Jesus’ parade into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt (Matthew 21:1-11) would have been seen as a mockery of Pontius Pilate’s proud tradition as a cavalry officer. History records accounts of Pilate as a Roman equestrian, a knight of the Pontii family from the central Italian region of Samnium. His name Pontius comes from his family name. He was a cavalry commander appointed prefect of Roman Judaea, a military ruler of several provinces (Judea proper, Samaria and Idumea) and his duties would have included policing and collecting taxes. Pilate insulted the Jews by hanging worship images of the emperor throughout Jerusalem and minting coins with both pagan and Jewish religious symbols. Jewish criticism of Pilate made him vulnerable to discipline from Rome, and the Jews capitalized on this and Jesus’ insulting parade to obtain a death sentence on our Lord.
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