Luk 23:1-12 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 1. . (a) "the whole multitude"

Luke 23:1-12

(a) "the whole multitude" Mt 27:2,11, Mk 15:1, Jn 18:28 Verse 2. This fellow. The word fellow is not in the original. It conveys a notion of contempt, which no doubt they felt, but which is not expressed in the Greek, and which it is not proper should be expressed in the translation. It might be translated, "We found this man."

Perverting the nation. That is, exciting them to sedition and tumults. This was a mere wanton accusation, but it was plausible before a Roman magistrate; for,

1st. The Galileans, as Josephus testifies, were prone to seditions and tumults.

2nd. Jesus drew multitudes after him, and they thought it was easy to show that this was itself promoting tumults and seditions.

Forbidding, &c. About their charges they were very cautious and cunning. They did not say that he taught that men should not give tribute--that would have been too gross a charge, and would have been easily refuted; but it was an inference which they drew. They said it followed from his doctrine. He professed to be a king. They inferred, therefore, if he was a king, that he must hold that it was not right to acknowledge allegiance to any foreign prince; and if they could make this out, they supposed that Pilate must condemn him of course.

Tribute. Taxes.

Caesar. The Roman emperor, called also Tiberius. The name Caesar was common to the Roman emperors, as Pharaoh was to the Egyptian kings. All the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh, or the Pharaoh; so all the Roman emperors were called Caesar.

(b) "accuse him" Zech 11:8 (c) "We found this fellow" Lk 23:5, Acts 16:20,21, 17:6,7 (d) "forbidding to give tribute" Mt 17:27, 22:21, Mar 12:17 (e) "he himself is Christ a king" Jn 18:36, 19:12 Verse 3. Mt 27:11

(f) "And he answered" 1Timm 6:13 Verse 4. I find no fault. I see no evidence that he is guilty of what you charge him with. This was after Pilate had taken Jesus into the judgment-hall by himself and examined him privately, and had been satisfied in regard to the nature of his kingdom. See Jn 18:33-38. He was then satisfied that though he claimed to be a king, yet his kingdom was not of this world, and that his claims did not interfere with those of Caesar.

(g) "I find no fault" Jn 18:38, 19:4, He 7:26, 1Pet 2:22 Verse 5. The more fierce. The more urgent and pressing. They saw that there was a prospect of losing their cause, and they attempted to press on Pilate the point that would be most likely now to affect him. Pilate had, in fact, acquitted him of the charge of being an enemy to Caesar, and they therefore urged the other point more vehemently.

Stirreth up the people. Excites them to tumult and sedition.

All Jewry. All Judea.

From Galilee to this place. To Jerusalem-that is, throughout the whole country. It is not merely in one place, but from one end of the land to the other.

(h) "more fierce" Ps 57:4 Verse 6. Whether he were a Galilean. He asked this because, if he was, he properly belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, who reigned over Galilee. Verse 7. Herod's jurisdiction. Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great. This was the same Herod that put John the Baptist to death. Jesus had passed the most of his life in the part of the country where he ruled, and it was therefore considered that he belonged to his jurisdiction--that is, that it belonged to Herod, not to Pilate, to try this cause.

(i) "Herod's jurisdiction" Lk 3:1 Verse 8.

(k) "for he was desirous" Lk 9:9 (l) "because he had heard" Mt 14:1, Mk 6:14 (m) "and he hoped" 2Kgs 5:11 Verse 9.

(n) "but he answered" Ps 38:13,14, 39:1,9, Is 53:7 Verse 10. Vehemently accused him. Violently or unjustly accused him, endeavouring to make it appear that he had been guilty of sedition in Herod's province. Verse 11. Herod with his men of war. With his soldiers, or his bodyguard. It is probable that in travelling he had a guard to attend him constantly.

Set him at nought. Treated him with contempt and ridicule.

A gorgeous robe. A white or shining robe, for this is the meaning of the original. The Roman princes wore purple robes, and Pilate therefore put such a robe on Jesus. The Jewish kings wore a white robe, which was often rendered very shining or gorgeous by much tinsel or silver interwoven. Josephus says that the robe which Agrippa wore was so bright with silver that when the sun shone on it, it so dazzled the eyes that it was difficult to look on it. The Jews and Romans therefore decked him in the manner appropriate to their own country, for purposes of mockery. All this was unlawful and malicious, as there was not the least evidence of his guilt.

Sent him to Pilate. It was by the interchange of these civilities that they were made friends. It would seem that Pilate sent him to Herod as a token of civility and respect, and with a design, perhaps, of putting an end to their quarrel. Herod returned the civility, and it resulted in their reconciliation.

(o) "set him at nought" Is 49:7, 53:3 (p) "gorgeous robe" Jn 19:5 Verse 12. Made friends together, &c. What had been the cause of their quarrel is unknown. It is Commonly supposed that it was Pilate's slaying the Galileans in Jerusalem, as related in Lk 13:1,2. The occasion of their reconciliation seems to have been the civility and respect which Pilate showed to Herod in this case. It was not because they were united in hating Jesus, as is often the case with wicked men, for Pilate was certainly desirous of releasing him, and both considered him merely as an object of ridicule and sport. It is true, however, that wicked men, at variance in other things, are often united in opposing and ridiculing Christ and his followers; and that enmities of long standing are sometimes made up, and the most opposite characters brought together, simply to oppose religion. Comp. Ps 83:5-7.

(q) "friends" Acts 4:27