Was Jesus Killed Illegally? Pilate and Roman Law on Execution
Patrick Dacey, Johannesburg – At the time of Jesus, Roman law had been codified in what is known as the Twelve Tables. Table IX, Law No 6, stated: “Putting to death of any man who has not been convicted, whosoever he might be, is forbidden.” We know Pontius Pilate handed Jesus over to a Jerusalem mob who were demanding Jesus be crucified.
Philo, a contemporary of Pilate, verified this habit of Pilate by referring to “his frequent execution of untried prisoners, vindictiveness and abusive behaviour”.
In AD36 and according to the historian Josephus, a large group of Samaritans went to Mount Gerizim — their holiest site — to see sacred artefacts allegedly buried by Moses.
Evidently, Pilate had got word of this and sent in soldiers to attack and kill the Samaritans. “Many prisoners were taken, of whom Pilate put to death the principal leaders and those who were most influential,” Josephus reports.
The Samaritans then complained to Vitellius, the Roman governor of Syria, who sent Pilate to Rome to explain his actions to Emperor Tiberius.
Although no more is recorded concerning Pilate’s fate, we can assume Roman law followed its course because he did not return to Judea.
According to Eusebius, the fourth-century bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, Pilate committed suicide.
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