the pilate of history is occasionally blood thirsty and can be very brutal. the pilate of the gospels is uncertain. a couple of the gospels suggest that the jewish authorities pressurized a reluctant pilate into sending jesus to the cross. >> are you the king of the jews? >> in reality, i think, this is not at all realistic. and i don't think it would have taken very much for pilate to be convinced that jesus had to be sent to the cross. >> we can see the gospel accounts of the trial of jesus in some ways as fictional courtroom dramas. >> then why does the pilate of the bible try to avoid crucifying jesus? >> i have the authority to set you free. >> the gospels are all written several decades of the death of jesus.