Pilate’s Wife Appealed for the Innocence of Jesus
The Dream of Pilate's Wife by Alphonse François, after an engraving by Gustave Doré.
PILATE IS INFAMOUS as the Roman governor who executed Christ although he knew he was innocent. But ancient stories of his wife's conversion have led the Orthodox and Ethiopian Churches to regard her as a saint. This day, 27 October, is her feast.
The Bible does not give Pilate’s wife a name, but tradition says she was called Procula (or sometimes Claudia). The Gospel of Matthew records that during Christ’s trial, she sent a message to her husband saying, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” (Matthew 27:19)
That is all the Bible says about her. The tradition of her conversion goes back at least to the second century, when Origen remarked in section 122 of his Commentary on Matthew that God providentially willed the vision to “turn around Pilate’s wife.”*
The Gospel of Nicodemus, written in the fourth century, claims that Pilate mentioned Procula’s dream to the Jews, at which they retorted, “Did we not tell you that he [Jesus] was a sorcerer? Behold, he has sent a dream to your wife.”
Pilate was a tough governor, who more than once butchered Jews, but we do not know how he behaved toward his wife. Did he usually trust her judgment? Was it brave of her to send him a note while he was sitting on the judgment seat? Whatever the situation, Pilate was in a tight place. Pressures from Rome made it imperative he not allow a riot; therefore, although he knew Jesus was innocent, he was not willing to take the risks necessary to save his life. In the end, he ignored his wife’s warning and had Christ crucified.
—Dan Graves
* qui voluit per visum convertere Pilati uxorum in the Latin version.
------------
Dateline Jerusalem has an episode featuring Pilate. Watch at RedeemTV.
and Eyewitness Bible - Easter (Pilate appears in episode six)
(Eyewitness Bible: Easter and Dateline Jerusalem can be purchased at Vision Video)
Read more about Christ and Pilate in "Mistrial of the Millennium" in Christian History #59, Life & Times of Jesus of Nazareth
