Pilate

The cool night air playfully dances about the patrons of the room.  Music and laughter fill the air as women adorned in vibrant silken tunics make their way through the room carrying trays of fruit and wheat.  The night is a party, men fed by hand, their every wimp attended.  In the corner, one man sits with authority, with valor.  This particular man, known by all, feared by most, served by many, yet loved by only one watches as the events of the night unfold; all to his liking.  Whatever his want, it is granted for his power formidable though his stare vacant.  

"More wine!" The man raises his glass and immediately it is filled with succulent nectar.  Dancing and merriment fill the night and as laughter rings in the morning sun, the attendees file from the house ready to go about their day.  The authority figure in the corner retires to his quarters for slumber leaving his servants to attend to the room and make ready the rations for the day.

As he readies himself for sleep, He recalls the events of the night...the food, the drink, the dancing, the laughter...all his desires came to fruition with the snap of a finger.  The man smiles, a chagrin of sorts for he knows that he, himself, possesses no power rather the power is in that of the office, that as set by Tiberius.  None-the-less he turns over, replaying the events of the night and falls fast asleep.  

His slumber is interrupted with a knock at the door.  "My apologies sir, I would not interrupt without cause, there is a man who requires your attention, he says it is a matter of life or death, sir", a servant nervously speaks.

"Who, what man?"

"A Jew, sir, his dress would say he is a member of the Sanhedrin, sir, while his tone and demeanor lead me to believe he is the nasi, sir."  She sheepishly pulls back on the door so only a crack of light enters the room.

"His position as president makes no difference to me, what business has he with me and at this hour?"

"I am sure I do not know, sir, he asked for you and said that I was not to come down without you sir as his business with you could be a turning point in your career, sir."  Visibly upset, the woman backs further away from the door expecting to be scolded for her intrusion.  Yet, to her surprise, the man arises from his bed and begins to dress.

"Tell him I will entertain his presence.  Now be gone with you."

The woman hurriedly closes the door and rushes to the nasi who is waiting in another room.

"What do you want and at such an early hour?" 

"Early?  It is noon."  The sun cast its rays upon the face of the perfect and he motions to his servant who quickly draws the curtain.

"Listen, you and I both know that you are not well liked among my people.  You have antagonized their hatred for your with your effigies and golden shields, mocking our laws and religious views."

"Is this what you came here to tell me?  You waste my time, be gone."  He motions with his hand and his servant opens the door expecting the nasi to exit.

"No, I have come here for much more a pressing matter.  I was merely stating the fact that you do not draw favor from the likes of my people but I could help you change that", he says with a smirk and a twinkle of evil in his eye.  

"I really don't care what your people think of me.  I will do as I wish, when I wish and how I wish.  Why must I sit here and listen to your rubbish?"

"Don't care say you?  Then why was it when Tiberius sent word, you removed the golden shields and the effigies, too, removed?  Sir, I know you care just listen to my proposal."

Bored and unenthused, he motions for the man to continue.

"Sir, we have a rebel rouser in our midst and I assure you if he rallies enough people, they will take their concerns to Tiberius and then what say you?  Too many complaints and will he not think better of the man in position here?  Will you not then care?"

"You come to my home and threaten me?  I could have your thrown into prison for such actions!"

"Surely that was not I my intent, sir.  I just seek to rid our community of someone who threatens both our livelihoods.  I will leave you to your thoughts..."

With that the nasi left the man alone with his thoughts which quickly turned from perplexed inquiry to hunger and he sent his servant for food.  After gorging on lamb, grains and fruit, the man returned to his room for a nap.  

Night began to fall, the cool air tickled the cheeks of the perfect and he reached for a blanket to cover his cold, resting body.  Commotion in the streets awoke him and he arose to his feet with a loud rap upon his door.  

"Sir, sir, men, many men are here to see you.  They have a man with them, a man bound.  Sir, you are needed immediately!"    

With that the man and his servant run to the courtyard where a small mob have gathered and are arguing...

"Why have we come here?  What can Pilate do for us?"

"This is absurd, this man we have brought, he is a Jew, what will Pilate do for us?"

The quarreling continued as Pilate entered the courtyard.  His entrance seemed to go unnoticed except for the nasi, the two made eye contact, he recognized the evil glare from their meeting earlier in the day.  Pilate could not help but feel the intentions of the man were sinister at best yet he played right into his hand.  

"Look, Pilate, let him make judgment, after all this is his providence, his jurisdiction, only he knows best." 

Pilate recognized flattery wrapped in sarcasm, after all, he himself was well versed in such antics.  None-the-less, he entertain the grand, yet somewhat rehearsed event.

"Pilate, this man refuses to pay taxes, he has been seen kibitzing with local tax collectors, what is to become of your laws if this man is permitted to act as he does?"

"Not only that, sir, but he claims to be a king, the king.  This, I need not tell you, is a threat against Roman, itself.  He lays claim to being a king, what say you about this?"  The crowd pushes and shoves that they may hear the response of Pilate.  

"People...friends...you come here tonight to tell me of this wrongs of this man, let me hear it from the man himself... Man, what say you?  People speak against you, speak for yourself, are these stories true, do you wish to so brazenly go against Roman law?"  The crowd pushes the accused forward that Pilate may speak directly to him.

"See, sir, he mocks you with silence.  He cannot speak for he knows he speech would be lies."  Someone from the crowd hits the accused.

"Do not lay a hand on this man..."

At this the nasi again makes eye contact with Pilate.  His sheer evilness sent chilled up Pilate's spine and he continued...

"Do not lay a hand on this man for he is of my concern and my concern only.  Since he will not refute the allegations made against him, he must be guilty as you say.  Therefore, I will have him flogged." 

Immediately the Roman guards grabbed the accused and began to whip him.

The commotion, a scuffle..."we do not want him flogged!  Such acts are punishable but death!  Pilate, do your job, this man must be put to death!"

A look of horror passed over Pilate as his conscious speaks, "this man, a Jew, he looks weak, innocent yet they bring him to me that I may do what they cannot.  If I ignore their wish, they will find wrongs with me, they will make accusations against me a Tiberius he may replace me.  I can live no other life, this my life, this my destiny.  And what if I am wrong and this weak man before me is as dangerous as they say?  Then what of me, with a revolution on my hands I surely will not remain in office.  But condemning of this man...I just don't know! his eyes show kindness, they show love unlike that of the nasi's which are nothing but sinister.  I am being set up.  Kill an innocent man or lose all that I have!"  Though only a moment had passed if felt like an eternity and Pilate spoke...

"I am not sure the actions of this man warrant death.  You have brought him here to my court..."

He was interrupted by a plant within the crowd, "Actions do not warrant death?  A threats to Rome does not warrant death?  Come now, Pilate surely you know better!"

Pilate motions to the guards who grab the accused, bind him to the flogging pole and begin to brutally whip him.  The metal spears on the end of their whips cut the skin like a blade and blood pours forth from the man, while splatters of blood fly among the gathered crowd.

"See a flogging will do him right, this will set him straight, look at the pain which my guards are able to inflict!  When we are finished you may take him."

"We do not want to take him, we have brought him to you!"

"What would you have me do with him."

In unison, with condemnation and hatred in their voices, "Crucify him, crucify him!"

A much larger crowd has gathered around the courtyard.  Pilate could not look incompetent or compassionate though his heart spoke of the innocence of the man now lying on the ground, bloodied at his feet.  

"You want me to crucify one of your own?" He said with condescension hoping to sway the even larger crowd.

"Crucify him, crucify him!" They chanted.

And for a brief moment even Pilate, himself, feared for his own life.

"Fine take him away, tomorrow there will be an execution.  But for tonight he may remain in the prison.  No go, leave my site, let me attend to my duties for tomorrow will come quickly."

The guards took the prisoner and threw him into the cell and locked the door behind them.  Pilate quickly returned to his quarters rattled and unsure of his decision.  The crowds remained, some through the night as the chanted, "crucify him, crucify him."  Pilate hoped that a night's rest would change the minds of the Jews, but deep down he knew the events of tomorrow would not be pleasant for he knew the evilness of the nasi and that this would surely not leave his hands without blood.  He frantically thought how he could manipulate the situation, how he could set free this innocent man without threat to his own position.  The morning came quickly and the bells tolled.

Chantings and rioting began in the courtyard, the place was filled with more people than had ever gathered before.  At first, Pilate thought this would work in his favor.  He silenced the crowd and spoke as the guards presented the new prisoner to them, "What do you want of this man brought to me?  He does not speak, some of you have told me of his innocence, so what say you of him?"  He lied about having spoken to some that he may open the door for people to speak on the man's behalf.

"Crucify him, crucify him!"  The immediate response.

"Crucify this man?  But what has he done?  Claim to be a king, king of the Jews?  Come now, look at him, he is no king, I do not see him as a threat.  Let me flog him and release him."

"We have no king but Caesar!  Crucify him, crucify him!"

Visibly upset, Pilate again tries to talk his way out of the situation. "This man, this mute man, a king?  I laugh at such a joke..."

His speech interrupted by the angry crowd, "CRUCIFY HIM, CRUCIFY HIM."

"Okay, okay."  He motions for them to stop chanting.  "It is customary to release one prisoner, this I will do but you must choose, the others I will crucify."  He was hoping that someone, anyone would call the name Jesus to be released but this was not the case.

In unison, as though coerced, they shouted with indignation, "We want Barabbas, we want Barabbas!"

Stunned that no one mentioned the name of Jesus, Pilate was left with no recourse.  "Then Barabbas you shall have and I will wash my hands of the entire situation.  The death of this 'king' will be on your hands, not mine.  I will release Barabbas and crucify your king!"

"We have no king but Caesar!"

Ceremoniously, Pilate washed his hands and Barabbas is released to the crowd.  Cheers echo through the city streets as if gold coins have been given to all who had attended. 

Pilate tells his guards to prepare for the crucifixions for there are two other prisoners with the newly accused.  With that Pilate leaves, seeing that the details of the crucifixion be left to his head guard.  Pilate wants nothing to do with the events of the day so he returns to his quarters informing his servants that he is not to be disturbed. He spends the day in solitude wishing, hoping that the crowds settle and even change their mind.  The bells toll, the crucifixions under way.  By the look in the head guards eyes, the newly accused was going to suffer greatly, much more then any other prisoner all because he, Pilate, could not speak his conscious.  His weakness lead to the execution of another man.  Pilate banters back and forth with his conscious in an attempt to rationalize his actions, his conversation with himself almost that of a schizophrenic..."But there was nothing I could do, the nasi already rallied the crowds, the situation rehearsed.  If I were do go against their wishes I would have lost my position and then what good would I been to these people?  No, I did what was needed.  I am sure of the innocence of this man, his eyes, they spoke to me they had nothing but compassion behind them.  He looked at me and for the first time, I felt love.  Love and I sent him to his death, what have I done?  If it was not him, it could have been you sent to your death...think about that for a moment.  Tiberius has had many complains of you and should this have gone to him, there is no telling the outcome, no you made the right choice, you may very have well saved your own life.  Life?  What kind of life do I lead?  Sure I party, I do as I wish, I eat as I wish but never have I felt love before and though it but a brief moment, love is what I seek.  You seek love from a man?  No, it was something much deeper, something much more alive, more real that even our beings, it was something from my core, unconditional love; knowing no judgment though I sat and judged him.  The torment of his mind continued.  He could hear the chants and cheers from the crowd outside though he dared not peer through his window.  A haunting silence, the skies darkened, rains came and then more cheers.  With that Pilate fell to his knees and wept.