A Roman governor ordered Jesus’ crucifixion – so why did many Christians blame Jews for centuries?

Throughout history, Christians have often believed Pontius Pilate was reluctant to condemn Jesus. History suggests otherwise, a scholar explains.

By: Nathanael Andrade, Binghamton University, State University of New York, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: April 5, 2026

Words: 1,139

Last Updated: 3 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Nathanael Andrade, Binghamton University, State University of New York

It’s a straightforward part of the Easter story: The Roman governor Pontius Pilate had Jesus of Nazareth killed by his soldiers. He imposed a sentence that Roman judges often inflicted on social subversives – crucifixion.

The New Testament Gospels say so. The Nicene Creed, one of Christianity’s key statements of faith, says Jesus “was crucified under Pontius Pilate.” The testimony of Paul, the first …

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