Mergui mentions the relation also in another book:
Pilate et Hérode présentent de nombreux points communs. Les deux compères se rapprochent d'ailleurs en Lc 23,12.
• Ce sont d'abord tous deux des étrangers (des non-Juifs).
• Pilate, de par son nom, est un libérateur ou un libéré. La racine plt en hébreu, signifie libérer. Même en grec, son nom sonne comme "plateia" qui signifie en grec "large" (hébreu: raHab).
• Les deux hommes ont aussi en commun, d'avoir leur jour faste (yom tob) au cours duquel ils doivent faire quelque "largesse" au peuple, ou “élargir “quelque prisonnier. Mt 27. 15 - à chaque Fête, le gouverneur (Pilate) avait coutume de relâcher à la foule un prisonnier, celui qu'elle voulait.
Mergui, Maurice.
Un Etranger sur le toit: Les sources midrashiques des Evangiles (French Edition)
Pilate and Herod have many points in common. The two friends are getting closer in Lk 23:12.
• They are first of all foreigners (non-Jews).
• Pilate, by name, is a liberator or a freed one. The root plt in Hebrew means to free. Even in Greek, its name sounds like "plateia" which in Greek means "wide" (Hebrew: raHab).
• The two men also have in common, that they have their auspicious day (yom tob) during which they have to do some “largesse” to the people, or “donate” some prisoner. Mt 27.15 - At each Feast, the governor (Pilate) used to release to the crowd a prisoner, the one they wanted.
What matters here is that PLT is a Semitic root for
both: to escape, to set someone free (=to cause to escape == to release).
Please Neil, don't be victim of the fallacy of the difference without a real distinction.
Who can think that to release
≠ to cause to escape ?
Note that the French
élarguir, similar to Italian
elargire, from
largus (=generous), gives the idea of a "width" of inclusive feelings.