Letters of Pontius Pilate: Written during His Governorship of Judea to His Friend Seneca in Rome [Paperback]

W. P. Crozier (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2002

These letters represent the times of Jesus, with some of the principal events of his life from a new viewpoint - that of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate.

History has pictured Pilate as in some respects a good governor, anxious to serve his imperial master faithfully, and even in so far as possible to conciliate those who were placed in his care. In these letters Pilate describes the events of his Governorship, his impressions, his policy, his difficulties in dealing with the Jews.

"It seems," writes Pilate, "that all Galilee is agog about Jesus, and everyone knows of someone who has heard of someone else who has been cured of some disease." Pilate argues that Jesus is a popular leader who is politically dangerous, a troublesome fellow that must be gotten out of the way. "And," concludes Pilate, "if he was not a dangerous rebel yesterday, he would have been tomorrow."

In spite of this, Pilate has given us a fine picture of Jesus here, written with restraint and feeling, unconsciously reverent and absorbingly interesting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Fredonia Books (NL) (July 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589639480
• ISBN-13: 978-1589639485
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,384,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Take note: this is a work of fiction, February 20, 2004

By 

Michael Moore "mcubed33" (Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Letters of Pontius Pilate: Written during His Governorship of Judea to His Friend Seneca in Rome (Paperback)

When I first saw this book I had to ask, why have I never heard of this before? It should be very famous. When I began reading it, I concluded immediately that it must be a work of fiction. A quick web search confirms that W. P. Crozier was a reporter for the Guardian newspaper in England. This book is identified on the Guardian website as his first "novel," written in 1928.

This is a short story in letter form. It is an account of a self-absorbed, gossipy, impulsive and petty-minded provincial governor--intent on gaining credit for himself and possible advancement in the Roman hierarchy. To him Jesus was simply a minor problem: another of those troublesome people whom a good Roman governor had to dispose of in order to maintain provincial peace. Who knows? That may be an accurate rendering of Pilate's character and personality. The story has some interest in depicting in personal terms the contending interests that a Roman governor had to deal with in Jesus' time: the two neighboring king Herods; the prerogatives and rivalries of the Jewish priestly class; Rome's interest in maintaining order in the province; and the financial requirements of maintaining order and building public works.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars fiction, May 22, 2006

By 

noman (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letters of Pontius Pilate: Written during His Governorship of Judea to His Friend Seneca in Rome (Paperback)

not bad as fiction. the entire book may be read online. However it is fiction that, unfortunately, seems to be regarded as a non-fiction source.

An original review of the book:
Review of 'Letters of Pontius Pilate', Manchester Guardian, 30 March 1928
Crozier's interests in Latin and Greek classics and the Bible inspired his writing. His first novel, 'Letters of Pontius Pilate - Written during his Governorship of Judea to His Friend Seneca in Rome', was published in 1928, and is reviewed in the Manchester Guardian by Professor Herford of Manchester University.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good and very original fiction, August 17, 2009

By 

D. Ellerby - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Letters of Pontius Pilate: Written during His Governorship of Judea to His Friend Seneca in Rome (Paperback)

It is certainly well written and well thought out. Such an original idea from the author, who does indeed make it all seem real. Of course, if the letters were real they would represent the only documents to mention Jesus from the time he is supposed to have existed (and another twenty years on top of that!) and would be the most famous writings in the world. Every Church would be shouting them from the rooftops and they would have been displayed everywhere. Instead, these letters are nowhere to be found and the Church never mentions them. For those rather naive people who think it's all real, I have some really bad news about Harry Potter....