Researchers have deciphered an ancient inscription on a bronze ring first found 50 years ago pointing to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor who ordered Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.
Haaretz reported that the ring in question was first discovered at the site of Herodion near the West Bank’s Bethlehem by professor Gideon Forster from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, shortly after the Six-Day War in 1968-69.
The owner of the ring had remained a mystery for some 50 years, however, but a recent cleansing and special camera work at the Israel Antiquities Authority labs found Greek writing on the ring, which translates to “Pilatus.”
“Pilatus” is a rare name, and linked to that of Roman governor Pontius Pilate, believed to have ruled Judah between the years 26 to 36. The ring was apparently used as a stamping ring in day to day work, with the governor or one of his officials using it to sign his name.
Previous discoveries surrounding the infamous governor included another find in the 1960s, this time with a stone bearing the name of Pilatus.
In the New Testament of the Bible, a reluctant Pilate is pressured by the demands of the Jewish crowd to order Jesus’ crucifixion.
His agency and role in Jesus' death has been the subject of much theological analysis. Famous North Carolina evangelist Billy Graham, who passed away in February, said back in 2016 that Pilate gave into cultural pressure when he decided to have Christ crucified, despite believing He was innocent.
"Pilate will forever stand as a warning against giving in to the pressure of the crowd and turning our backs on Jesus. And that can happen far more easily than most of us realize," Graham said.
Haaretz reported that the ring in question was first discovered at the site of Herodion near the West Bank’s Bethlehem by professor Gideon Forster from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, shortly after the Six-Day War in 1968-69.
The owner of the ring had remained a mystery for some 50 years, however, but a recent cleansing and special camera work at the Israel Antiquities Authority labs found Greek writing on the ring, which translates to “Pilatus.”
“Pilatus” is a rare name, and linked to that of Roman governor Pontius Pilate, believed to have ruled Judah between the years 26 to 36. The ring was apparently used as a stamping ring in day to day work, with the governor or one of his officials using it to sign his name.
Previous discoveries surrounding the infamous governor included another find in the 1960s, this time with a stone bearing the name of Pilatus.
In the New Testament of the Bible, a reluctant Pilate is pressured by the demands of the Jewish crowd to order Jesus’ crucifixion.
His agency and role in Jesus' death has been the subject of much theological analysis. Famous North Carolina evangelist Billy Graham, who passed away in February, said back in 2016 that Pilate gave into cultural pressure when he decided to have Christ crucified, despite believing He was innocent.
"Pilate will forever stand as a warning against giving in to the pressure of the crowd and turning our backs on Jesus. And that can happen far more easily than most of us realize," Graham said.