The novel Billy Budd being compared to biblical terms.

Billy Budd by Herman Melville is a tragic tale of men at sea. Billy Budd is a innocent man aboard the Indomitable who is accused of plotting mutiny by Claggart, the serpent like master-at-arms of the ship. The captain, a reasonable man, doubts Claggart's story and brings Billy in to confront Claggart. Although Captain Vere believes in Billy's innocence, naval law demands punishment, as a result, Billy is convicted and sent to be hanged. Through …

…governor of Judea, at the time of Jesus Christ's crucification. It is said that Pilate believed in Jesus' innocence but was afraid to save him. Like Pilate, Vere condemns the innocent man to a disgraceful death, but unlike Pilate, he does not wash his hand, but manfully assumes the full responsibility, and in such a way as to take the half, if not more than the half, of the bitterness of the execution upon himself.