Pontius Pilate, The First Evangelist

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John 19:16b-22

16b So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”

 
 

The Gospels spend an inordinate amount of time recounting events from the last week of Jesus’s life. It’s as if the narratives slow way down and zoom in to make sure we see everything we need to say. That said, however, it is striking how matter of fact they are when it comes to the crucifixion. It’s almost as if it’s too horrible to recount. For example, look at John’s account:

18a There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them [John 19:18a].

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Pontius Pilate is the first evangelist. He is trying to mock and show his disdain both for Jesus and the Jews who wanted to have Him killed, but nevertheless he testifies to the truth:

19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews’” [John 19:19].