It was great to see so many people at our Good Friday meeting on zoom this morning! If you weren’t able to join us, or you simply wanted to read them again, we will be posting all four of our monologues from this morning on the blog today! The monologues help to convey the feelings of four people mentioned in John 19.
Our first monologue is from the perspective of Pilate…
Stepping outside was the mistake.
Greeting those Jews, just part of the job, but there I was...outside my palace...and there they were...and there...he was. Surrounded by his accusers and his governor...(that’s me)...yet wearing a calmer expression than all of us, as if he were Caesar himself, about to step onto his chariot for a lap of victory.
Resigned to his destiny...but not intimidated by it.
“Not my problem!” was the line I took, but they would not take the bait.
And neither would he, even in the face of his governor, the one holding his future in the palm of my hand! And so I choose…compassion.
A rare show of true justice and mercy.
Praise be to Pilate.
...
I did what I had done many times before. A carefully crafted question, creating a collaborative truth we could step into together: “Your kingdom accuses you, so step into mine.”
And yet the man will not bow to a convenient “truth”:
King of everything, more than King of the Jews.
So what else can I do? The man who came in as an inconvenience for the priests, themselves an inconvenience for me, places himself as my enemy.
I attempted mercy.
But my justice is justified. A swift flogging, mock the king of fools, and think no more about it.
“Problem solved!” I think and I say…but they disagree.
“Crucify him!” their reply.
Really? A bit of roughing up I can do, but surely this lunatic doesn’t deserve death…certainly not like that. I’ll try a different tack.
“Not my problem.”
But in their eyes I should be the solution, and that was the moment...the fear set in.
I was too far gone.
I should have never admitted his guilt.
I should have never spoken to him in the first place.
I should have never granted those religious fools an audience.
And this time the man won’t even respond except to bring his God in, and...perhaps offer me a way out of this mess.
“Right!” I demand of the accusers, a newfound courage filling my lungs. “I’m governor, and I say he’s going free.”
But what does a person do when his livelihood is threatened?
The fear grows in me: am I more afraid of Caesar, or of God?
I am trapped. It’s my job security or his life, and so I double down. If I will be saved by his being crucified, then I will do it the right way.
I will sit on the judgement seat.
I will write his inscription.
And let that be an end to it.
What was I to do?
Should I have sacrificed everything I’ve worked for, for the name of this Jesus?
I’m sure I’ve made other compromises anyway. What’s one more?
Written by Sam Isaacson
We know there were some audio issues with this monologue, so the video is below for those who wish to watch it again!
