Pontius Pilate is, surprisingly, one of the more sympathetic characters in the book. He is trapped in between being an upper level functionary in a large and powerful empire, and obeying his sentiment that Yeshua is a special human being. He is smart enough to recognize Yeshua as a savior of sorts, but unable to follow his instincts on the issue. This, along with his loneliness and ill health, make Pilate a :( person.