Matthew 27 Pilates Wife

[seekeroftruth]

Matthew 27:19 While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”​

Here's what one commentary says about Pilate and his wife.

While he was sitting on the judgment seat: As Pilate sat in judgment of Jesus, he failed to give the accused justice. Pilate had all the evidence he needed to do the right thing - to release Jesus.

He saw the strength and dignity of Jesus, and he knew this was no criminal or revolutionary.

He knew that it was no just charge that brought Jesus before his judgment seat - it was only the envy of the religious leaders.

He saw that Jesus was a man so at peace with His God that He didn't need to answer a single accusation.

He already declared Jesus an innocent man (I find no fault in this Man, Luke 23:4).​

His wife sent to him, saying: In addition to all of these, Pilate also had a unique and remarkable messenger - his wife's dream. We can only conjecture what she saw in this dream. Perhaps she saw Jesus, an innocent man, crowned with thorns and crucified. Maybe she saw Him coming in glory with the clouds of heaven. Maybe she saw Him at the Great White Throne of judgment, and she and her husband facing Jesus.

We know that the vision of Jesus in her dream made her suffer (I have sufferered many things today in a dream because of Him). "Whatever it was, she had suffered repeated painful emotions in the dream, and she awoke startled and amazed."

It was a remarkable occurrence. She awoke late in the morning, disturbed by the dream. She asked where her husband was, and her attendants told her that he was called away early to his business as a governor - the religious leaders of Jerusalem sent over a prisoner for judgment. Immediately, she asked a messenger to go to her husband with news of her dream.

"Most dreams we quite forget; a few we mention as remarkable, and only now and then one is impressed upon us so that we remember it for years. Scarcely have any of you had a dream which made you send a message to a magistrate upon the bench."

Because of all this, there was a great urgency about her message to Pilate. She was bold to send it, and she implored him to simply having nothing to do with this man Jesus. "Let Him go. Send Him away. Don't punish Him even a little." It was an influence, a warning that he tragically ignored. All of this was God's merciful message to Pilate; a merciful message that he rejected.​

The easy english commentary says this about Pilates wife.

Pilate’s wife may have come from an important family. She may have been interested in what the *Jews believed. She may even have heard Jesus when he was teaching. *Romans believed that dreams could warn people about bad events. So Pilate may have tried to persuade the crowd even more when he received her message. He may have thought that the people really would choose Jesus.​

The Godvine commentary adds this.

Dreams were considered as indications of the divine will, and among the Romans and Greeks, as well as the Jews, great reliance was placed on them. Her mind was probably agitated with the subject. She was satisfied of the innocence of Jesus; and, knowing that the Jews would make every effort to secure his condemnation, it was not unnatural that her mind should be excited during her sleep, perhaps with a frightful prospect of the judgments that would descend on the family of Pilate if Jesus was condemned. She therefore sent to him to secure, if possible, his release.​

I think it's interesting to note that Pilate didn't have the trial on his agenda for the day. This was, after all, an unusual trial. Jesus was arrested during the night by the Jews. It was a Jewish holiday. Even today it would be unlikely. I'm sure Pilates wife wasn't thinking about Jesus before going to bed.

Pilate's wife didn't know what was happening.
Pilate took his wife's opinion into account.

Jesus knew what was going to happen.

 

[cheezgrits]

Another great commentary! It is odd that she would almost have a pre-vision, or perhaps even a "gut" feeling about Jesus. Maybe she simply had witnessed enough to know what the right thing was. Pilate had the weight of political and self-preservation pressure to deal with. But one wonders, if there is such a thing a divine intervention, did it drive him to do the wrong thing anyway? If this was a prophecy that had to be fulfilled, was he simply a pawn? I also wonder how Pilate was judged, if there is that judgement? If he was a predestined pawn in the fulfillment of the prophecy, could he be held accountable?

 

[b23hqb]

Another great commentary! It is odd that she would almost have a pre-vision, or perhaps even a "gut" feeling about Jesus. Maybe she simply had witnessed enough to know what the right thing was. Pilate had the weight of political and self-preservation pressure to deal with. But one wonders, if there is such a thing a divine intervention, did it drive him to do the wrong thing anyway? If this was a prophecy that had to be fulfilled, was he simply a pawn? I also wonder how Pilate was judged, if there is that judgement? If he was a predestined pawn in the fulfillment of the prophecy, could he be held accountable?

There are no "pawns" in the eyes of God during human history. God is not the author of evil. Seeing that God is eternal - endless - He can ride the timeline endlessly, and instantly. He simply knows who will do, say what when. It is their choice and decision of their actions.

Although Pilate seemed remorseful, there is no indication that he really cared about his decision afterward.. His wife, really, the same.

The only pawns in human history are those that do the will of other people instead of the will of God. We have met the enemy, and he is us. Always has been.

 

[cheezgrits]

There are no "pawns" in the eyes of God during human history. God is not the author of evil. Seeing that God is eternal - endless - He can ride the timeline endlessly, and instantly. He simply knows who will do, say what when. It is their choice and decision of their actions.

Although Pilate seemed remorseful, there is no indication that he really cared about his decision afterward.. His wife, really, the same.

The only pawns in human history are those that do the will of other people instead of the will of God. We have met the enemy, and he is us. Always has been.

So you are saying there is no divine intervention and that mankind is simply moving along solely on freewill? That your god doesn't intervene and create things to happen? How could the crucifixion story play out, based on assertions that Jesus "knew" what was going to happen if players (pawns) were not put into place to make the divine will happen?

And of course god created evil, if there was no evil, what baseline and benchmark would goodness have? Without an opposite comparison (evil), holiness and goodness would have no meaning.

 

[seekeroftruth]

Another great commentary! It is odd that she would almost have a pre-vision, or perhaps even a "gut" feeling about Jesus. Maybe she simply had witnessed enough to know what the right thing was. Pilate had the weight of political and self-preservation pressure to deal with. But one wonders, if there is such a thing a divine intervention, did it drive him to do the wrong thing anyway? If this was a prophecy that had to be fulfilled, was he simply a pawn? I also wonder how Pilate was judged, if there is that judgement? If he was a predestined pawn in the fulfillment of the prophecy, could he be held accountable?

It's easy today to go back and point out all of the errors that people made back then. As the commentary in the next verse [verse 20] shows, Pilate was the kind of guy who did what was politically correct.

Pilate was not a follower of Christ. He knew that Jesus attracted large crowds. He knew that the appointed [not anointed] priests wanted something done about Jesus.

Pilate knew Roman law as well as Jewish law. The priests knew Jewish law as well as Roman law.

So Pilate could only do what was legal and politically correct.

So if the chief priests could figure out which way to move to manipulate Pilate.... God surely knew how Pilate would move.

 

[seekeroftruth]

So you are saying there is no divine intervention and that mankind is simply moving along solely on freewill? That your god doesn't intervene and create things to happen? How could the crucifixion story play out, based on assertions that Jesus "knew" what was going to happen if players (pawns) were not put into place to make the divine will happen?

And of course god created evil, if there was no evil, what baseline and benchmark would goodness have? Without an opposite comparison (evil), holiness and goodness would have no meaning.

God controls time. He knows how things are going to play out at the end. I feel, Jesus knew how it was going to end before He went into the world.

If it didn't end in crucifixion, if Pilate had stopped it, Jesus might have become King on earth. Some will say, then He wouldn't have died for our sins and that would have changed the story. I feel, that would have been ok.... because the story wasn't written yet.

So IMHO it is still free will combined with some signs of light in through divine intervention. There was always a way out. But good people make bad decisions.

 

[b23hqb]

So you are saying there is no divine intervention and that mankind is simply moving along solely on freewill? That your god doesn't intervene and create things to happen? How could the crucifixion story play out, based on assertions that Jesus "knew" what was going to happen if players (pawns) were not put into place to make the divine will happen?

And of course god created evil, if there was no evil, what baseline and benchmark would goodness have? Without an opposite comparison (evil), holiness and goodness would have no meaning.

God did not create evil - Lucifer did when his pride took over and he placed himself at, or above, God's paygrade. I generally agree with your statement, with a few caveats: For the vast majority of time as we know it, God has let us alone to do our own freewill thing, which we have done quite badly. He intervened with the flood, and He intervened a few times by punishing Israel until they got back in line and in tune with him again.

God knew what Satan would do to humanity here - he simply let it play out the course that lead to Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. If Satan had not rebelled, there would have been no need for God to create man, would there?

Remember, God follows His plan, and not what what man wants.

 

[cheezgrits]

God did not create evil - Lucifer did when his pride took over and he placed himself at, or above, God's paygrade. I generally agree with your statement, with a few caveats: For the vast majority of time as we know it, God has let us alone to do our own freewill thing, which we have done quite badly. He intervened with the flood, and He intervened a few times by punishing Israel until they got back in line and in tune with him again.

God knew what Satan would do to humanity here - he simply let it play out the course that lead to Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection. If Satan had not rebelled, there would have been no need for God to create man, would there?

Remember, God follows His plan, and not what what man wants.

That makes sense, in a way and makes the question in my mind a little less perplexing. Thank you for the insight.

 

[cheezgrits]

God controls time. He knows how things are going to play out at the end. I feel, Jesus knew how it was going to end before He went into the world.

If it didn't end in crucifixion, if Pilate had stopped it, Jesus might have become King on earth. Some will say, then He wouldn't have died for our sins and that would have changed the story. I feel, that would have been ok.... because the story wasn't written yet.

So IMHO it is still free will combined with some signs of light in through divine intervention. There was always a way out. But good people make bad decisions.

That makes sense. I am seriously not trying to decipher any divine mysteries, but I think the discussions and curiosity is a good way of learning. But that's just me. I much prefer these civil discussions to arguing over who's "brand" of corporate religion is "right".

 

[seekeroftruth]

That makes sense. I am seriously not trying to decipher any divine mysteries, but I think the discussions and curiosity is a good way of learning. But that's just me. I much prefer these civil discussions to arguing over who's "brand" of corporate religion is "right".

Me too.....