Pontius Pilate Blunder: Supposed Bible Error #12

Is the description of Pilate in the Gospels inconsistent with what we read in other ancient works?

Don't forget to help us create more videos! We need your support:

Sources:
Philo: Legatio ad Gaium 299–305

Josephus: Antiquities Book 18.3-4

Craig Evans - Fabricating Jesus

E. Mary Smallwood - Philonis Alexandrini

Helen K. Bond - Pontius Pilate in Histor and Interpretation

[BrotherDave]

always learning through this channel... Lost people will scratch and claw to remain lost and it is mind boggling!! 💯

[Shaewaros]

As an Atheist, I'm happy to become a Subscriber. You're one of the rare apologists who argues for theism honestly and without trying to strawman your opponents or misrepresenting their views. Many atheists also resort to strawmaning their opponents and it makes me absolutely furious when I see this happen. We should all be first and foremost seekers of Truth, not members of ideological tribes.

[jacobcantrell]

Dishing out harsh punishments but also trying to appease the local populace perfectly fits typical Roman practices when governing far out provinces and only strengthens your point.

[FruitOfTheSpirit]

I never found this alleged contradiction to be the least bit convincing. If Pilate was so ardently opposed to the Jewish leaders, why _wouldn’t_ he “rile them up” by suggesting that maybe this insurrectionist Jesus _really was_ their King? (And it _did_ rile them up.) Are we to believe Pilate would just execute anyone whom the Pharisees ordered him to without question, because he thought “the more Jews I execute, the better”? Was he too much of a mindless barbarian to have his own perspective and approach to each case? It’s just a really silly argument, IMO.

Great video IP. God bless you.

[johnnyc]

There is an interesting verse in Luke 13.1 that portrays Pilate as every bit of what critics accuse the Gospels as not doing: “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.” Of course, if you look deeper into the picture that the Gospels and other writings present, the reality is much more complex. Great video!

[Draezeth]

Yay, finally a continuation of this series!

[jesussaves]

Even IF A Pilate was a brutal ruler, it still makes sense to me that he would be affected somehow by being in direct contact with The Living God.

[darronoffer]

Thanks for this video I recently came across this contradiction, thanks for clearing it up god bless.

[curtisstewart]

Pilate hated his job as Governor. He was hoping that Tiberius would favor him, and give him a promotion elsewhere. Anywhere, but here. Too many problems with Jews. His job was to maintain law and order. And crush any rebellion against Rome.

[Bluhake]

Could you go over the 42 laws of maat vs the Bible? People always say that maat is the real God and I just wanna learn from you what you think

[EcclesiastesLiker-pyts]

To think that a cynical politician wouldn't take whatever cause he thought would ensure stability seems strange.

[holdingpattern]

Also, why would the gospels be biased against making Pilate seem like a bad guy? If this was an attack on Jewish religious officials, why would they not be the ones requesting the flogging? Why even change Pilate's personality at all, if they're only trying to tell a convincing lie?

[sarahclark]

Great work IP, one of the true warriors for Christ. God bless you, Sir.

[pJ-ki]

Man I love these types of video, thank you IP

[BBassistChrist]

Even if these contradictions were valid, wouldn't a historian look at it as four accounts about Pilate's character VS two accounts? Not only do the four have numerical superiority, but they all recount the same story with agreement. Suppose you had a court of law with six witnesses: four of them agreed and told the same story, and the other two didn't agree nor did their stories match. Wouldn't that make the four consistent witnesses more trustworthy than the two?

[flamingswordapologetics]

Good post...people will attempt to find contradiction in anything, so as not to believe the truth.

[electricboogie]

It’s almost like skeptics forget human nature and politics for the sake of unbelief.

[danielmalinen]

I have always wondered why people say that, according to the Gospels, Pilate is weak and unable to decide. To me, Pontius Pilate of the Gospels is calculating, tactical, player, and sly. Pilate strives to push his own decision as far as possible. But when he sees that he can do no more, he releases Barabbas to prevent the rebellion, and crucifies Jesus. According to the narrative, the crowd is only interested in Barabbas (they want no one but this famous Barabbas only) and Jesus is just someone nobody from Galilee to them. Oh, and there is a riot (judging by how this crowd is described as behaving) that the high priests use to pursue their own purposes.

However, it is likely that Barabbas, the crowd, and the riot were created/fabricated only to roll the cause of Jesus' death out of Roman hands over the Jews. Because Christians lived under Roman rule, it was not allowed for them to portray the Romans as evil villains. Christianity had to show that it was not a threat to Rome and their emperors. But the involvement of the Jews in the death of Jesus, in any way, is an anti-Semitic claim. Really, the Jews had no part in it and it was a purely Roman execution.

[ramonthelarge]

@InspiringPhilosophy thank you for your great content. Will you be doing a video on biblical prophecies? Its really interesting and I would love to hear your view on them. God bless🙏

[sathviksidd]

Excellent!
And IP, are you planning to do a series on the historicity of the Gospels?
Suggest me some playlists/books regarding that if you can.