The Play of Pontius Pilatvs

This historic story is one that I, Patrick Knott, have fantasized for the benefits of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ as a work of love for God. To those who have no brotherhood in Christ, I hope it is entertaining. I urge us to have the security in the original Gospels, and that which I have added is that which I believe to be probable, although I don't have historic facts to fully prove it. The point of this play is simply an amusement for the Christian who wishes to imagine to live for but a moment as a speck upon a wall while the most important event in history unfolds.

(SCENE: Bedroom of Pontius Pilate inside the Praetorium)

Servus: (Raps on a door.) Governor, governor, I apologize for disturbing you in your chambers this morning.

Pilate: (Groans) Who calls me this morning, a morning after such wonderful revelry? Although the Jews may stand around and eat their Passover in haste, my court enjoyed a wonderful night with wine, so why is my morning disturbed? Surely, the Jews have not revolted again, with me and even Herod here during their own holiday?

Servus: (Clears throat) I apologize, my lord, the Isrealites have come, their Sadducees and Pharisees; their scribes and temple soldiers, bearing a man that looks quite beaten. They demand to see you, claiming he is a traitor to Rome.

Pilate: (Stretches and looks down upon his wife who tosses a bit in her sleep.) Does she not look beautiful, Servus? My Apollo's daughter reminds me of the Visage of Venus in Philipi. She has Sibyl's gift, mayhap she shall share it before the sun is drawn below the horizon. (He strokes her hair once, then arises, straightening his tunica palmata).

Pilate: (Pulling on his toga picta.) So, the snakes have come, have they? Their ilk are bound to beg for the rebel, Barabbas's, life. Was he a Macabee? No matter, they know that he is bound to be executed today; he, and two of his men. The people will cry out for his release, mark my words, Servus. The whole lot are rebels and mothers of rebels, why Rome abides them baffles me. I'd rather be back in Ceasarea, but with so many of the rabble gathered, in Jerusalem am I.

Servus: The man they brought appears to be Jesus of Nazareth, the miracle worker, whom that very rabble greeted just Monday.

Pilate: 'Twas a dark day when I drew this lot. Let's be done with it. (grabs a matzo.)

Servus: (Clears his throat) My lord, they shall not meet you in our residence for fear of becoming "unclean".

Pilate: There is nothing unclean about this house, Servus.

Servus: And yet, still they expect you to come out to them...

(SCENE: Courtyard, The Stone Pavement)

Pilate: Who darkens my door when Helios has scarcely begun his task?

Caiaphas: way-yo-mer e-lo-him ya-hi, o-wr, way-hi o-wr.

Pilate: ...What?

Servus: I believe he said, "And said God, let there be light, and there was light."

Pilate: (inhales, face becoming red) I tire of these games! Why are you here, Caiaphas?

Caiaphas: We have brought you a rebel, Pilate.

Pilate: (looks at Jesus) By the bruises, it seems you've already punished him, surely that wasn't a very "clean" thing to do.

Caiaphas: (dryly) I can assure you we have maintained all our laws. The Sanhedrin met just this morning and judged this man to be guilty, in desperate need of death.

Pilate: No doubt, you probably spent all night deliberating his fate, and likely the days before that, and the days before that even. I'm surprised so many of you agree and seem to be standing together. (sighs) What charges are you bringing against this man?

Sanhedrin: We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king! If he were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.

Pilate: Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.

Caiphas: But, we have no right to execute anyone... therefore, we've come to you, to handle this and keep the peace.

Pilate: (Pilate grabs his toga picta, walks towards Jesus and looks at Jesus's clothes, smirks.) Are you the king of the Jews?

Jesus of Nazareth: Yes, it is as you say.

Sanhedrin: (Many charges leveled at once, almost undiscernible)

Pilate: (Holds his hand up. Actually grabs Jesus's carpenter clothes.) Dont you hear the testimony they are bringing against you? (Jesus remains silent, Pilate looks incredulous and amazed)

Caiphas: (incredulous) He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching.

Pilate: (interrupts) I find no basis for a charge against this man.

Caiphas: He started in Galilee and has come all the way here. He won't stop, you know. This won't stop.

Pilate: (relieved) Wait, he's a Galilean? I believe Herod is also in Jerusalem to help keep the peace. Since he is a Galilean, let his own jurisdiction handle him, besides, we all know Herod loves these prophet-types. What was the name of the other guy? (snaps fingers)

Servus: John the Baptist, sir.

Pilate: Ah, yes, that's right, John the Baptist. Off you all go. Go to the right jurisdiction next time, okay? (waits for them to leave) And that Servus, is how you delegate.

(SCENE inside the Preatorium.)

Pilate: (Servus enters the room. Pilate sitting on his judgement seat. Pilate's last case exits. Servus looks like he has something to say, but Pilate speaks first.) Is it not odd, Servus, that my wife has not arisen from the night's slumber?

Servus: Yes, my lord, I shall go check on her immediately, but... they have returned from Herod's my lord.

Pilate: You mean those adders I sent away earlier? With no cares at all for any people but their own, they come to me now to execute one of their own. It is no wonder Rome is the superior culture.

Servus: Oh, yes sir. I heard there was a Centurion's servant who was healed by this miracle worker.

Pilate: (rubs temples) It seems I'll need a drink before this is all over. Guards, tell the next case they will need to wait. Prepare to take a judgement seat out to the Courtyard, but tell them to send this Galilean into me. Servus, Helios has drawn the sun to near it's height, check on my wife. Scribe, this could be more headache than it is worth, record the proceedings.

(Jesus enters, wearing a purple toga picta over his own clothes. Pilate eyes him and arises from his judgement seat to walk around him. A nearby scribe records the meeting.)

Pilate: (smirking and a little laugh in his voice) Are you the King of the Jews?

Jesus: (blandly) Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?

Pilate: (outraged, pointing) Am I a Jew? It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done!?

Jesus: (serious) My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.

Pilate: You are a king, then!

Jesus: (approving) You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.

Pilate: (rolls eyes) What is truth? Guards, take him back out. (last to exit, after judgement seat, guards, Jesus, and scribe.)

(SCENE: Courtyard, The Stone Pavement)

Caiaphas: (speaks before Pilate is seated.) Herod sends his thanks and has arrayed this Galilean in robes fit for his claim.

Pilate: (finishes seating.) I find no basis for this charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release "the king of the Jews"?

Sanhedrin and Audience: No, not him! Give us Barabbas!

Pilate: (Hold's hand up for silence, annoyed) Barabbas is a Zealot, a thief, and a murderer. He is a seditionist. You are no friend of Caesar if you release him. He and his men are due to be executed today for their recent insurrection. This Jesus was not a part of that. Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?

Sanhedrin: (Encouraging Audience, chanting) Barabbas! Barabbas! Release Barabbas!

(Servus rushes to Pilate's side.)

Pilate: (Unfurls and Reads letter after several chants, Hold's hand up.) My Cassandra, has written to me: "Don't have anything to do with this innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." Though no one else will believe her, I always do. (Pilate may have gotten up from the judgement seat to make appeals, he must sit back down to pronounce his judgement.) You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him. Guards, take him inside and punish him as you see fit.

Sanhedrin and Audience: Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!

(Guards Drag Jesus inside. Pilate stands up from the judgement seat and re-enters the palace. Sanhedrin reincites Barabbas chant.)

(OPTIONAL SCENE: Praetorium)

Soldier: (Strips the clothes from Jesus, especially the purple Toga Picta.) This robe's a bit better your highness... (Takes his crimson cloak and pulls it around Jesus like a robe.)

Soldier 2: (Crushes a crown of thorns on Jesus's head.) Simple game, we have some squares here on the Praetorium floor, maybe you've heard of Ur. You get this here, fustis (staff) to help you, but a lot of the spaces are bad, because you see, your goal is to become king, and we're here to help Ceasar prevent that.

(Jesus proceeds to be forced to move while soldiers throw dice and beat him, the game becomes more brutal, until Jesus fails the game. At times, the Soldiers come up to Jesus and exclaim "Hail, King of the Jews!")

Soldier: We've had our fun, haven't we boys? Lets remind him to never think he's a king again. (Says in Jesus's ear) We have no king but Caesar. (Soldier pulls the crimson cloak from Jesus's soldiers, then pulls a flagellum (whip) and flogs Jesus.)

Pilate: (Watching.) Now, put that Toga Picta back upon him, and maybe the Jews will be placated. (Pilate gestures to the Toga Picta provided by Herod.)

(SCENE: Courtyard, The Stone Pavement)

Pilate: (Pilate returns and stands in front of the Judgement Seat) Look I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him. (Jesus comes out wearing the crown of thorns and purple robe) Here is the man!

Sanhedrin and Audience: Crucify, Crucify!

Pilate: You take and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.

Caiaphas: We have a law and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the son of God.

Sanhedrin and Audience: (Chanting) Crucify, Crucify!

Pilate: (Alarmed, shouting) You, and you, (pointing to soldiers) bring him back inside, I have another question for him.

(SCENE: Praetorium)

Pilate: (Just inside the door, standing before a pained Jesus) Where do you come from? (grabs onto the Toga Picta) (a moment later, incredulous) Do you refuse to speak to me? Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?

Jesus: (pained) You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.

(SCENE: Courtyard, The Stone Pavement)

Sanhedrin and Audience: (Chanting) Crucify, Crucify!

Pilate: (raises hands for silence) I have already punished this man, I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. You lack sufficient evidence for me to do this.

Caiaphas: If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.

Pilate: (To the guards) Bring him out. (Sits on the judgement seat)

Pilate: (once Jesus is out, held up by the guards in the purple robe) Here is your King.

Sanhedrin and Audience: (shouting, not together) Take him away! Crucify Him!

Pilate: Shall I crucify your king?

Sanhedrin and Caiaphas: We have no king but Caesar!

Pilate: I think Barabbas is far worse than Jesus. Which of the two do you want me to release to you?

Sanhedrin and Audience: (Shouting, not together) Barabbas!

Pilate: What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?

Sanhedrin and Audience: Crucify Him!

Pilate: Why? What crime has he committed?

Sanhedrin and Audience: Crucify Him! (Audience stands, Sanhedrin presses forward, Guards block the Sanhedrin)

Pilate: (Takes a nearby pitcher of water and pours it on his hands) "I am innocent of this man's blood, It is your responsibility!"

Everyone: Let his blood be on us and on our children!

Guards: (Strip the purple toga picta from Jesus's back and lead him away.)

Footnotes

Caiaphas: Although he is not directly mentioned in the gospels as being at this trial, If Caiaphas is part of the Sanhedrin then since all of the Sanhedrin was present, he too, would be there, also, to lend his weight and status to ensure the job gets done.

Pilate's Wife: Although no mention is made of her being a Sibyl or Cassandra, her prophetic note and dream implies that she may have had some belief that she was a prophetess. Often Roman dreams and prophecies came with pain according to wikipedia, etc. The gospels do not say that her letter was read to anyone.

Servus: The roman word for servant. Though not in the gospels, likely Pilate wasn't answering his own door and running his own errands.

Gospels: Matthew's authorship is contended, but some accept that it was written by the Apostle Matthew who was a literate tax collector. It is fairly detailed, and has the letter from Pilate's wife in it, so I am led to believe this person had some influence in the Roman government. Mark's work is the earliest gospel, and is from John Mark who worked with Peter. Many of the early Christians believed Jesus would return during their lifetime, so, every detail may not have been perceived to be important. Luke is a letter to the Romans regarding the incidents. It does not record the flogging of Jesus, but every Roman would know that crucifixion included a flogging. John was the last Gospel written, and I believe it is the most thorough, probably what John got directly from Jesus post-resurrection. I believe John wanted to preserve as much as possible, seeing that much time had passed and Christ had still not returned.

Soldiers: According to Mark, the whole company of soldiers was called into the praetorium. "When they had mocked him, they tore off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him."

Events: Four accounts of this trial do not all have every event, but none actually disagree. For example: Matthew 27:26 says: But he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified. Then, there is a subsection that talks about the flogging and a scarlet robe. John 19:1 says Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. Jesus is then brought out in a purple robe. Pilate then has a second discussion with Jesus and finally the crucifixion is ordered. It is possible that Pilate turned Jesus over to his guards twice, or it is possible that the writer of Matthew simply had less information than the writer of John. Neither disagree.

Robes: Two possibilities for robes are: In Luke, Herod sends Jesus back with an elaborate robe, this is probably a purple Toga Picta, but it may be just a nobleman's toga. I choose to believe it would be something fit for a king. It could also be of two colors, purple and scarlet, but there could also be two robes involved, a scarlet and a purple. According to Zondervan's Archaelogical Study Bible, Roman soldiers in Jerusalem at the time were known to play a cruel game with condemned prisoners, especially revolutionary brigands. The prisoner was dressed up like a burlesque king and used as a pawn. His scarlet robe was the outer cloak of a Roman soldier, thorns were twisted into a crown and the staff was his mock scepter. With each roll of the dice, the prisoner king moved around a game board etched in the floor. For the entertainment of the troops, they hurled verbal and physical abuse at the mock king.

The Royal Game of Ur: See Wikipedia. An ancient two player strategy game using dice. Although I have no clue about the Roman soldier game, I bet that it was loosely based on Ur or possibly the Game of Twenty. The last people who played Ur were the Jewish population of Kochi in India. They played it until the 1950's when they began emigrating to Israel.

Toga Picta: The toga picta was worn by ancient roman generals and emperors. Toga pura was citizen garb, Toga Praetext was a magistrate or freeborn youth. Toga Pulla was mourning clothes. Toga Candida was for running for office. Toga Trabea was for the elite and had a stripe of purple or saffron. Toga Picta had designs with gold embroidery and were used by praetors, consuls, and emperors. An imperial toga picta was dyed a solid purple.

Pilate's Roman Religious Devotion: An inscription was found at a temple: To the Divine Augustis [this] Tiberieum ...Pontius Pilate ...prefect of Judea ...has dedicated [this]

Pilate's character: Some view Pilate as a monster, others view him as a decent official who is forced into a bad situation. The Jews were revolting and wanted free of Rome, they had history with overthrowing the Greeks in the region (see Macabees) Josephus later claims that Pilate was brutal in suppressing an armed Samaritan movement and called back to Rome for removal from office due to that incident. (My thoughts) With the number of rebellions, it is possible that Pilate is quite jaded by that point.

Scene Switching: By providing a moving arch (entrance to Praetorium), the inside and outside of the Praetorium can be switched to/from easily. Simply walking the arch closer to backstage and having Caesar walk through it can show him moving into the courtyard and vice versa. Likewise, the Sanhedrin can move into the audience or off stage when the scene is inside. The bedroom scene can be removed by moving and editing those events to the Praetorium before any court hearings, with Pilate preparing for the day. Likewise, Pilate might mention that he was considering his wife that morning, instead of looking upon her.