Pilate
Infamous hand-washer
Pilate refers to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea who, according to the Gospels, authorized the crucifixion of Jesus while publicly washing his hands of responsibility.
The name evokes reluctant complicity or evasion of moral accountability: He played Pilate, letting others do the dirty work.
To wash one's hands like Pilate is to disclaim responsibility for an outcome you allowed to happen.
Execution by cross
- GospelsCanonical Christ biographies
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
- PassionPowerful consuming emotion
- JudeaAncient Palestinian territory
Jesus · trial · New Testament · Golgotha · Sanhedrin · Caiaphas · Barabbas · Passover
Student given official authority
- procuratorAgent with authority to act
- governorState's chief executive
- RomanOf ancient Italy's capital
- provinceRegional administrative district
jurisdiction · imperial · Caesar · magistrate · administration · Judea · tribunal · garrison
Judicial examination of claims
- verdictOfficial court decision
- innocenceFreedom from wrongdoing
- guiltMoral self-reproach
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
tribunal · questioning · interrogation · accusation · testimony · condemnation · release · prisoner
Cleaning palms with soap
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
- waveringShowing unsteady resolve
- equivocationAmbiguous language avoiding commitment
reluctance · capitulation · yielding · compromise · abdication · evasion · symbolic gesture
Accordance with reality
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
- ironyMeaning opposite to words
crucifixion
Execution by cross
- GospelsCanonical Christ biographies
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
- PassionPowerful consuming emotion
Judea · Jesus · trial · New Testament · Golgotha · Sanhedrin · Caiaphas · Barabbas · Passover · Herod
prefect
Student given official authority
- procuratorAgent with authority to act
- governorState's chief executive
- RomanOf ancient Italy's capital
province · jurisdiction · imperial · Caesar · magistrate · administration · Judea · tribunal · garrison · occupation
trial
Judicial examination of claims
sentence · tribunal · questioning · interrogation · accusation · testimony · condemnation · release · prisoner · custom
handwashing
Cleaning palms with soap
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
- ambivalenceConflicting emotions coexisting
- waveringShowing unsteady resolve
equivocation · reluctance · capitulation · yielding · compromise · abdication · evasion · symbolic gesture
truth
Accordance with reality
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- skepticismDisposition toward doubt
irony · exchange · inquiry · epistemology · relativism
- Biblical FiguresJesus, Adam, Eve, Moses, Noah
- GospelsJesus, gospels, Jesus Christ, apostles, Gospel of Mark
- Passion playspassion plays, crucifixion, crucifixion scene, Stations of the Cross, crown of thorns
- Nouveau TestamentMarc, Paul, Pierre, Jacques, Jude
- Biblical VillainsSatan, Judas Iscariot, Cain, Herod, Goliath
- Good Fridaycrucifixion, Calvary, Golgotha, Jesus, Christ
PilateAtticus Finch
Thomas More · martyr · Oskar Schindler · hero · whistleblower
PilatePeter
Male name, means rock
Mary Magdalene · Jesus Christ · Joseph of Arimathea · Nicodemus · Barabbas