Pilate's
Report to Tiberius CaesarFrom
the "Archko Volume" containing Manuscripts in Constantinople,and
the Records of the Senatorial Docket, taken from the Vatican
at Rome.Translated
by Mrs. McIntosh and Twyman, of the Antiquarium Lodge,Genoa, Italy.
(Transmitted
to The Rosicrucian Digest through Rosicrucian sources.)
[From The
Rosicrucian Digest December 1935]
TO TIBERIUS CAESAR,
EMPEROR OF ROME:
NOBLE SOVEREIGN,
GREETING!
THE events of the last few
days in my Province have been of such a character that I will give the details
in full as they occurred, as I should not be surprised if, in the course of
time, they may change the destiny of our nation, for it seems of late that all
the Gods have ceased to be propitious. I am almost ready to say, Cursed be the
day when I succeeded Vallerius Flaceus in the Government of Judea;
for since then, my life has been one of continual uneasiness and distress. On
my arrival at Jerusalem,
I took possession of the Praetorium, and ordered a splendid Feast to be
prepared, to which I invited the Tetrarch of Galilee, with the High Priest and
his Officers. At the appointed hour no guests appeared. This I considered an
insult offered to my dignity and to the whole Government which I represent. A
few days after, the High Priest deigned to pay me a visit, but his deportment
was grave and deceitful. He pretended that his religion forbade him and his
attendants to sit at the table of the Romans, and eat and offer libations with
them, but this was only a sanctimonious seeming, for his very countenance
betrayed his hypocrisy. Although I thought it expedient to accept his excuse,
from that moment I was convinced that the conquered had declared themselves the
enemy of the conquerors, and I would warn the Romans to beware of the High
Priests of this country. They would betray their own mother to gain office and
a luxurious living. It seems to me that of the conquered cities Jerusalem is the most
difficult to govern. So turbulent are the people that I live in momentary dread
of an insurrection. I have not soldiers sufficient to suppress it. I had only
one Centurion and a hundred men at my command. I requested a reinforcement from
the Prefect of Syria, who informed me that he had scarcely troops sufficient to
defend his own Province. An insatiate thirst for conquest to extend our Empire
beyond the means of defending it will, I fear, be the cause of the final
overthrow of our whole Government. I lived secluded from the masses, for I did
not know what those Priests might influence the rabble to do; yet I endeavoured
to ascertain, as far as I could, the mind and standing of the people. Among the
various rumors that came to my ears, there was one in particular that attracted
my attention. A young man, it was said, had appeared in Galilee
preaching, with a noble unction, a new law in the name of the God who had sent
him. At first I was apprehensive that his design was to stir up the people
against the Romans, but my fears were soon dispelled. Jesus of Nazareth spoke
rather as a friend of the Romans than of the Jews. One day in passing by the
place of Siloa, where there was a great concourse of people, I observed in the
midst of the group a young man, who was leaning against a tree, calmly addressing
the multitude. I was told it was Jesus. This I could easily have suspected, so
great was the difference between him and those listening to him. His golden
coloured hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial appearance. He
appeared to be about 30 years of age. Never have I seen a sweeter or more
serene countenance. What a contrast between him and his hearers, with their
black beards and tawny complexions. Unwilling to interrupt him by my presence,
I continued my walk, but signified to my secretary to join the group and
listen. My secretary's name is Manlius. He is the grandson of the chief of the
conspirators who encamped in Etruria
waiting for Cataline. Manlius has been for a long time an inhabitant of Judea, and is well acquainted with the Hebrew language.
He was devoted to me and worthy of my confidence. On entering the Praetorium I
found Manlius, who related to me the words Jesus had pronounced in Siloa. Never
have I read in the words of philosophers anything that can compare to the
maxims of Jesus. One of the rebellious Jews, so numerous in Jerusalem, having asked Jesus if it was
lawful to give tribute to Caesar, he replied:--"Render unto Caesar the
things that belong to Caesar, and unto God the things that are God's." It
was on account of the wisdom of his sayings that I granted so much liberty to
the Nazarene, for it was in my power to have had him arrested, and exiled to
Pontus, but that would have been contrary to the justice which has always
characterized the Roman Government in all its dealings with men, this man was
neither seditious nor rebellious. I extended to him my protection, unknown
perhaps to himself. He was at liberty to act, to speak, to assemble and address
the people, and to choose his own disciples, unrestrained by any Praetorium
mandate. Should it ever happen (may the gods avert the omen!), should it ever
happen, I say, that the religion of our forefathers will be supplanted by the
religion of Jesus, it will be to this noble toleration that Rome shall owe her
premature death, while I--miserable wretch--will have been the instrument of
what the Jews call Providence, and what we call Destiny.
The unlimited freedom
granted to Jesus provoked the Jews, not the poor, but the rich and powerful. It
is true that Jesus was severe on the latter and this was a political reason, in
my opinion, for not restraining the liberty of the Nazarene. "Scribes and
Pharisees" he would say to them, "You are a race of vipers; you
resemble painted sepulchres; you appear well unto men, but you have death
within you." At other times, he would sneer at the arms of the rich and
proud, telling them that the mite of the poor was more precious in the sight of
God. Complaints were daily made at the Praetorium against the insolence of
Jesus. I was even informed that some misfortune would befall him; that it would
not be the first time that Jerusalem
had stoned those who called themselves prophets, and an appeal would be made to
Caesar. However, my conduct was approved by the Senate, and I was promised a
reinforcement after the termination of the Parthian War. Being too weak to
suppress an insurrection, I resolved upon adopting a measure that promised to
restore the tranquillity of the city without subjecting the Praetorium to
humiliating concession. I wrote to Jesus requesting an interview with him at
the Praetorium. He came. You know that in my veins flows the Spanish mixture
with Roman blood--as incapable of fear as it is of weak emotion. When the
Nazarene made his appearance, I was walking in my basilica, and my feet seemed
fastened with an iron hand to the marble pavement, and I trembled in every limb
as does a guilty culprit, though the Nazarene was as calm as innocence itself.
When he came up to me he stopped, and by a signed sign he seemed to say to me
"I am here" though he spoke not a word. For some time I contemplated
with admiration and awe this extraordinary type of man -- a type of man unknown
to our numerous painters, who have given form and figure to all the gods and
the heroes. There was nothing about him that was repelling in its character,
yet I felt too awed and tremulous to approach him. "Jesus" said I
unto him at last, and my tongue faltered -- "Jesus of Nazareth, for the
last three years I have granted you ample freedom of speech, nor do I regret
it; your words are those of a sage. I know not whether you have read Socrates
or Plato, but this I know--there is in your discourse a majestic simplicity
that elevates you far above those philosophers. The Emperor is informed of it
and I, his humble representative in this country, am glad of having allowed you
that liberty of which you are so worthy. However, I must not conceal from you
that your discourses have raised up against you powerful and inveterate
enemies. Nor is this surprising. Socrates had his enemies, and he fell a victim
to their hatred. Yours are doubly incensed against you on account of your
discourses being so severe upon their conduct, and against me on account of the
liberty I have afforded you. They even accuse me of being indirectly leagued
with you for the purpose of depriving the Hebrews of the little civil power
which Rome has
left them. My request--I do not say my order--is, that you be more circumspect
and moderate in your discourses in the future, and more considerate of them,
lest you arouse the pride of your enemies and they raise up against you the
stupid populace and compel me to employ the instruments of law."
The Nazarene calmly
replied:--"Prince of the earth, your words proceed not from true wisdom.
Say to the torrent to stop in the midst of the mountain gorge; it will uproot
the trees of the valley. The torrent will answer you that it obeys the laws of
Nature and the Creator. God alone knows whither flows the waters of the torrent.
Verily, I say unto you, before the rose of Sharon blossoms, the blood of the
just will be spilt."
"Your blood shall not
be spilt," said I, with deep emotion: "You are more precious in my
estimation on account of your wisdom than all the turbulent and proud Pharisees
who abuse the freedom granted them by the Romans. They conspire against Caesar
and convert his bounty into fear, impressing the unlearned, that Caesar is a
tyrant and seeks their ruin. Insolent wretches! they are not aware that the
wolf of the Tiber sometimes clothes himself
with the skin of the sheep to accomplish his wicked design. I will protect you
against them. My Praetorium shall be an asylum, sacred both day and
night."
Jesus carelessly shook his
head and said with a grave and divine smile, "When the day shall come,
there will be no asylum for the Son of Man, neither in the earth, nor under the
earth. The asylum of the just is there," pointing to the Heavens.
"That which is written in the prophets must be accomplished."
"Young man," I
answered mildly, "You will oblige me to convert my requests into an order.
The safety of the Province which has been confided to my care requires it. You
must observe more moderation in your discourses. Do not infringe my order. You
know the consequences. May happiness attend you. Farewell."
"Prince of the
earth," replied Jesus, "I come not to bring war into the world.
Persecutions proceed not from me. I expect it from others and will meet it in
obedience to my Father, who has shown me the way. Restrain therefore your
worldly prudence. It is not in your power to arrest the victim at the foot of
the Tabernacle of expiation." So saying, he disappeared like a bright
shadow behind the curtains of the Basilica--to my great relief--for I felt a
heavy burden on me, of which I could not relieve myself while in his presence.
To Herod, who then reigned
in Galilee, the enemies of Jesus addressed
themselves, to wreak their vengeance on the Nazarene. Had Herod consulted his
own inclinations, he would have ordered Jesus to be put to death, but though
proud of his royal dignity yet he hesitated to commit an act that might lessen
his influence with the Senate or, like me, was afraid of Jesus. But it would
never do for a Roman Officer to be scared by a Jew. Previously to this, Herod
called on me at the Praetorium and, on rising to take leave, after some
trifling conversation asked me what was my opinion concerning the Nazarene. I
replied that Jesus appeared to me to be one of those great philosophers that great
nations sometimes produce; that his doctrines were by no means sacrilegious and
that the intentions of Rome
were to leave him to that freedom of speech which was justified by his actions.
Herod smiled maliciously and, saluting me with ironical respect, departed. The
great Feast of Jews was approaching and the intention was to avail themselves
of the popular exultation which always manifests itself at the solemnities of
the Passover. The city was overflowing with a tumultuous populace, clamouring
for the death of the Nazarene. My emissaries informed me that the treasure of
the Temple had
been employed in bribing the people. The danger was pressing. A Roman centurion
had been insulted. I wrote to the Prefect of Syria for a hundred foot soldiers
and as many cavalry. He declined and I saw myself alone with a handful of
veterans in the midst of a rebellious city, too weak to suppress an uprising
and having no choice left but to tolerate it. They had seized upon Jesus, and
the seditious rabble although they had nothing to fear from the Praetorium,
believing as their leaders had told them that I winked at their sedition,
continued vociferating "Crucify him; crucify him." Three powerful
parties had combined together against Jesus. First, the Herodians and the
Sadducees, whose seditious conduct seemed to have proceeded from double motive;
they hated the Nazarene and were impatient of the Roman yoke. They never
forgave me for having entered the Holy
City with banners that bore
the image of the Roman Emperor and although, in this instance, I had committed
a fatal error, yet the sacrilege did not appear less heinous in their eyes.
Another grievance also rankled in their bosoms. I had proposed to employ a part
of the treasure of the Temple
erecting edifices for public use. My proposal was scorned. The Pharisees were
the avowed enemies of Jesus. They cared not for the Government. They bore with
bitterness the severe reprimands which the Nazarene for three years had continually
been giving them wherever he went. Timid and too weak to act by themselves,
they had embraced the quarrels of the Herodians and the Sadducees. Besides
these three parties, I had to contend against the reckless and profligate
populace, always ready to join a sedition and to profit by the disorder and
confusion that resulted therefrom. Jesus was dragged before the High Priest and
condemned to death. It was then that the High Priest Caiaphas performed a
devisory act of submission. He sent his prisoner to me to confirm his
condemnation and secure his execution. I answered him that as Jesus was a
Galilean, the affair came under Herod's jurisdiction, and ordered him to be
sent thither. The wily Tetrach professed humility and, protesting his deference
to the lieutenant of Caesar, he committed the fate of the man into my hands.
Soon my Palace assumed the aspect of the besieged citadel. Every moment
increased the number of malcontents. Jerusalem
was inundated with crowds from the mountains of Nazareth;
all Judea appeared to be pouring into the
city. I had taken a wife from among the Gauls, who pretended to see into
futurity. Weeping and throwing herself at my feet, she said to me,
"Beware, beware, and touch not the man; for he is holy. Last night I saw
him in a vision. He was walking on the waters; he was flying on the wings of
the wind. He spoke to the tempest and to the fishes of the lake; all were
obedient to him. Behold, the torrents of Mount Kedron
flow with blood; the statutes of Caesar are filled with gemonide; the columns
of the interium have given away and the sun is veiled in mourning like a vestal
in the tomb. Ah! Pilate, evil awaits thee. If thou wilt not listen to the vows
of thy wife, dread the curse of the Roman Senate; dread the frowns of
Caesar." By this time the marble stairs groaned with the weight of the
multitude. The Nazarene was brought back to me. I proceeded to the Halls of
Justice, followed by my guard, and asked the people in a severe tone what they
demanded. "The death of the Nazarene" was the reply. "For what
crime?" "He has blasphemed, he has prophesied the ruin of the Temple. He calls himself
the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of the Jews."
"Roman Justice,"
said I, "punishes no such offence with death."
"Crucify him, crucify
him," cried the relentless rabble.
The vociferations of the
infuriated mob shook the Palace to its foundations. There was but one who
appeared to be calm in the midst of the vast multitude; it was the Nazarene.
After many fruitless attempts to protect him from the fury of his merciless
persecutors, I adopted a measure which at the moment appeared to me to be the
only one that could save his life. I proposed, as it was their custom to
deliver a prisoner on such occasions, to release Jesus and let him go free,
that he might be the scape-goat as they called it, but they said, "Jesus
must be crucified."
I then spoke to them of
the inconsistency of their course as being incompatible with their laws,
showing that he was no criminal unless he had feasted a whole day; and that the
sentence must have the consent of the Sanhedrim and the signature of the
President of that Court; that no criminal could be executed on the same day his
sentence was fixed, and on the next day (the day of his execution) the
Sanhedrim was required to review the whole proceedings. Also, according to
their law, a man was stationed at the door of the Court with a flag, and
another a short way off on horseback, to cry the name of the criminal and his
crime and the name of his witnesses, and to know if anyone could testify in his
favor. I urged all these pleas, hoping they might awe them into subjection, but
they still cried "Crucify him, crucify him."
I then ordered Jesus to be
scourged, hoping this might satisfy them, but it only increased their fury. I
then called for a basin and washed my hands in the presence of the clamorous
multitude, thus testifying that in my judgment Jesus of Nazareth had done
nothing worthy of death, but in vain. It was his life these wretches thirsted
for. Often in our civil commotions have I witnessed the furious anger of the
multitude, but nothing could be compared to what I witnessed on this occasion.
It might have been truly said that all the phantoms of the infernal regions had
assembled at Jerusalem.
The crowd appeared not to walk, but to be borne off and whirled as a vortex,
rolling along in living waves from the portals of the Praetorium even unto Mount Zion,
with howling screams, shrieks and vociferations such as were never heard in the
seditions of the Pannonia,
or in the tumults of the Forum. By degrees darkened like a winter's twilight,
the day, such as had been at the death of the great Julius Caesar. It was
likewise the Ides of March.
I, the continued Governor
of the rebellious Province, was leaning against a column of basilic,
contemplating athwart the dreary gloom these friends of Tartarus dragging to
execution the innocent Nazarene. All around me was deserted. Jerusalem had vomited forth her indwellers
through the funeral gate that leads to Gemonica. An air of desolation and
sadness enveloped me. My guards had joined the cavalry and the Centurion, with
a display of power, was endeavouring to keep order. I was left alone, and my
breaking heart admonished me that what was passing at that moment appertained
rather to the history of the gods than that of men. A loud clamour was heard
proceeding from Golgotha, which, borne on the
winds, seemed to announce an agony such as was never heard by mortal ears. Dark
clouds lowered over the pinnacle of the Temple
and, setting over the city, covered it as with a veil. So dreadful were the
signs that men saw both in the heavens and the earth that Dionysius the
Areopagite is reported to have exclaimed, "Either the author of Nature is
suffering or the Universe is falling apart." Whilst these appalling scenes
of Nature were transpiring, there was a dreadful earthquake in Lower Egypt, which filled everybody with fear and scared
the superstitious Jews almost to death. It is said that Balthasar, an aged and
learned Jew of Antioch, was found dead after the excitement. Whether he died
from alarm or grief is not known. He was a strong friend of the Nazarene. Near
the first hour of the night I threw my mantle around me and went down into the
city towards the gates of Golgotha. The
sacrifice was consummated. The crowd was returning home, still agitated, it is
true, but gloomy, taciturn and desperate. What they had witnessed had stricken
them with terror and remorse. I also saw my little Roman Cohort pass by
mournfully, the standard-bearer having veiled his eagle in token of grief, and
I overheard some of the Jewish soldiers murmuring strange words which I did not
understand. Others were recounting miracles very like those which have so often
smitten the Romans by the will of the gods. Sometimes groups of men and women
would halt, then looking back towards Mount Calvary,
would remain motionless in expectation of witnessing some new prodigy. I
returned to the Praetorium, sad and pensive. On ascending the stairs, the steps
of which were still stained with the blood of the Nazarene, I perceived an old
man in a suppliant posture, and behind him several Romans in tears. He threw
himself at my feet and wept most bitterly. It is painful to see an old man
weep, and my heart being already overcharged with grief, we though strangers
wept together. And in truth it seemed that the tears lay very shallow that day
with many whom I perceived, in the vast concourse of people. I never witnessed
such an extreme revulsion of feeling. Those who betrayed and sold him, those
who testified against him, those who cried, "Crucify him, we want his
blood" all slunk off like cowardly curs and washed their teeth with
vinegar. As I am told that Jesus taught a resurrection after death, if such be
the fact, also a separation, I am sure it commenced in the vast crowd.
"Father," said I to him, after gaining control of my feelings, "who
are you, and what is your request." "I am Joseph of Arimathea,"
replied he, "and am come to beg of you upon my knees the permission to
bury Jesus of Nazareth." "Your prayer is granted," said I to
him, and at the same time I ordered Manlius to take some soldiers with him to
superintend the interment, lest it should be profaned. A few days after the
sepulchre was found empty. His disciples proclaimed all over the country that
Jesus had risen from the dead, as he had foretold. This created more excitement
than even the crucifixion. As to its truth, I cannot say for certain, but I
have made some investigations of the matter, so you can examine for yourself
and see if I am in fault, as Herod represents. Joseph buried Jesus in his own
tomb. Whether he contemplated the resurrection, or calculated to cut himself
another, I cannot tell. The day after he was buried, one of the Priests came to
the Praetorium and said they were apprehensive that his disciples intended to
steal the body of Jesus and hide it, and then make it appear that he had risen
from the dead as he had foretold, and of which they were perfectly convinced. I
sent him to the captain of the Royal Guard (Malcus) to tell him to take the
Jewish soldiers, place as many round the sepulchre as were needed, then if
anything should happen they could blame themselves and not the Romans. When the
great excitement arose about the sepulchre being found empty, I felt a deeper
solicitude than ever. I sent for Malcus, who told me he had placed his
lieutenant, Ben Isham, with one hundred soldiers round the sepulchre. He told
me that Isham and the soldiers were very much alarmed at what had occurred
there that morning. I sent for this man Isham, who related to me--as near as I
can recollect--the following circumstances. He said that at about the beginning
of the fourth watch they saw a most beautiful light over the sepulchre; he at
first thought the women had come to embalm the body of Jesus, as was their
custom, but he could not see how they had gotten through the guards. While these
thoughts were passing through his mind, behold, the whole place was lighted up
and there seemed to be crowds of dead in their grave clothes. All seemed to be
shouting and filled with ecstasy, while all round and above was the most
beautiful music he had ever heard, and the whole air seemed to be full of
voices praising God. At this time there seemed to be a reeling and swimming of
the earth, so that he turned so sick and faint that he could not stand on his
feet. He said that the earth seemed to swim from under him, and his senses left
him, so that he did not know what did occur. I asked him in what condition he
was when he came to himself. He said he was lying on the ground with his face
down. I asked him if he could not have been mistaken as to the light. Was it
not day that was coming in the east? He said that at first he thought of that,
but at a stone's cast it was exceedingly dark, and then he remembered that it
was too early for day. I asked him if his dizziness might not have come from
being wakened up and getting up so suddenly, as it sometimes had that effect.
He said he was not, and had not been asleep all night, as the penalty was death
for him to sleep on duty. He said he had let some of the soldiers sleep at a
time. Some were asleep then. I asked him how long the scene lasted. He said he
did not know, but thought nearly an hour. He said it was hid by the light of
the day. I asked if he went to the sepulchre after he had come to himself. He
said no, because he was afraid; that just as soon as relief came they all went
to their quarters. I asked him if he had been questioned by the priests; he
said he had. They wanted him to say it was an earthquake and that they were all
asleep and offered him money to say that the disciples came and stole Jesus; but
he saw no disciples and did not know the body was gone until he was told. I
asked him what was the private opinion of those Priests he had conversed with.
He said that some of them thought that Jesus was no man; that he was not a
human being; that he was not the son of Mary; that he was not the same that was
said to be born of the Virgin in Bethlehem; that the same person had been on
earth before, with Abraham and Lot, and at many times and places. It seems to
me that if the Jewish theory be true, these conclusions are correct, for they
are in accord with this man's life, as is known and testified by both friends
and foes, for the elements were no more in his hands than the clay in the hands
of the potter. He could convert water into wine; he could change death into
life, disease into health; he could calm the seas, still the storms, call up
fish with a silver coin in its mouth. Now I say, if he could do all those
things, which he did, and many more as the Jews all testify, and it was doing
these things that created this enmity against him--he was not charged with
criminal offences, nor was he charged with violating any law nor of wronging
any individual in person, and all these facts are known to thousands, as well
by his foes as by his friends--I am almost ready to say, as did Manulas at the
cross, "Truly this man was the Son of God."
Now, Noble Sovereign, that
is as near the facts in the case as I can arrive at, and I have taken pains to
make the statement very full, so that you may judge of my conduct upon the
whole, as I hear that Antipater has said many hard things of me in this matter.
With the promise of
faithfulness and good wishes to my noble Sovereign,
I am your most obedient
servant,
PONTIUS
PILATE.
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