Jobling's piece regarding the role of Pilate in the Corpus Christi play regarding the Cruxifiction speaks towards the changing expression of Roman leadership within the culture of that time. I found it interesting that the plays themselves change, but keeps the long speech at the begining of each episode. Historically speaking the role of Pilate in the gospels differ in consideration of who the author of the gospel.

The Gospels view upon who was to blame for the death of Christ mirrors the plays themselves between the Jewish leadership and the Roman government. Pilate plays a role in these stories regarding the author's own affiliation with the factions of his day. While the Jewish leadership was prevalent within the authors time Pilate was displayed as the enemy that sentenced Christ to death with the fear of being over thrown as a leader within the community. As the Roman's role in the culture continued the blame was cast upon the Jewish leadership in order to appease the author's new place in Roman society.

Jobling points this out by comparing the ways in which Pilate plays a role in the plays. In The Conspiracy we see a reflection of the Roman's role in the crucifiction by emphasizing the accusation of treason, Judas' staying out of the plan, and the Roman's own admittance to not meddling with the religious leaders of the day. This displays a role that the Roman's would focus upon treason, but also wish to appease their subjects. Christ Before Pilate 1 displaying Pilate's questioning of the Jewish leadership about knowledge of the law illustrates a one eighty departure from the previous play. Pilate's questioning is a direct accusation of the Jewish leaderships right to lead as not only spiritual authority but in the ability to fully understand their own place in God's plan. This kind of accusation is also seen in the display of Judas showing remorse for his actions which mirrors the coming to knowledge of the decisions the Jewish leaders "should" feel for their own part in the death. Christ Before Pilate 2 emphasizes that the Romans had been tricked into action by a lie that was told to them in Christ's role as a leader of a rebellion against them. This projects the Romans' as only acting when they thought that Christ played a role in distrupting societies balance.

It would be interesting to juxtapose a side by side analysis regarding the Gospel and the play in which Pilate would center as a character of interest. The Roman connection to the author, if known, would help to illustrate the impact in which both authorities had over the writing themselves. Also a deeper understanding of the Middle Ages view upon both Jewish and Roman roles within their own lives would show why the plays were written the way they were.