* I want this blog to be religion and politically neutral. But this is an exception. Easter is just around the corner and I want to share a story over the next couple of weeks. This is the Easter story as told by Claudia, the wife of Pontius Pilate.
If you are Christian, I hope you enjoy seeing the story from “the other side”.
If you are not a Christian, this story can still be for you. It is about a woman and the trials and struggles she has because of her husband’s actions. This can be anyone’s story. Maybe it could be what a woman (or a man) goes through when her husband(or his wife) or child gets addicted to drugs. Maybe it could be what a woman(or man) goes through if her husband(his wife) or child commits a crime. Maybe it could be what a woman(or man) goes through if her(his) spouse gambles away all their money. Or just about any other life changing event occurs in one’s life.
CLAUDIA’S STORY
“I am the wife of the man who condemned Christ Jesus to death!” So wrote Claudia, wife of Pontius Pilate, in this personal letter to her friend, Fulvia, shortly before her husband’s death.
STAND beside Claudia through the trials and loneliness of her early marriage, her entreaties to Pontius, her awareness of Jesus, the verdict, and the final degradation that befell them both.
FEEL the monumental compassion of Claudia for her husband, her son Pilo, and for Jesus. Feel the awesome proportions of fear Pontius had, and the ambition that influenced his fateful decision.
WITNESS though Claudia’s eyes the little known events of the crucifixion of Christ.
THE SEQUENCE:
PROLOGUE “…somewhere, some woman will understand.”
CLAUDIA AND PONTIUS “…for I seek truth, the truth of life!”
PILO “…my son had a withered foot!”
CLAUDIA’S LONELINESS “..my husband judged not the ache in my heart.”
JESUS “…and Salome whispered to me of a carpenter of Nazareth.”
THE PLAGUE “A strange sickness fell upon us that summer.”
THE HEALINGS “…Before I had asked of Jesus, He had heard!”
PILATE’S INDECISION “I must search the matter further…”
CLAUDIA’S DREAM “…and there were those who had been healed in heart and mind, as well as body.”
THE TRIBUNAL “Who is friend to this man is no friend of Caesar!”
CLAUDIA’S PLEA “Have no part in His death!”
THE VERDICT “What shall I do with this man?”
RETRIBUTION “Pilate sees in me the witness to his crime…”
EPILOGUE “Ye who pray, pray now for Pontius!”
PREFACE
“When he was set down upon the judgement seat, his wife sent unto him saying have nothing to do with that just man for I have have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him” Matthew 27:19
This brief appearance of Pilate’s wife in the Bible has given rise to much theological study, and the development of a number of traditions concerning her. She had already become a convert to the new faith. She is honored as a Saint by the Greek Orthodox Church who have set aside October 27 as her feast day. The Copts too have canonized Claudia and honor her on June 25. In any case, her immortality is based on the fact that she had the courage to testify to Jesus’ righteousness and innocence at the time of His trial and approaching crucifixion.
Records of the letter have appeared throughout the centuries. For instance, Madame deMaintenon, during the reign of Louis XIV, had the letter read every Good Friday before the court assembled at Versailles. In some of the older communities of Europe, its reading follows the washing of the feet of the poor on Good Friday. A copy of the letter was found among the personal papers of the late Czarina of Russia.
In the early part of the last century, it was rediscovered in a monestary at Burges by Catherine Van Dyke who translated it into English.
Claudia’s Story
You ask me, dear and faithful friend, for an account of some of the rumors which have already reached you concerning Pontius and myself, and you appear frightened at the mystery by which we are enveloped. Read this, my scroll, and give to me at least an understanding. For, O Fulvia, I am the wife of the man who condemned Christ Jesus to death.
Even here in his little Gallic mountain town where Pontius and I have been driven, he by remorse, and the scorn of Rome as well as that of Jerusalem. If even here children slink away from us and women draw their veils closer, let me believe that somewhere some woman will understand, even as she the mother of Jesus would have understood.
But first remember my childhood in Narbonne. You will recall that I had scarcely completed my fifteenth year when I was betrothed to Pontius, then holding an honorable position in Illyria. I had never seen Pontius before my marriage feast, nor did I know any love, nor how that flame may burn within the human breast. Pontius somewhat praised my beauty, and I know he esteemed my wealth, for he was ambitious. Love he held a weakness fit only for women, for Pontius was a philosopher.
Altho the flute players pleaded all night before my bridal chamber, they did not know I lay alone, for Pontius had me put from him, saying, “I seek truth, the truth of life.” Often he would rise from his library, closeted with his scribes, and poise against the dawn and my empty arms, the question, “What is truth?” Thus five years passed before I became wife enough to be a mother. Then I lived a new life in the rapture of my child.
But, Fulvia, only love can beget love and its perfect image. My son, Pilo, so beautiful, so bright in his smile that the very slaves looked up when he passed, my son had a withered foot. But soon he learned to walk with a very little crutch. Pontius was divided between his chagrin in a son who could not be a soldier and pride that he yet had an heir to his name as old as Rome itself.
Now ambition stirred in him the politician. Caesar’s favor named him Consul of Judea, a step toward Egypt. Thus we came to Jerusalem. None of all the vast lands that paid tribute to Rome was more beautiful than these purple hills folding back into yellow sands. Roses and scented myrtle trailed to every rooftop, while the palms, lovelier even than those at Delos, waved above gnarled gray olive trees, or groves of oranges or those scarlet pomegranates of which their Solomon had sung.
Above all, even above our Roman courts, towered the mighty temple of Jerusalem, its sacrificial smoke smudging the sky. But all the flattering pomps and pageantries of our coming mocked us. The Hebrews detested us and our court of “idolatrous pagans”, as they styled my countrymen. These Jews were a turbulent people, and very heady. Their thousand sects were united only in their hate of Rome.
Some few believed the time had come to pass for a Messiah to appear who would make himself king and overthrow our own power. In this way we felt them very secretly abetted by Herod, not for any treason, but that he had a cousin who would supplant Pontius. Herod held his right most because he was a fisherman, and Caesar, too was a fisherman. And they wrote one to the other about their fishing. Now we were apportioned part of the palace of Herod and were much beholden to him. If Herod drew upon himself the scorn of those Sadducees he sought most to please with his dancing girls and wine feasts, Pontius too was hated by the Pharisees with whom he would wrangle for truth.
Austere and very just in his judgments here, yet my husband judged not the ache in my heart, nor turned to me then as to a faithful servant. Had it not been for my boy, Pilo, I would have died of loneliness in Jerusalem, even in all the dazzling circumstance with which Rome upheld our court. My boy became my love, my life. Withered tho his foot was, he was brave, and threw away his crutch early and endured without any protest all the torments of the pullers and straighteners Pontius brought increasingly for more and more he looked to our son.
…to be continued next post April 7.
Lisa Y. Life Coach
www.facebook.com/lisaylifecoch