This is the third and last poem on
Pilate's wife.
We know from history that in 36 AD,
Pilate was deposed by Vitellius, the Roman legate
in Samaria.
He appealed the decision and was sent to
Tiberius in Rome.
Tiberius died before he arrived and we never
hear from Pilate again in history.
And so thus far is history, but we
will go farther.
Six years had passed since Pilate sold his
soul for Caesar's praise and told the crowds,
I found no fault in this strange man
and therefore I dismiss my right to kill
and I retire from petty quarrels.
Do your desire, Jerusalem, I take no side.
Let him be flogged and crucified.
The contradictions of his mind had multiplied.
And now, more blind than ever to his
madness, he was driven like a raging sea
to swallow up the Jewish race with hate
who threatened to disgrace his rule as treacherous
before the emperor.
It wasn't more than two months after Pilate
dipped his hands in royal water, ripped the
truth in shreds and mocked his wife that
by his foolishness fresh strife had filled the
city.
Pilate set five famous shields, a silhouette on
each of Caesar in the court of Herod's
palace for the sport of seeing Jewish purists
rage.
And then, as if there were no sage
among his counselors to aggravate the Jews, the
stores of treasured offerings that filled the temple
vault he took to build a Roman viaduct
and set the city in an uproar.
He let the frenzy gather force and then,
just when the crowds crossed into mobs, he
thrust his Roman power brutally and cut the
branch of mutiny, but not the root.
At last, six years from when he doomed
the Christ, his fears were filled and he
was ousted by Vitellius, the Roman high command
based in the region of Samaria.
It fell above the Jordan plains, high in
the mount called Gerizim, so the account that
reached the Roman legate in the town of
Shechem went.
A thin and wild-eyed prophet from the
eastern wilderness had come and gathered thousands in
the hills with his apocalyptic skills and Pilate
saw another chance to strike the Jews and
to enhance his reputation with the head of
Rome.
His soldiers left for dead a thousand simple
people on the hills of Gerizim and dawn
brought down the wrath of Rome.
How wrong was Pilate to assume that long
and hostile conflict with the Jews was how
a petty ruler woos the tribute of Vitellius.
Such blindness bred by hate.
And thus the procurator Pilate fell from his
small height and found the spell he thought
he cast ten years now chained around his
neck.
What pride remained gave him the nerve to
make appeal to Rome and so with charge
and seal and ten sad years of discontent
and crime to Caesar he was sent.
For six years Pilate's wife held fast to
Christ.
She knew that he had passed from death
to life and that the skin which once
had torn and bloodied bin was raised in
glory from the dead.
She spoke with him upon her bed as
Pilate fitful lay beside her through the night.
She often cried herself to sleep with prayers
that Christ would keep her true and unenticed
from better men.
She wept for all the Jews that he
had killed the fall of every woman man
and child and would have died when he
reviled the Lord except that Jesus came each
time and by his word and name embraced
her heaving soul and fed her hungry heart
with truth and said I made and rule
the world dear one and all my perfect
plans are done.
I do not call you slave but friend.
I will be with you to the end
and not one vow that I have made
will waver or remain unpaid.
With this before her every day she kept
her covenant to stay with Pilate and his
loveless sin till death and be his wife
and win she hoped and prayed his twisted
mind and hateful heart and eyes so blind
they could not tell the difference between the
night and day.
What sense the women used to say is
there in living with this man.
We dare you Claudia though he be rich
and powerful there is no hitch unbreakable and
this one has been broken just as surely
as the man has failed in every vow
he made.
You are not bound to plow for this
man like a heifer now nor lie beneath
him like a sow to satisfy the lust
of swine.
No Roman law has this design nor any
Jewish ordinance that you should keep your vow.
So when this foolish faithfulness that keeps you
in the bed where Pilate sleeps and Claudia
would answer them.
Oh women of Jerusalem you speak as if
there were no God.
As if there were no tender rod to
comfort me and lead me through the darkest
valley of my few and painful years.
As if there's not nor should be higher
aims than what you've dreamed for man and
wife.
As if the path were safe nor any
cliff be close or any bitter wind be
in my face.
Nor I be sinned against or feel the
constant grief so long my death would be
relief.
How many women do you give such shallow
counsel?
As I live oh women of Jerusalem who
counseled us I pity them.
As for myself there is one love one
covenant one vow above all married bliss or
pain.
And I once held the bloody price on
my own lap and heard him dying say
to me enough to show the way a
covenant is kept.
Now go and learn what God designs to
show when Pilate crucifies his wife and she
is faithful all her life.
Tomorrow we will leave for Rome he said
and you may stay at home.
I want to go alone she said.
What do you want to see the head
of Pilate on a platter in the Roman
court?
Do you begin to dream of my complete
demise in Rome and there to find a
prize when I am gone?
She listened and she said I would be
present when and if they take your life.
And I would gladly hold your head on
my own lap not on a platter in
the Roman court.
It's never been once in my mind to
profit through your death.
But I have reason to believe that you
will gain more in Rome than some new
core of soldiers to command.
May I please come with you?
Not knowing why he gave consent.
Tomorrow we will reach the coast and then
by sea make journey to the Roman court.
There Tiberius exhort to overturn the ruling of
Vitellius and put above that legate all his
royal power.
Then we will watch him cower.
Before they reached the western side of Italy,
Tiberius had died.
Caligula ruled in his place.
A madman who once set his face towards
Spain and made his soldiers fill with seashells
all their helmets.
Till the boats were full.
Then he proclaimed a triumph over Neptune shamed
by mortal man brought to his knees though
he be great the god of seas.
Caligula had set a snare at ports and
every thoroughfare to Rome.
Lest any chief or shrewd pretender to his
power intrude and threaten his authority.
So Pilate without bond or plea was seized
at Puteoli when his ship put in.
And Caesar's men with bludgeons boarded it and
took the procurator bound with hook and leather
cord.
Then paused and said with threatening voice.
Is any led by this man here?
Is anyone a faithful subject to this son
of Caesar's wrath?
Is any man or woman here a fool?
A fan of Pontius Pilate?
Speak if you are loyal to the man.
Be true and perish with your little king.
The servants all stood shuddering and looking at
the deck.
I am.
The voice was Claudius.
What ma'am?
The soldier asked amazed.
I said I am.
You asked.
Is any led by him?
Is any loyal to the king?
I am.
He grinned.
Then you shall go and die with him.
They bound her at his side and put
around their wrists a single cord and led
them under chain and sword to wait the
whim of Caesar for their fate.
And there on dungeon floor in stench and
darkness Pilate spoke.
You didn't have to bear this yoke.
You could be free from prison and from
me.
Why did you speak and stand there fearless
like a queen?
Because I'm married to a king.
The pause that followed lengthened into hours.
And Pilate pondered all his powers compared to
hers.
Then quietly at first the end of cruelty
ran down his craggy face in tears.
And then the cold and loveless years with
Claudia broke open like a flood.
And through the shattered dyke of pride with
shaking sobs, there flowed a reservoir of hate.
The load and weight of joyless arrogance until
the stones were wet.
Then once he caught his breath.
He said.
I'm sorry, Claudia.
He fled back on the wings of memory
six years and saw her tenderly lay Jesus
bloody head again upon the palace floor and
then ascend the stairs.
And so once more he asked when he
was on the floor.
What did he say?
The one whose head lay in your lap,
the Christ.
He said.
No, Claudia.
You may not kiss me now.
It is not pure.
Save this for him.
And love him as I love you now.
One covenant above all others.
Here I make with you today and show
you what a true and faithful marriage is.
And how till death to keep a sacred
vow.
You think you've lost your husband and your
Lord?
No more than death can stand against my
father's power.
Now go.
And learn what God designs to show when
pilot crucifies his wife.
And she is faithful all her life.
Go, Claudia.
And keep your truth.
Remember.
I have made an oath.
The dungeon door groaned.
Opening.
Closing.
And pilot heard a voice.
The king is eager for a head of
steak.
Is pilot ready for the date?
They stood together and embraced.
The first unhurried love and chaste that they
had known for 20 years.
She looked into his eyes through tears and
saw them deep as ocean caves.
Dear Claudia, he said.
The graves where I have lived and caused
your pains are gone.
And only one remains.
And I am ready now.
You sacrificed your life.
And I have seen the Christ.
I know now what our marriage meant.
Farewell.
Your life.
Has been well.
Oh, blazing candle three.
Come.
Shine your burning light on God's design for
grief and pain in holding fast the covenant.
And prove how vast the power of such
faithfulness to show the suffering Christ and bless
the married blind.
Until they see what married love was meant
to be.
When they have learned to keep their troth.
And measure love.
By blood.