Did skeptics ever question Pontius Pilates existence? If so,which ones? After being challenged to prove that such a claim made by various Christian websites is true, I have tried to locate evidence in support and haven't found any.

10/2/2008 12:14:26 PM by Radrook, Member of Delve into Jesus since 10/2/2008

Welcome, Radrook. It's great to have you here!

I don't think that any respectable historian, Christian or otherwise, disputes that Pontius Pilate existed. There are several sources outside the Bible which confirm his existence - I believe Josephus wrote about him. Let me try to confirm that and get back to you.

10/3/2008 9:39:44 AM by Michael Lane, Executive Director, Delve Christian Ministries

Thank You

It's great to be at a wevbsite such as this after being at
another websdite where atheists, and agnostics, predominate and vehenently oppose any pro Christianity
statement. It was during my participation there that I made a long list of previous accusations against the Bible accuracy which had been subsequently proven false via archelogical discoveries. I

I included the Pontius Pilate one since I found it stated with certainty. That's when they hone in n that claim and challenged me to prove it. The claim is that skeptics once challenged Pontius Pilate's existence as part of and attack on the veracity of the gospel accounts. I of course assumed that the ones making the statement had ample evidence to back it up. But I find none. Here is a quotation from one of those websites:


Archaeological Evidence

Pontius Pilate

Prior to 1961, some skeptics challenged whether Pontius Pilate ever existed. Although Pilate is mentioned in all four Gospels (plus in Acts and 1 Timothy), skeptics claimed that there was no independent, direct verification that Pilate lived.

All that changed in 1961 at Caesarea Maritima. An Italian expedition discovered a 2 foot by 3 foot stone with Pilate's name on it, in the Roman theater. The inscription read:

S TIBERIEUM

PONTIUS PILATUS

PRAEFECTUS IUDAEAE

...Tiberium

Pontius Pilate,

Prefect of Judea

(McRay, p. 204)
http://sundayschoolcourses.com/histjesu/histjesu.htm

10/3/2008 12:01:55 PM by Radrook, Member of Delve into Jesus since 10/2/2008