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Pontius Pilate – The History and Historicity of the Civil Servant Who Condemned Jesus

Khalid Elhassan June 3, 2025 18 min

statue of pontius pilate and jesus at base of holy stairs in rome — Pontius Pilate introduces Jesus in this statue at the base of the Holy Stairs in Rome in this March 10, 2014, file photo. Tradition maintains that Jesus climbed the stairs when Pilate brought him before the crowd. It's believed that Constantine's mother, St. Helen, brought the stairs to Rome from Jerusalem in 326. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) See VATICAN LETTER March 19, 2015.

11. Crucifixion

Crucifixion was a horrible method of execution. K-Pics

Crucifixion was the most degrading and painful form of Roman execution. Victims were either tied or nailed to a wooden cross, and left to die slowly, exposed to the elements and public view. It was intended to serve as a deterrent, and demonstrate Rome’s power over those who defied its rule.

Jesus is crucified alongside two criminals, a detail that appears in all four Gospels and emphasizes his execution among common criminals. The Gospel of Luke records a poignant exchange between Jesus and one of the criminals, who asks to be remembered in Jesus’ kingdom. Jesus’ reply, “Today you will be with me in Paradise,” illustrates a theme of divine mercy even in death.

Written by

Khalid Elhassan

A lifelong history buff, I developed a particular passion for WW2 history as a child, when I spent hours listening to my grandfather, enraptured, as he recounted his wartime experiences in the British East African Campaign and with the British 8th Army in North Africa.

I graduated with a history BA from George Mason University, then went on to get a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. After lawyering for a decade, I moved to sunny Rio de Janeiro and a less demanding career, opening a tourism agency in Copacabana.

A big chunk of my free time is spent blogging (you can follow me on Quora https://www.quora.com/profile/Khalid-Elhassan ) or freelance writing, mostly about my favorite subject, history.