We know the man, and we know his name. He is infamous for his contributions to Jesus’ suffering and death.

Though his name is immortalized through the recitation of the Creed each Sunday, Pontius Pilate’s life as a whole is largely overlooked by Catholics. Certainly, it is enough to know the role he played in Jesus’ crucifixion, but understanding the man behind the name “Pontius Pilate” gives the Roman governor a deeper dimension. What was his background? How did he rise to power? Was he a brutal dictator or a weak-willed leader as he is depicted in the Gospels? And what happened to him after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection?

Pilate’s life was no rags-to-riches story but one of privilege. He began his career as a Roman equestrian (or knight), a status that, between 27 B.C. and A.D. 14, Caesar Augustus reserved for men of free birth, good health and character, and substantial wealth. In addition to being well-suited for war, equestrians would have had something of a business background and access to public finances, allowing them to climb a career ladder to imperial positions. Like any successful career man, Pilate probably rose to power through a mix of good career moves and popularity. He was named prefect of Judaea by one of Emperor Tiberius’ favorites, Lucius Aelius Sejanus.

Sejanus was a notorious antisemite, and it would make sense that Pilate would have likely instituted a brutal rule over the Jewish people to placate his patron. One of Pilate’s most notorious actions was secretly erecting images of the emperor all over the holy city of Jerusalem under the cover of night. Historians Flavius Josephus and Philo both write about this incident, with Josephus describing in detail the Jewish people’s reaction:

Hastening after Pilate to Caesarea, the Jews implored him to remove the standards from Jerusalem and to uphold the laws of their ancestors. When Pilate refused, they fell prostrate around his palace and for five whole days and nights remained motionless in that position.

Josephus continues the account, writing that Pilate invited the Jews into his tribunal. It seemed as though their actions might have affected him, but the Jews were soon surrounded by Roman soldiers and Pilate threatened to “cut them down” if they continued to protest the images of Caesar. As the soldiers drew their swords, the Jews responded with a radical piety like that seen in the book of Maccabees:

Thereupon the Jews, as by concerted action, flung themselves in a body on the ground, extended their necks, and exclaimed that they were ready rather to die than to transgress the law.

Overcome with astonishment at such intense religious zeal, Pilate gave orders for the immediate removal of the standards from Jerusalem.

Pilate’s reaction to the Jews is curious, even a bit shocking, for a Roman dictator. But was Pilate moved because he wasn’t used to seeing people stand up for their convictions? After all, it appears that Pilate rose to power by placating those around and above him.

This hypothesis seems even more reasonable when considering his treatment of Jesus. Though early historians remark on Pilate’s brutality, the Gospels paint a very different picture of the man. He questions Jesus with seeming sincerity and quickly sees his innocence — Matthew even goes so far as to say that he was “amazed” at Jesus’ words. One also cannot forget his wife pleading with him to leave Jesus alone due to her dreams about him. According to some biblical commentators, Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God frightened Pilate, though not out of true piety:

For it is very well known, that the religion which the governor professed directed him to acknowledge the existence of demi-gods and heroes, or men descended from the gods. Nay, the heathen believed that their gods themselves sometimes appeared on earth, in the form of men.

Furthermore, Pilate also reveals a strong level of emotional intelligence as Matthew’s Gospel says that he knew that the Pharisees handed Jesus over out of envy. Pilate tries to manipulate this emotion by using various tactics to ultimately release Jesus. He tries to persuade the crowd to release the innocent Jesus over the obvious criminal Barabbas, and he has Jesus scourged so that the Pharisees might be satiated by this brutal punishment.

Pilate very obviously did not want to have Jesus crucified, but the Jewish people would not bend. Perhaps he recalled the zeal they displayed when he erected the images of the Emperor — and we must remember that the Romans somewhat deified their emperors. Even if Pilate was beginning to believe that Jesus was at least some kind of demi-god come to earth, he might have recalled the Jewish people’s zeal and willingness to die before they allowed images of Caesar in their city. What might they do if Pilate allowed the God-man to continue to walk among them?

And so, Pilate immortalized himself by once again placating those with stronger wills than he and condemned Jesus with seeming indifference: “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”

Yet even after this mockery of a trial, Pontius Pilate seemed incapable of escaping the truth now that he came face to face with him. He commanded the sign to be erected above Jesus proclaiming him as King of the Jews — not just in Hebrew, but in Greek and Latin. Intentional or not, it seemed like Pilate wanted everyone to know who Jesus was or at least claimed to be.

Perhaps he paced his palace, waiting to see if Jesus took himself off the cross, and that’s why he was so surprised that Jesus died so quickly. Pilate continued to bend to the will of the Pharisees, allowing them to guard the tomb, but upon hearing of Jesus’ resurrection, he sent word to Tiberius, sharing with him the news. Ironically and unwittingly, Pilate was certainly one of the first persons to share the Gospel with the Roman emperor, as he certainly would have accounted for Jesus' trial, torture and death, along with his resurrection.

If only the story ended with Pilate becoming a Christian and one of the greatest preachers of the Gospel! Though the Ethiopian Orthodox hold the conversion and sainthood of both Pontius Pilate and his wife, it remains unclear if he did indeed become a Christian before his death.

Sadly, this seems unlikely, as historians wrote that he continued a brutal reign. Josephus accounts that in A.D. 36, he attacked the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim, and soon after was called back to Rome to stand trial. The historian Eusebius writes that Pilate eventually ended his own life, “forced to become his own murderer and executioner.” However, no other account corroborates this event.

So, whose story is the real one? Did Pontius Pilate succumb in despair as Judas did, condemning and carrying out the ultimate punishment on himself? His ultimate fate and judgment are known only to God, but Pilate’s story remains a cautionary tale, summed by Jesus’ own words: “For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?” (Mark 8:36)