Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea who, according to the New Testament, presided over the trial of Jesus and authorized his crucifixion while symbolically washing his hands of responsibility for the decision.
His name has become synonymous with moral cowardice or evasion of accountability, particularly when someone in authority defers to public pressure rather than acting on their own judgment.
He pulled a Pontius Pilate and let the committee decide.
Student given official authority
- JudeaAncient Palestinian territory
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
- crucifixionExecution by cross
- JesusChristian faith's divine son
Passover · Barabbas · Sanhedrin · Caiaphas · Annas · Tiberius · INRI · inscription
Agent with authority to act
- governorState's chief executive
- prefectStudent given official authority
- imperialRelating to supreme rule
- provinceRegional administrative district
administration · jurisdiction · decree · magistrate · Caesar · Tiberius · occupation · legion
Judicial examination of claims
- verdictOfficial court decision
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- tribunalJudicial decision-making body
accusation · testimony · witness · guilt · innocence · prosecution · deliberation · jurisdiction
Freedom from wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
- symbolismRepresenting concepts through images
gesture · ritual · disavowal · complicity · evasion · guilt · metaphor · idiom
Authentic occurrence in time
- archaeologyStudy of physical remnants
- inscriptionText permanently marked
- TacitusRoman senator and historian
- primary sourceUnmediated evidence from events
evidence · dating · authenticity · documentation · ancient · scholarship · artifact
prefect
Student given official authority
- JudeaAncient Palestinian territory
- JerusalemTriply sacred ancient capital
- crucifixionExecution by cross
Jesus · Passover · Barabbas · Sanhedrin · Caiaphas · Annas · Tiberius · INRI · inscription · Golgotha
procurator
Agent with authority to act
- governorState's chief executive
- prefectStudent given official authority
- imperialRelating to supreme rule
province · administration · jurisdiction · decree · magistrate · Caesar · Tiberius · occupation · legion · Latin
trial
Judicial examination of claims
- verdictOfficial court decision
- condemnationSevere disapproval expressed formally
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
tribunal · accusation · testimony · witness · guilt · innocence · prosecution · deliberation · jurisdiction · execution
innocence
Freedom from wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- blameAssign responsibility for wrongdoing
symbolism · gesture · ritual · disavowal · complicity · evasion · guilt · metaphor · idiom · moral
historicity
Authentic occurrence in time
- archaeologyStudy of physical remnants
- inscriptionText permanently marked
- TacitusRoman senator and historian
primary source · evidence · dating · authenticity · documentation · ancient · scholarship · artifact
- Jesus ChristChristology, crucifixion, nativity, resurrection, ascension
- Biblical VillainsSatan, Judas Iscariot, Cain, Herod, Goliath
- Biblical FiguresJesus, Adam, Eve, Moses, Noah
- Ancient JudeaSecond Temple, Judea, Jerusalem, Masada, Herod the Great
- GospelsJesus, gospels, Jesus Christ, apostles, Gospel of Mark
- Jesus historyNazareth, Galilee, Bethlehem, crucifixion, disciples
Pontius PilateThomas More
Atticus Finch · Martin Luther · Antigone · Socrates · Nathan Hale
Pontius PilateHarry Truman
Abraham Lincoln · confessor · penitent · truth-teller · the buck stops here