Pontius Pilate in History and Interpretation

by Helen K. Bond

Overview

This study reconstructs the life of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor responsible for the execution of Jesus. The first section provides the historical and archaeological background. The following chapters look at six first-century authors: Philo, Josephus and the four gospel writers. Each chapter asks how Pilate is being used as a literary character in each work, why each author describes Pilate in a different way, and what this tells us about the relationship between each author and the Roman state.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521631143
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/19/1998
Series:	Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series , #100
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	276
Product dimensions:	5.75(w) x 8.82(h) x 0.87(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction; 1. Pontius Pilate and the Roman Province of Judaea; 2. Pilate in Philo; 3. Pilate in Josephus; 4. Pilate in Mark's Gospel; 5. Pilate in Matthew's Gospel; 6. Pilate in Luke/Acts; 7. Pilate in John's Gospel; 8. Historical events behind the gospel narratives; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"A helpful review..." Bibliotecha Sacra

"The book is thoroughly researched, lucidly written, and well organized; it will be a standard historical work on Pilate. Recommended for any library supporting Greco-Roman history and New Testament studies." Choice

"This is a good and helpful study." Journal of Biblical Literature

"[Bond] has challenged established academic thought and introduced important information into a vital area of New Testament study. Most importantly Bond illustrates the extent to which modern academic misinterpretation has contributed to the manipulation of an already created image. ...Bond has in effect achieved far more, not least of which are the useful commentaries on the Gospels, and valued insight into the tenuous social situation of first century Judaea....Bond has created an extremely accessible volume, valuable for academics and students alike." Elizabeth Amanda Howey, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"Bond supplies a nuanced revisionist portrait, distinguishing ‘rhetorical' portraits (Philo, Josephus, and the four canonical Gospels) from the ‘historical' Pilate. The book is full of interpretive insights demonstrating how to read texts, how to interpret ancient authors' approaches to their work, and how ‘real' history became ‘literary' history. It is sure-footed on Roman governance, law and order, Roman and Judaen relations, and the politics of Tiberius's reign." Peter Richardson, Interpretation

"This is a good and helpful study." Review of Biblical Literature

"An evangelical pastor or teacher interested in this governor, the passion narratives, or comparing Gospel accounts will find this work valuable." Faith and Mission

From the Publisher