Do you think Pilate's wife was a Christian?

[JamalChristophr]

So, the question above, and also, why do you think scripture mentioned this as something of note in the Passion narrative?

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream."

 

[DaisymaeD]

I once read a magazine article that stated there were ancient legends of Plate and his Wife converting to Christianity after the Resurrection. However, that was the one and only time I ever heard of that legend.

 

[Neofight]

I don’t think she was, but this is an unscholarly opinion.

My thoughts are she was a pagan captivated about this Jesus, and the miracles and signs she had heard about…much like Herod was captivated by John the Baptist.

 

[JamalChristophr]

I think I’m of the opinion that God gave Claudia a message that she further gave to Pilate. It seems to me that Claudia was acting in an upright manner.

But that’s just my take as well.

 

[pianistclare]

I think her belief that Jesus was special and innocent secured her as a Christian, though not an official one, if that makes sense.

 

[thistle]

So, the question above, and also, why do you think scripture mentioned this as something of note in the Passion narrative?

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream."

We simply do not know and cannot assume she was just because of her dream.

 

[pianistclare]

I highly doubt that she was, being a Roman citizen, but as I said before, it appears she had somewhat of a conversion experience, even it was only beginning as a source of fear.
Jesus had that effect on people. To live in those times was scary. She feared more for persecuting an innocent man.
She definitely was moved by the man before Pilate. Full blown Christian? Likely not, but she was aware that they were in the presence of someone more than merely a man.
She definitely had a sense of what was about to happen, and feared making that mistake more than she feared Caesar. Unfortunately, Pilate feared failing at yet another outpost, so he “washed his hands” of it.
:twocents:

 

[CarmelJerome]

It’s intriguing that the Creed doesn’t say that Jesus was ‘crucified by Pontius Pilate’ but ’ suffered under Pontius Pilate’.

I love Claudia in ‘The Passion of the Christ’. The scripture suggests to me that she suffered pangs of conscience in her dream; and she seems in the film like someone who is on the verge of conversion - was the dream a precision of Jesus standing bloodied and crowned with thorns by her husband?

I wrote a short poem viewing Pilate with ambiguous irony years ago::

PILATE 'S PLACE

Pilate left the palace Friday to shutter up his shop

(For the faithful come on pilgrimmage, it’s now a sacred spot)

Yearly In Jerusalem, the city’s business peaks,

But pious Pilate hangs a sign ’ closed for Holy Week’.

 

[midori]

I heard one theory, offered by Ven. Mary of Agreda, that suggested the demons, realizing they had erred in trying to bring about the death of Christ, set about to try and undo their work to delay the Crucifixion, and thereby prevent the Redemption. After trying to turn Judas and the Pharisees away from the plan they had previously encouraged, and failing, they tried working through Pilate and his wife. But because they did not have the grace of God backing their actions, even when they tried to perform a good act-- trying to prevent the death of a righteous man-- they failed. Interesting food for thought.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I heard one theory, offered by Ven. Mary of Agreda, that suggested the demons, realizing they had erred in trying to bring about the death of Christ, set about to try and undo their work to delay the Crucifixion, and thereby prevent the Redemption. After trying to turn Judas and the Pharisees away from the plan they had previously encouraged, and failing, they tried working through Pilate and his wife. But because they did not have the grace of God backing their actions, even when they tried to perform a good act-- trying to prevent the death of a righteous man-- they failed. Interesting food for thought.

Good reasoning. I remember seeing a similar scenario portrayed in a medieval Passion Play at a local college many years ago.

 

[Ron_Conte]

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, in the book The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, says this about the wife of Pilate:

“During the time of the trial Claudia Procles, the wife of Pilate, had sent him frequent messages to intimate that she wished extremely to speak to him; and when Jesus was sent to Herod, she placed herself on a balcony and watched the cruel conduct of his enemies with mingled feelings of fear, grief, and horror.”

“During the time that Pilate was pronouncing the iniquitous sentence, I saw his wife, Claudia Procles, send him back the pledge which he had given her, and in the evening she left his palace and joined the friends of our Lord, who concealed her in a subterraneous vault in the house of Lazarus at Jerusalem. Later in the same day, I likewise saw a friend of our Lord engrave the words, Judex injustus, and the name of Claudia Procles, on a greenlooking stone, which was behind the terrace called Gabbatha—this stone is still to be found in the foundations of a church or house at Jerusalem, which stands on the spot formerly called Gabbatha. Claudia Procles became a Christian, followed St. Paul, and became his particular friend.”

 

[Nelka]

So, the question above, and also, why do you think scripture mentioned this as something of note in the Passion narrative?

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream."

If she had of convinced Pilate not to Crucify Jesus, He couldn’t die for us so maybe Satan gave her the dream to try and stop it.