The characterisation of Pontius Pilate in the four gospels
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Date
2003-09
Authors
Nthuping, Michael
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: The absence of a consistent narratological analysis of Pontius Pilate may be indicated as a gap in the research on this interesting figure. The aim of this study is to rectify this by presenting a detailed study of the portrayal of Pontius Pilate in terms of a narratological approach, in particular in terms of a narratological approach to characterisation in texts.This is achieved by means of a detailed narratological analysis of the characterisation of Pontius Pilate in each of the Four Gospels. The results are as follow.
In the Gospel according to Mark Pilate is portrayed as a flat character since only a few traits are revealed. His character does not show any development and relatively little of his inner life is revealed. In terms of the plot of the Gospel Pilate is portrayed as having two objectives: first he tries to see that justice prevails, but in the end he is forced to replace this objective by another one, namely that of pleasing the people, thus knowing that justice does not prevail. He is also portrayed throughout as reacting to events as they unfold instead of taking the initiative. The narrator characterises Pilate as a flat character and therefore only a few traits are revealed to the implied reader, namely "attempting to be just", "weak >> wanting to please people", "unable to understand Jesus", "shrewd", and "thorough". Of these, the first two are the most important to such an extent that it can be said that the characterisation of Pilate in the Gospel according to Mark is dominated by the conflict between these two traits.
In the Gospel according to Matthew, Pilate is portrayed as being somewhere between a flat and a round character since a relatively large number of traits are revealed. His character does not show any development and relatively little is revealed of his inner life. In terms of the plot of the Gospel Pilate is portrayed as having two objectives: first, he tries to see that justice prevails, but in the end he is forced to replace this objective by another one, namely that of (unsuccessfully!) trying to convince the crowd that he is innocent of Jesus' blood. Pilate is also portrayed throughout as unwillingly doing something he is forced to do and shows more resistance than the Pilate of the Gospel according to Mark. In terms of the traits associated with this character the following four dominate: "attempting to be just", "unwilling to act as God wants him to", "weak >> succumb to pressure", and "trying to shift the blame". The implied reader thus has a very negative picture of Pilate.
In the Gospel according to Luke, Pilate is portrayed as somewhere between a flat and a round character since a relatively large number of traits are revealed. His character shows some development, as he develops from an enemy of Herod to a friend of Herod. Almost nothing is revealed of his inner life: his inner thoughts are revealed only once when the narrator tells that he wants to release Jesus. In terms of the plot of the Gospel Pilate is portrayed as having three objectives: first, he tries to see that justice prevails. This is followed by the second objective, namely getting out of the situation by sending Jesus to Herod. Lastly, he attempts to convince the crowd of Jesus' innocence. With regard to the traits associated with Pilate in the Gospel according to Luke, a number of these were identified, namely "authority", "cruelty", "shrewd", "attempting to be just", "witness to Jesus' innocence", "weak", and "enemy of Herod >> friend of Herod". The narrator portrays Pilate in such a way that only one trait dominates his characterisation, namely "witness to Jesus' innocence".
In the Gospel according to John, Pilate can be described as being somewhere between a flat and a round character since a relatively large number of traits are revealed. His character shows no development and almost nothing is revealed of his inner life: his inner thoughts are revealed only once when the narrator tells that he became more afraid than ever. In terms of the plot of the Gospel Pilate is portrayed as having three objectives: first, he tries to see that justice prevails. In doing so, his objective shifts to something new, namely that of determining the identity of Jesus. However, he fails in this objective, as he is unable to grasp the real nature of Jesus' kingship. In the end both objectives (seeing that justice prevails, and determining the identity of Jesus) give way to a final objective, namely being a friend of the emperor. The only way in which Pilate could reach this objective was by failing to reach the other two objectives. A fairly large number of traits are associated with this character in the Gospel according to John. Two of these traits dominate, namely "unable to understand the identity of Jesus" and "powerful <> afraid of Jesus". The characterisation of Pilate fits a general pattern in the gospel in that it shows a negative reaction to the identity of Jesus: although Pilate is shrewd and attempts to be just, he is unable to understand the identity of Jesus. It should also be pointed out that the narrator succeeds in creating a fairly complex picture of Pilate by revealing some interesting traits not found in the other Gospels, namely "respecting the religious feelings of the Jews", "irritable", "cynical" and "wilful".
Afrikaans: Die feit dat daar geen volledige narratologiese analise van Pontius Pilatus bestaan nie, kan as 'n leemte in die huidige navorsing oor dié interessante figuur aangedui word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om dié leemte te vul deur 'n gedetailleerde studie van die wyse waarop Pontius Pilatus in die vier Evangelies uitgebeeld word. Dit is gedoen deur 'n volledige narratologiese analise van die karakterisering van Pilatus in elkeen van die vier Evangelies. Die resultate is as volg: In die Evangelie volgens Markus word Pilatus as 'n plat karakter uitgebeeld aangesien slegs 'n paar eienskappe van die karakter geopenbaar word. Daar is verder geen ontwikkeling en min innerlike karakterisering. In terme van die plot van die Evangelie word Pilatus uitgebeeld as iemand met twee doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat seëvier, maar later probeer hy net om die mense hulle sin te gee. Slegs 'n paar eienskappe van Pilatus word aan die implisiete leser geopenbaar, naamlik "poog om regverdig te wees", "swak", "kan nie vir Jesus verstaan nie", "slim" en "deeglik". Van hierdie eienskappe is die eerste twee die belangrikste. In die Evangelie volgens Matteus kan Pilatus iewers tussen 'n plat en 'n ronde karakter geplaas word. Daar is geen ontwikkeling in sy karakter nie en feitlik geen innerlike karakterisering nie. Hy word uitgebeeld as iemand met twee doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat geskied en later probeer hy om die skare te oortuig dat hy onskuldig is aan die bloed van Jesus. In terme van karaktereienskappe is daar vier dominante eienskappe: "poog om regverdig te wees", "onwillig om op te tree soos God wil hê", "swak" en "probeer om die skuld op ander te pak". Die implisiete leser word dus uiteindelik gelaat met 'n baie negatiewe prentjie van Pilatus. In die Evangelie volgens Lukas kan Pilatus ook as iewers tussen 'n plat en 'n ronde karakter geplaas word. Daar is wel 'n mate van ontwikkeling in sy karakter aangesien hy van 'n vyand van Herodes tot 'n vriend van Herodes verander. In terme van die plot word Pilatus het Pilatus drie doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat seëvier; later probeer hy uit die moeilike situasie kom, en uiteindelik probeer hy die skare oortuig dat Jesus onskuldig is. Ten opsigte van karaktereienskappe is 'n hele aantal geïdentifiseer, naamlik "gesag", "wreedheid", "slim", "poog om regverdig te wees", "getuie van Jesus se onskuld", "swak" en "vyand van Herodes". Daar is egter slegs een eienskap wat domineer, naamlik "getuie van Jesus se onskuld". In die Evangelie volgens Johannes kan Pilatus iewers tussen 'n plat en ronde karakter geplaas word. Daar is geen ontwikkeling in sy karakter en feitlik geen innerlike karakterisering nie. In terme van die plot word Pilatus uitgebeeld as iemand met drie doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat geskied, maar later word sy primêre doelstelling die bepaling van Jesus se identiteit. Hy misluk egter in beide doelstellings, maar slaag uiteindelik in 'n derde doelstelling, naamlik om 'n vriend van die keiser te bly. Ten opsigte van karaktereienskappe is 'n hele aantal geïdentifiseer, maar slegs twee domineer, naamlik "kan nie die identiteit van Jesus begryp nie" en "magtig <> bang vir Jesus".
Afrikaans: Die feit dat daar geen volledige narratologiese analise van Pontius Pilatus bestaan nie, kan as 'n leemte in die huidige navorsing oor dié interessante figuur aangedui word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om dié leemte te vul deur 'n gedetailleerde studie van die wyse waarop Pontius Pilatus in die vier Evangelies uitgebeeld word. Dit is gedoen deur 'n volledige narratologiese analise van die karakterisering van Pilatus in elkeen van die vier Evangelies. Die resultate is as volg: In die Evangelie volgens Markus word Pilatus as 'n plat karakter uitgebeeld aangesien slegs 'n paar eienskappe van die karakter geopenbaar word. Daar is verder geen ontwikkeling en min innerlike karakterisering. In terme van die plot van die Evangelie word Pilatus uitgebeeld as iemand met twee doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat seëvier, maar later probeer hy net om die mense hulle sin te gee. Slegs 'n paar eienskappe van Pilatus word aan die implisiete leser geopenbaar, naamlik "poog om regverdig te wees", "swak", "kan nie vir Jesus verstaan nie", "slim" en "deeglik". Van hierdie eienskappe is die eerste twee die belangrikste. In die Evangelie volgens Matteus kan Pilatus iewers tussen 'n plat en 'n ronde karakter geplaas word. Daar is geen ontwikkeling in sy karakter nie en feitlik geen innerlike karakterisering nie. Hy word uitgebeeld as iemand met twee doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat geskied en later probeer hy om die skare te oortuig dat hy onskuldig is aan die bloed van Jesus. In terme van karaktereienskappe is daar vier dominante eienskappe: "poog om regverdig te wees", "onwillig om op te tree soos God wil hê", "swak" en "probeer om die skuld op ander te pak". Die implisiete leser word dus uiteindelik gelaat met 'n baie negatiewe prentjie van Pilatus. In die Evangelie volgens Lukas kan Pilatus ook as iewers tussen 'n plat en 'n ronde karakter geplaas word. Daar is wel 'n mate van ontwikkeling in sy karakter aangesien hy van 'n vyand van Herodes tot 'n vriend van Herodes verander. In terme van die plot word Pilatus het Pilatus drie doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat seëvier; later probeer hy uit die moeilike situasie kom, en uiteindelik probeer hy die skare oortuig dat Jesus onskuldig is. Ten opsigte van karaktereienskappe is 'n hele aantal geïdentifiseer, naamlik "gesag", "wreedheid", "slim", "poog om regverdig te wees", "getuie van Jesus se onskuld", "swak" en "vyand van Herodes". Daar is egter slegs een eienskap wat domineer, naamlik "getuie van Jesus se onskuld". In die Evangelie volgens Johannes kan Pilatus iewers tussen 'n plat en ronde karakter geplaas word. Daar is geen ontwikkeling in sy karakter en feitlik geen innerlike karakterisering nie. In terme van die plot word Pilatus uitgebeeld as iemand met drie doelstellings: aanvanklik poog hy om geregtigheid te laat geskied, maar later word sy primêre doelstelling die bepaling van Jesus se identiteit. Hy misluk egter in beide doelstellings, maar slaag uiteindelik in 'n derde doelstelling, naamlik om 'n vriend van die keiser te bly. Ten opsigte van karaktereienskappe is 'n hele aantal geïdentifiseer, maar slegs twee domineer, naamlik "kan nie die identiteit van Jesus begryp nie" en "magtig <> bang vir Jesus".
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Keywords
Thesis (Ph.D. (New Testament))--University of the Free State, 2003, New Testament studies, Narratology, Characterisation, Pontius Pilate, Synoptic gospels, Gospel according to John, Pilate, Pontius, 1st cent, Bible -- N.T. -- Gospels -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.