Luke 23:1-5
Luke 23:1 (KJB)
And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
Since they had now pronounced the verdict of death upon Jesus, they were not
allowed to put anyone to death so what they did was they now brought Jesus to
Pontius Pilate the governor. This was the same method of indictment used during
the Middle ages when the Inquisition was going on. The Roman Catholic
Institution could not put someone to death so what they did was get the local
authorities involved and let them legally put some one to death. However, many
true believers died in the torture chambers run by the Roman Catholics. So in
the same way the Sanhedrin handed Jesus over to the civil authorities, the
believers down through history were also handed over to the civil authorities,
something Jesus had warned His disciples about. They knew that Pilate was a weak
Governor and it would not take much for them to get their way.
Luke 23:2 (KJB)
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the
nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is
Christ a King.
They knew that Pilate would not accept a prisoner for execution just on their
say so, so what they had to do was trump up charges against Him that would
concern the Roman Empire. If they brought Jesus to Pilate and Pilate thought
that He was a threat to them, then there would be no problem having Him
executed. So what they did was make up a huge lie that Jesus told the people who
He ministered to that they should not give tribute to Caesar. Of course, Jesus
had said to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. He did not forbid
tribute or the paying of taxes. Then they also accused Jesus of perverting the
official teachings of Judaism which was the law plus their oral law. They wanted
to show Pilate that He was twisting their Scriptures to gain a following. Then
they accused Him of being Christ the King. Anyone who challenges the authority
of the Emperor is put to death because that is considered insurrection. This way
when He gained His following He could then claim that He was their King.
Luke 23:3 (KJB)
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him
and said, Thou sayest it.
While there were no official charges against Jesus, one can
conclue from the
question which Pilate asked Jesus concerning whether He was King of the Jews.
Anyone who claimed to be a king in an area occupied by Rome without Roman
authority for that position can be considered a seditionist and be put to death.
Emperor Tiberius had decreed that anyone who claims kingship rivals Caesar and
must be executed. Many were executed during the last years of his reign on
charges of “pretensions of power.” Pilate asks Jesus the question and Jesus
responds in the same manner He responded to the High Priest, “Thou sayest.” This
was a response of confirmation of what Pilate had asked. (John 18:36-37 KJV)
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this
world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews:
but now is my kingdom not from hence. {37} Pilate therefore said unto him, Art
thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was
I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness
unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. In John, we
have the conversation which Jesus had with Pilate stating that His kingdom is
not of this world or else His subjects would fight for Him and that He was
indeed a King.
Luke 23:4 (KJB)
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this
man.
Pilate then said to the chief priests that he found no fault in Jesus. There was
nothing in Him that would be a threat to Rome. As far as Pilate was concerned,
Jesus was just another preacher who was innocent. There would be no reason for
any type of punishment, especially execution. Pilate had thought that Jesus
should be set free.
Luke 23:5 (KJB)
And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching
throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.
They had tried to enforce their false accusation that Jesus was promoting some
type of sedition in all the places where He had ministered, from the northern
part of Israel in Galilee all the way down to Jerusalem. They wanted Pilate to
believe that Jesus was stirring up the people, that is, to excite the people in
a move against Rome in the entire nation of Israel. They wanted to get Jesus on
a charge of sedition so He would be executed but so far they had failed
miserably.