Memoirs of Pontius Pilate

Who was Pontius Pilate?

Pilate was the Roman Procurate General who passed the order for the crucifixion of Jesus.

Where did I pick it up?

I picked it up during the fag-end of my trip to Koti's Sunday book market.

Why did I pick it up?

The unusual title prompted me to look at it. A glance at the preview on the book's cover and I was compelled to buy it.

Who wrote it?

The work was written by James. R. Mills, once-upon-a-time US Congressman.

What is the premise of the book?

Pontius Pilate, the Roman Procurate General of Judea, Samaria and Idumea, who passed the orders for the crucifixion of Jesus was later impeached from his governership and sent on exile. After 30 years he decides to sit and pen down his memoirs.

What attracted me to it?

The very fact that the person who condemned Jesus to the cross wrote that book attracted me to it. This is the story of Jesus written from a Roman point of view. This is one-of-a-kind literary work that I have encountered so far.

What is it all about?

Pontius Pilate reflects on the life, politics, history, religion and the life and work of Jesus, how his followers have multiplied across the Roman empire.

How is the book arranged?

The first chapter of the book tells us why Pilate was compelled to pen down his memoirs. The next few chapters give a brief account of Jewish history, their religious sects and practices. The following chapters deal with the life of Jesus and how the political, religious and social conditions of the day helped shape up his life. The last three chapters are about the trial, the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus. The most significant aspect of the book is that Jesus is strictly seen from a political stand point by Pilate devoid of any religious fervor.

Why is the stand point so important?

We find so many books around that mix fact and fiction because of the religious affiliations. Now here is a Roman, who mocked at Jews, didn't believe in their religious practices and strictly saw Jesus as just another person. He was not at all influenced by the miracles that were attributed to Jesus

How did it help me understand Christianity better?

I understood the significance of the names of the churches around my house like "Beersheba", "Gesthamane" etc; I understood that the course of events in Jesus' life was nothing but the fulfillment of the prophesies by King David that preceded his birth. I understood for the first time that Jesus was not against the Romans, rather he was trying to cleanse the ills that afflicted the Jewish society there by liberating their minds and not physically liberating them from the Romans as many mistook him for. "Render unto me what are mine and Render unto Caesar what are Ceasar's"From Pilate's point of view Christianity was a poor-man's religion. They were all promised a better after-life. Their place in paradise was guaranteed by their God. Most of those who became Christians were either slaves or fishermen or in general belonged to the lower strata of the society. We have to consider the fact that Pilate wrote these memoirs in around AD 63 and that would be roughly around 2000 years ago.

What are some of my favorite observations in the book?

Pilate thought that the Roman empire was going to outlive everything else and also he thought that Christianity as a religion was not going to survive. Ironically Roman empire soon afterwards and Christianity has become the world's largest religion. Pilate seems to have been forced into crucifying Christ and during the course of the book seems to take an uncanny liking towards Jesus. Finally he thinks there is a chance that Jesus was indeed the son of "their" god. Pilate makes references to homosexuality being prevalent in the Roman society and also to princes who used it to their advantage.

What are some of the interesting lines from the book?

"It now seems unlikely that Christianity is going to survive given Emperor Nero's determination to wipe it out. If the Emperor succeeds then Jesus will be seen as a mad man who led himself and others to this tragic error."
"The current popularity of the cult among the lower classes is not surprising. Christianity offers them hope of bliss in the next world. They have never been given any encouragement to expect happiness anywhere"
Comparing Socrates and Jesus, Pilate says "The two of them said about the same things of what their God expects of mankind. It if often hard to tell the sayings of the young Jew from those of the old Greek."
"Political and religious leaders are tolerant to a man of principal so long as he does not become a nuisance to them."
"Julius Caesar, Caligula, Socrates, Jesus, all of them died for proposing to alter an existing order of things."
"Leaders of men often qualify for assassination by posing a threat to the previleged classes of the society."
"If a public figure is willing to accept things as they are, he will avoid being loved or hated very much, He will die in his bed - of old age- If he hasn't had the decency to put an earlier end to his life by committing suicide."

Information about the book:"Memoirs of Pontius Pilate" by James. R. Mills. Published in 2000 by Fleming .H. Revell, a division of Baker book house, Michigan, US. Library of Congress, Publication catalog-in data - ISBN 0-8007-1773-2