed his lieutenant Ben Isham, with one hundred soldiers around the sepulchre. He said that at about the beginning of the fourth watch they saw a soft and beautiful light over the sepulchre. He at first thought that the women had come to embalm the body of Jesus, as was their custom, but he could not see how they had gotten through the guards. While these thoughts were passing through his mind, behold, the whole place was lighted up and there seemed to be crowds of the dead in their grave clothes. All seemed to be shouting and filled with ecstasy, while all around and above was the most beautiful music he had ever heard; and the whole air seemed to be full of voices praising God. At this time there seemed to be a reeling and swimming of the earth, so that he turned so sick and faint that he could not stand on his feet. He said the earth seemed to swim from under him, and his senses left him, so that he knew not what did occur. I asked him in what condition he was when he came to himself. He said he was lying on the ground with his face down. I asked him if he could not have been mistaken as to the light. Was it not day that was coming in the East? He said at first he thought of that, but at a stone ' s cast it was exceedingly dark; and then he remembered it was too early for day. I asked him if his dizziness might not have come from being wakened up and getting up too suddenly as it sometimes had that effect. He said he was not and had not been asleep all night, as the penalty was death for him to sleep on duty. He said he had let some of the soldiers sleep at a time. Some were asleep then. I asked him how long the scene-lasted. He said he did not know, but he thought nearly an hour. He said it was hid by the light of day. He was questioned by the priests, they wanted him to say it was an earthquake and that they were asleep, and offered him money to say the disciples came and stole Jesus.

Now, I say, if he could do all these things, which he did, and many more as the Jews all testify, and it was doing these things that created this enmity against him - I am almost ready to say, as did Manulas at the cross - "Truly this was the Son of God."

Now noble Sovereign this is as near the facts in the case as I can arrive at, and I have taken pains to make the statement very full, so that you may judge of my conduct upon the whole, as I hear that Antipater has said many hard things of me in this matter. With the promise of faithfulness and good wishes to my noble Sovereign.

I am your most obedient servant, "Pontius Pilate".