Description

Pilate defends his actions, and lack thereof.

Pilate, in failing health, feels he is being put between a Roman rock and a Hebrew hardplace. The combination of Caiaphas and Herod, and the Jewish people saying they won’t kill anyone, he is put in a position he would rather not be! Pilate is a Biblical character who greatly interests me, likely one of the most feared persons of his time, and at the same time one of the most fearful of everyone whom he encountered. After much research I am led to believe he had absolutely no friends, only people who were looking for him to make mistakes so they could assume his position and power. Rome gave Pilate this “plum” assignment, knowing he could never please all the opposing forces, the Israelites and the leaders in Rome, and instinctively Pilate had to know it as well. And add to this the supposed ally Herod, each one knowing they were in a race to bring the Jewish people into “cooperative slavery.” Yet through it all there were quite amazing accomplishments in infrastructure and others.
This monologue is useful at all times of the year.

This script is one of 6 included in the Coping With Crowds series script, each listed below:

• The Unseen Jesus. (link) Mark is found in a crowd discussing Jesus and His work.
• Knowledge Which Demands A Decision (link)  Joseph of Arimathea tries to deny he claimed Jesus’ body at the cross.
• It Is Not Our Problem. THIS SCRIPT Pilate in a monologue, tries to justify his decisions. He ultimately washes his hands.
• My Emmaus Moment (link) Peter comes to the time when he meets his Savior. His Emmaus moment.
• God Of The Common People. (link) Mary, Elizabeth, Mary Magdalene and Lazarus meet to discuss the various lives of their familys and the ministry of Jesus.
• Waiting Together Today. (link) Tony and Tracie come together to discuss the Easter message and how it applies to them today.

Cast:     1 monologue

Bible Reference:    Matthew 27:15-24

Set:      bare

Lighting:        standard

  Sound:     wireless mic if available

Song:     none

SFX: none
Costumes:      could be traditional or contemporary

Props:      none

Special Instructions:   none

  Time:     10

Sample of script:

crowd with their backs to the audience, shouting, shaking their fists
Pilate is somewhat downstage, watching as all of this goes on

Look at them!
And they describe we Romans as blood-thirsty!
Behold, the hypocritical mob!
Fools and animals!
From the top to the bottom, from Caiaphas in the temple to old blind Eli in the stable – fools and animals!
Oh yes, they talk a good story, hands folded in the temple, rhyming off laws of which even the most scholarly have no explanation, let alone application.
Take Caiaphas himself. Chief priest in the temple. Champion of all that is good and noble in things Jewish! Yes, indeed! Looking down his hooked nose at people such as we who do our best to bring civilization to this rabble; openly critical of all we Romans undertake.
Within their elitist little group they spout platitudes as to being spiritual, committed and dedicated to their own, they paint a beautiful picture of Jewish solidarity. Yet the fact is they are vultures waiting to descend on one of their own, to pick his bones clean without so much as a bat of their dark and sullen eyes!
You don’t believe us, just look behind us here. All of Jerusalem and half of the Jewish nation is here, begging for the sight of blood.
(pause, amazed)
No this display is not the trial of an enemy, it is for the slaughter of one of their own!
Jesus of Nazareth, self-styled prophet, sometimes carpenter, and self-proclaimed Son of the Jewish God. Not even a performer on a street corner in Rome would make such a wild-eyed claim!
Hilarious!
Well, . . . it would be if it didn’t effect our own person, that is.
Fact is, Caiaphas, he was out for blood, that’s the long and the short of it all.
This Nazarene had really stirred up a hornet’s nest!
On the one hand all the Jewish leaders were choked over a mere carpenter laying claim to divinity.
And then there were many Jews who believed Jesus to be the Messiah. So within their ranks there developed a no-win situation, and a head-to-head confrontation.
Compound this with the fact that that fool Herod Antipas had gone and proclaimed himself King of the Jews.
Yes, precisely! King of the Jews! He who lay claim to Jewish blood only when politics dictated this as a proper course of action now made his own way to the royal throne.
Many Jews were so furious with Herod over this that they backed Jesus as King of the Jews just so that Herod wouldn’t be king.
OK, so where did this leave ourself?
(pause)
Ourself.
Pilate.
Procurator of this threadbare no-man’s land.
Regardless, to this lofty calling our superiors in Rome dispatched us.
And here we are!
Between the Roman rock and the Hebrew hard place!
(pause as though listening to a question)
What happened you ask? Surely everyone has heard the news by now.
It was early this morning when Jesus was arrested and brought to our palace.
Early! Before we had arisen. What total lack of regard for our position!
Here was this mob of Jewish mediocrity waiting in our courtyard.
(with venom)
Mustn’t come inside the building of a . . . Gentile . . now must we?
Would have made the “spotless” Jews unclean and would have prevented them from eating their precious Passover meal.
Unbelievable!
Regardless, after dressing, we ventured outside and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
Quickly, wildly they answered back, “He is a criminal! That’s why we brought him to you.”
We could sense that we were being drawn into this silly controversy and so sought to escape this trap, saying, “Take him and judge him by your own laws.”