Dr. Michael Peppard

ancient manuscripts of these things.

ancient manuscripts of these things.

Exactly. That's where I'm going with that. That's a great point. So it's really our mindset about what you're coming in, what kind of mindset you're coming into this with. When I look at the New Testament as a historian, I think we have an amazing amount of evidence relative to other things from the ancient world.

Exactly. That's where I'm going with that. That's a great point. So it's really our mindset about what you're coming in, what kind of mindset you're coming into this with. When I look at the New Testament as a historian, I think we have an amazing amount of evidence relative to other things from the ancient world.

especially relative to other non-elite cultural products from the ancient world.

especially relative to other non-elite cultural products from the ancient world.

Well, yeah, I mean, if he had not presided at that one trial, we wouldn't know much about him at all. But he makes it in the creed. He makes it in the creed, which is unbelievable.

Well, yeah, I mean, if he had not presided at that one trial, we wouldn't know much about him at all. But he makes it in the creed. He makes it in the creed, which is unbelievable.

Well, yeah. I mean, Pilate, I don't know. I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for the guy. I mean, because the other evidence we do have about him that he was a pretty ruthless manager of a province that did not want to be occupied by Rome. I mean, the only reason he's... you know, the sometimes, sometimes people assume that Pontius Pilate's like living in Jerusalem.

Well, yeah. I mean, Pilate, I don't know. I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for the guy. I mean, because the other evidence we do have about him that he was a pretty ruthless manager of a province that did not want to be occupied by Rome. I mean, the only reason he's... you know, the sometimes, sometimes people assume that Pontius Pilate's like living in Jerusalem.

He's not, he doesn't even want to be in Jerusalem. He lives on the, by the coast, man. He's like, I'm going to live in Caesarea. It's nice. Live in a nice place and not, not deal with Jerusalem. The only reason he's in Jerusalem is that, uh, it's a past, it's a pilgrimage festival. Right. Right. So it's like,

He's not, he doesn't even want to be in Jerusalem. He lives on the, by the coast, man. He's like, I'm going to live in Caesarea. It's nice. Live in a nice place and not, not deal with Jerusalem. The only reason he's in Jerusalem is that, uh, it's a past, it's a pilgrimage festival. Right. Right. So it's like,

He's got to go because the previous Roman prefects of Judea struggled to govern a people that didn't want to be occupied and that didn't want to be forced to pay tribute to a foreign government. It's not surprising. You know your history. You know this happens all over the world for all of history. Yeah. So what do they do every spring festival that we call Passover?

He's got to go because the previous Roman prefects of Judea struggled to govern a people that didn't want to be occupied and that didn't want to be forced to pay tribute to a foreign government. It's not surprising. You know your history. You know this happens all over the world for all of history. Yeah. So what do they do every spring festival that we call Passover?

What do they do at every Pesach? They gather and they celebrate freedom from a tyrant. That's what the Exodus is. It's a celebration of freedom from a tyrant. And so you can imagine from the Roman perspective, they're trying to subdue what they perceive to be an unruly province. The province is trying to gain self-governance and respect for itself.

What do they do at every Pesach? They gather and they celebrate freedom from a tyrant. That's what the Exodus is. It's a celebration of freedom from a tyrant. And so you can imagine from the Roman perspective, they're trying to subdue what they perceive to be an unruly province. The province is trying to gain self-governance and respect for itself.

And the population of the city, who knows, triples, quadruples, I don't know for sure, but it's pilgrimage. Everyone's coming and they're celebrating back in our glorious past when God freed us from tyranny and from slavery.

And the population of the city, who knows, triples, quadruples, I don't know for sure, but it's pilgrimage. Everyone's coming and they're celebrating back in our glorious past when God freed us from tyranny and from slavery.

Which is why he's there, which is why he's not sitting on the coast and Caesarea sipping a Negroni. It's why he's like going there. And so then you hear someone talking about the kingdom of God. You hear someone talking about, I mean, I always like to say to students, what gets Jesus on the radar? Yeah. I make them find it. You know, like, you read the gospel.

Which is why he's there, which is why he's not sitting on the coast and Caesarea sipping a Negroni. It's why he's like going there. And so then you hear someone talking about the kingdom of God. You hear someone talking about, I mean, I always like to say to students, what gets Jesus on the radar? Yeah. I make them find it. You know, like, you read the gospel.