I Am Pontius Pilate

 

 

I am Pontius Pilate

The Roman Governor of Judea,

I serve under Emperor Tiberius

The ruler of all Roman people.

 

The high point of my life

Was when they brought Jesus to me,

I was the adjudicator

I had to say what was to be.

 

Theirs were religious grievances

That did not concern Rome

So they brought three charges

All of them of a political tone.

 

He was a revolutionary

That was the first they said,

He posed a threat to the empire

It seems they wanted him dead.

 

In the second charge he urged

People not to pay their tax,

This threatened the empire’s prosperity

On this I could not relax.

 

 

The third was aimed at Caesar

The emperor of all of Rome,

This was a threat to his position

And I dare say not his alone.

 

I examined these three matters

In light of the evidence presented

And when I declared him not guilty

It was a verdict they all resented.

 

I had a conversation with Jesus

And I was particularly impressed

And regarding the death penalty

I found the charges baseless.

 

I asked him if he was a king

And his response was its own proof,

In it he seemed to suggest

That he actually represented the truth.

 

“To this end was I born,” he said,

This was why he came into the world,

To bear witness unto the truth

This was the essence of his words.

 

 

 

I asked Jesus what is truth

But I did not wait for his reply,

I simply went back out to the people

But on my verdict they did not rely.

 

I was unsettled in my spirit

So I tried a different approach

And though this was a Roman court

On their religion I encroached.

 

“You have a custom,” I said to them

“That at your Passover one is released.”

I suggested to them their king

But with that they were not pleased.

 

Instead they opted for Barabbas

An insurrectionist, a robber and thief,

They wanted me to crucify Jesus

But a criminal they wanted released.

 

I could not believe my ears

What an envious group they were!

I had already sent him to Herod

So now I could no longer defer.

 

I tried one final idea

For his release was my bent,

I had hoped he would say a bit more

But silence was his intent.

 

I told him of my power

To release him or have him crucified

But even that he rejected

And this is how he replied.

 

Except it came from above

I could have no power against him

So he that delivered him to me

Has the greater sin.

 

Still I sought to release him

But the Jews just would not bend,

They shouted if I release him

I would not be Caesar’s friend.

 

Crucify him they cried

This man Jesus deserves to die,

He said he is the Son of God

And again I heard, “Crucify!”

 

I was forced to make a judgment

I had to make a choice

And in my fear of these people

I listened to their voice.

 

They had no king but Caesar

And the truth was neither did I

So with the wishes of this people

I was forced to comply.

 

 

 

My wife had had a dream

As a result she was in torment,

She had sent a warning to me

But I had refused to repent.

 

I was feeling a load of guilt

Which I tried to wash away

But the basin and water I used

Only mocked me on that day.

 

When I saw I could not prevail

To Jesus a scourging I applied

And then delivered him to the people

For him to be crucified.

 

Stewart Russell © March 2019