Klaipėdos universitetas

The article analyses the historical context of the life and activities of Jesus of Nazareth, and includes the person of Pontius Pilate. At the centre of the Christian faith has always been and is the figure of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christology occupies an important place in theological studies. No theological study will be complete without a deeper look at Jesus Christ. Christology has received particular attention throughout the centuries, but studies over the last few decades, especially in the second half of the twentieth century, place particular emphasis on the historical person and context of Jesus Christ. In this context, various historical figures are found. This includes Pontius Pilate. This deputy of the Roman emperor ruled Palestine at the very time when Jesus Christ lived and acted in it. He entered history as one of his participants in the trial, initially trying to justify Jesus, but eventually condemning him and perishing with the “Jewish hands”.

Typology is a rich strand of biblical interpretation, present in both the Old and New Testaments. It reveals the deepest truth about Jesus Christ as the Merciful Saviour. Biblical typology illuminates the consistent fulfilment of God’s salvatory plan. This article depicts the story of Joseph, son of Israel, from the Old Testament as a prototype of forgiveness corresponding to Jesus Christ’s forgiving and salvatory activity in the New Testament. The parallel between Joseph and Jesus displays the development of forgiveness in the stories of the Old and New Testaments. This article presents fourteen typological parallels between Joseph and Jesus revealing the course of salvatory forgiveness.