What were Jesus and early Christians like?

[abaris]

No. Coupled with the handful of references in Josephus to Pilate what we see is a rather iron-fisted bastard who wouldn't give two fucks what a mob of jews called for. And there is no precedent at all for the utter nonsense of a criminal being released at Passover. That's just a plot device to make the jews look bad. Total bullshit.

The whole Jesus trial story leaks at every corner. The jewish priesthood was appointed by the Romans at that particular time. So they had everthing to lose, most of all a lavish lifestyle if they didn't follow Romes bidding. Also the story of offering the people a choice between Jesus and Barabas is bullshit of the highest order. If Jesus really declared himself King of the Jews, the Roman governor would have executed him without a moment's notice for being yet another insurgent. He certainly wouldn't have offered that guy for a possible amnesty.