This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Pilate has tried several times to control the situation. His offer to release Jesus or a criminal has failed. His gambit to scourge Jesus and show that the man has been harshly punished has failed – and the people are demanding crucifixion: ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God’ (Jn 19:7).  Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Pilate attempted to placate the Jewish leaders and people by offering them the choice to release Jesus or a infamous thief. When the people did not choose Jesus, in Jn 19:1-4, Pilate ordered Jesus scourged as part of a plan for Jesus’ release.  Before and after this episode, Pilate affirms that Jesus is not guilty; therefore, we must suppose that Pilate is having Jesus reduced to a bloody and battered figure in order to placate the assembled crowd and to persuade them that Jesus is too helpless to be a threat.  Roman scouring was more than a beating.  Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Pilate, attempting to avoid a decision about Jesus attempts to foist the “problem” on King Herod. Since Jesus is Galilean and Herod has jurisdiction over Galilee, it is only proper that this is Herod’s problem. Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. In the previous article, the Jewish authorities have turned Jesus over to Pontius Pilate with the charge that Jesus is a revolutionary with monarchical pretensions – a capital crime in Roman law. As such, Jesus must be questioned by Pilate. As noted earlier, although called “a trial” this has no resemblance to our understanding of a 20th century trial. This is an ad hoc process by which Pilate will determine Jesus’ fate. Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. The Civil proceedings against Jesus begin after the religious trial by the Sanhedrin.  Jesus is bound and led to Pilate.  The opening confrontation with Pilate and the Jews is described with subtle irony.  Having cynically decided on the death of Jesus because it was more advantageous that one man die than that the whole nation be destroyed, the Jewish authorities are, nevertheless, scrupulously correct in their observance of ritual purity.  They do not hesitate to make use of the Gentile to destroy their adversary, but they will not enter the Gentile’s house.  In the ritual impurity would affect their participation in the Passover seder. Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Roman civil involvement in the death of Jesus was recorded by the Jewish historian Josephus where, speaking of Jesus, he states, ‘And when Pilate, because of accusations made by leading men among us, condemned him to the cross’ (Ant 18.3.3 §63-64).   Continue reading →

This coming Sunday is the Solemnity of Christ the King. The gospel reading for this year is the scene of Jesus on trial before Pontius Pilate during which the nature of Jesus’ kingship and kingdom is revealed. Throughout the trial before Pilate, there are numerous scenes in two different locations: outside and inside the praetorium (“Pilate’s headquarters”). Outside the praetorium Pilate speaks to the “Jews,” because they won’t enter the praetorium, “so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover” (18:28b). What does this indicate about Jesus who is inside the praetorium? Continue reading →