Luk 23:5, Act 16:20 | Barnes | STEP | 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"

Luke 23:5

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

Acts 16:20

Verse 20. And brought them to the magistrates. To the military rulers, (στρατηγοις) or praetors. Philippi was a Roman colony; and it is probable that the officers of the army exercised the double function of civil and military rulers.

Do exceedingly trouble our city. In what way they did it, they specify in the next verse. The charge which they wished to substantiate was that of being disturbers of the public peace. All at once they became conscientious. They forgot the subject of their gains, and were greatly distressed about the violation of the laws. There is nothing that will make men more hypocritically conscientious, than to denounce, and detect, and destroy their unlawful and dishonest practices. Men who are thus exposed become suddenly filled with reverence for the law, or for religion; and they, who have heretofore cared nothing for either, become greatly alarmed lest the public peace should be disturbed. Men slumber quietly in sin, and pursue their wicked gains; they hate or despise all law and all forms of religion; but the moment their course of life is attacked and exposed, they become full of zeal for laws that they would not themselves hesitate to violate, and for the customs of religion, which in their hearts they thoroughly despise. Worldly-minded men often thus complain that their towns, and cities, and villages, are disturbed by revivals of religion; and the preaching of the truth, and attacking vice, often arouses this hypocritical conscientiousness, and makes them alarmed for the laws, and for religion, and for order, which they at other times are the first to disturb and disregard.

(l) "our city" 1Kgs 18:17, Acts 17:6