Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with Pilate from the Bible
Have you ever played the popular game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon"? It’s a fun way to connect any actor to Kevin Bacon in just six steps or less. But have you ever tried connecting a Bible character to Kevin Bacon? Let’s give it a try with Pilate, the Roman governor who presided over the trial of Jesus.
Step 1: Pilate to Herod Antipas
Pilate sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, hoping to avoid making a decision about Jesus himself. Herod questioned Jesus but found no fault with him and sent him back to Pilate. Interestingly, Herod was the son of Herod the Great, who tried to have baby Jesus killed.
Step 2: Herod Antipas to Salome
According to the Gospel of Mark, it was Herod Antipas’s stepdaughter Salome who asked for John the Baptist’s head on a platter. Salome’s dance for Herod is often depicted in art and literature.
Step 3: Salome to King Herod
Salome was the daughter of Herodias, who married Herod Antipas after divorcing his half-brother Philip. Herodias was not pleased with John the Baptist’s criticism of her marriage and convinced Herod to have him executed.
Step 4: King Herod to Cleopatra
Herod’s father Herod the Great had a complicated relationship with the famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra. He initially supported her in her bid for power but later joined forces with her enemy Octavian (later known as Caesar Augustus).
Step 5: Cleopatra to Julius Caesar
Speaking of Caesar, Cleopatra famously had a romantic relationship with Julius Caesar before his assassination. She later had a similar relationship with his successor, Mark Antony.
Step 6: Julius Caesar to Kevin Bacon
And finally, we come to Kevin Bacon himself. In the 2002 film "Trapped," Bacon played the role of Joe Hickey, the mastermind behind a high-stakes kidnapping. The film also starred Charlize Theron, Courtney Love, and Stuart Townsend.
Wrap-up:
Pilate is often seen as a tragic figure in the Bible, caught between his desire to do what is right and his fear of political consequences. In John 18:38, he famously asks Jesus, "What is truth?" but ultimately chooses to condemn him to death. Let us remember to always seek the truth and have the courage to do what is right, even in the face of adversity.
John 18:38
"What is truth?" retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him."