Roman Praetorium Interview Chamber 11:00 a.m. Roman Standard Time
Welcome to the Praetorium on this gloriously sunny day, where I am sitting with Provincial Governor and Messianic candidate Pontius Pilate, who has graciously agreed to be interviewed.
“Governor Pilate, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed today.”
“Thank you for coming. It’s great to be here in the Praetorium, isn’t it?”
I glance around at the many columns and pedestals. “Yes, it certainly is. Love the decorating!”
“Thank you. Everything in here was handmade by conquered peoples. Excellent workmanship. That column over there is my favorite. I find it so pleasing that I bought the man who made it and gifted him his freedom.”
(Note: I tried to figure out to which column he was referring, but failed to note any differences between the tall, white pillars. I nodded and smiled as though his words had meant something to me.) “Fine work indeed,” I say, judging this to be the right response. “Let’s talk for a moment, if we may Governor, about your campaign. Why did you decide to enter this generation’s race for Messiah?”
Pilate folds his hands and nods thoughtfully. “That’s a very good question, Jonah. May I call you Jonah?” Without waiting for a response, he continues, “It’s a question I get asked a lot, especially by my wife. But it’s a question that has no simple answer. You see, I like being Governor of this province. I like the hours, the pay, the benefits. I like to see that my hard work on behalf of the Roman government has paid off. But there’s something to this ‘Messiah’ business that draws me in. People have always looked to me for judgment. They bring me cases and say ‘let Pilate take care of it’ and I do. Taking care of things, getting them done, is what I do best. And as Messiah, I intend to continue my legacy of getting things done.”
“Does the religious aspect pose a challenge to your campaign?” I ask after a moment of furious note taking.
He smiles and says, “Not at all. While I do not consider myself to be a religious man per se, I do not set myself up in opposition to greater authority, whether it be in Rome or from some other, dare I say heavenly source. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a pressing matter to attend to. I’ll have my guards show you out.”
“Thank you for your time, Governor,” I call after him as the guards step forward a little too quickly for my comfort. They are less gracious hosts than their leader.
There you have it, folks, straight from the man himself. This first official campaign promise sets the bar high for the rest of the candidates. I think we can expect further declarations as the campaigns proceed.
Jonah Ammitai, Good News Weekly, reporting.
Welcome to the Praetorium on this gloriously sunny day, where I am sitting with Provincial Governor and Messianic candidate Pontius Pilate, who has graciously agreed to be interviewed.
“Governor Pilate, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed today.”
“Thank you for coming. It’s great to be here in the Praetorium, isn’t it?”
I glance around at the many columns and pedestals. “Yes, it certainly is. Love the decorating!”
“Thank you. Everything in here was handmade by conquered peoples. Excellent workmanship. That column over there is my favorite. I find it so pleasing that I bought the man who made it and gifted him his freedom.”
(Note: I tried to figure out to which column he was referring, but failed to note any differences between the tall, white pillars. I nodded and smiled as though his words had meant something to me.) “Fine work indeed,” I say, judging this to be the right response. “Let’s talk for a moment, if we may Governor, about your campaign. Why did you decide to enter this generation’s race for Messiah?”
Pilate folds his hands and nods thoughtfully. “That’s a very good question, Jonah. May I call you Jonah?” Without waiting for a response, he continues, “It’s a question I get asked a lot, especially by my wife. But it’s a question that has no simple answer. You see, I like being Governor of this province. I like the hours, the pay, the benefits. I like to see that my hard work on behalf of the Roman government has paid off. But there’s something to this ‘Messiah’ business that draws me in. People have always looked to me for judgment. They bring me cases and say ‘let Pilate take care of it’ and I do. Taking care of things, getting them done, is what I do best. And as Messiah, I intend to continue my legacy of getting things done.”
“Does the religious aspect pose a challenge to your campaign?” I ask after a moment of furious note taking.
He smiles and says, “Not at all. While I do not consider myself to be a religious man per se, I do not set myself up in opposition to greater authority, whether it be in Rome or from some other, dare I say heavenly source. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a pressing matter to attend to. I’ll have my guards show you out.”
“Thank you for your time, Governor,” I call after him as the guards step forward a little too quickly for my comfort. They are less gracious hosts than their leader.
There you have it, folks, straight from the man himself. This first official campaign promise sets the bar high for the rest of the candidates. I think we can expect further declarations as the campaigns proceed.
Jonah Ammitai, Good News Weekly, reporting.