John 19:12

19:12 From this point on, Pilate tried ¹  to release him. But the Jewish leaders ²  shouted out, ³  “If you release this man, ⁴  you are no friend of Caesar! ⁵  Everyone who claims to be a king ⁶  opposes Caesar!”

Mark 15:3

15:3 Then ⁷  the chief priests began to accuse him repeatedly.

Luke 20:19-26

20:19 Then ⁸  the experts in the law ⁹  and the chief priests wanted to arrest ¹⁰  him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. But ¹¹  they were afraid of the people.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20:20 Then ¹²  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ¹³  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ¹⁴  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ¹⁵  of the governor. 20:21 Thus ¹⁶  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ¹⁷  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ¹⁸  20:22 Is it right ¹⁹  for us to pay the tribute tax ²⁰  to Caesar ²¹  or not?” 20:23 But Jesus ²²  perceived their deceit ²³  and said to them, 20:24 “Show me a denarius. ²⁴  Whose image ²⁵  and inscription are on it?” ²⁶  They said, “Caesar’s.” 20:25 So ²⁷  he said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” ²⁸  20:26 Thus ²⁹  they were unable in the presence of the people to trap ³⁰  him with his own words. ³¹  And stunned ³²  by his answer, they fell silent.

Luke 23:2-5

23:2 They ³³  began to accuse ³⁴  him, saying, “We found this man subverting ³⁵  our nation, forbidding ³⁶  us to pay the tribute tax ³⁷  to Caesar ³⁸  and claiming that he himself is Christ, ³⁹  a king.” 23:3 So ⁴⁰  Pilate asked Jesus, ⁴¹  “Are you the king ⁴²  of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” ⁴³  23:4 Then ⁴⁴  Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation ⁴⁵  against this man.” 23:5 But they persisted ⁴⁶  in saying, “He incites ⁴⁷  the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” ⁴⁸ 

[19:12]  ¹ tn Grk “sought.”

[19:12]  ² tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders, especially members of the Sanhedrin, and their servants (mentioned specifically as “the chief priests and their servants” in John 19:6). See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 7.

[19:12]  ³ tn Grk “shouted out, saying.”

[19:12]  ⁴ tn Grk “this one.”

[19:12]  ⁵ sn Is the author using the phrase Friend of Caesar in a technical sense, as a title bestowed on people for loyal service to the Emperor, or in a more general sense merely describing a person as loyal to the Emperor? L. Morris (John [NICNT], 798) thinks it is “unlikely” that the title is used in the technical sense, and J. H. Bernard (St. John [ICC], 2:621) argues that the technical sense of the phrase as an official title was not used before the time of Vespasian (a.d. 69-79). But there appears to be significant evidence for much earlier usage. Some of this is given in BDAG 498-99 s.v. Καῖσαρ. E. Bammel (“φίλος τοῦ καίσαρος (John 19:12),” TLZ 77 [1952]: 205-10) listed significant and convincing arguments that the official title was indeed in use at the time. Granting that the title was in use during this period, what is the likelihood that it had been bestowed on Pilate? Pilate was of the equestrian order, that is, of lower nobility as opposed to senatorial rank. As such he would have been eligible to receive such an honor. It also appears that the powerful Sejanus was his patron in Rome, and Sejanus held considerable influence with Tiberius. Tacitus (Annals 6.8) quotes Marcus Terentius in his defense before the Senate as saying that close friendship with Sejanus “was in every case a powerful recommendation to the Emperor’s friendship.” Thus it is possible that Pilate held this honor. Therefore it appears that the Jewish authorities were putting a good deal of psychological pressure on Pilate to convict Jesus. They had, in effect, finally specified the charge against Jesus as treason: “Everyone who makes himself to be king opposes Caesar.” If Pilate now failed to convict Jesus the Jewish authorities could complain to Rome that Pilate had released a traitor. This possibility carried more weight with Pilate than might at first be evident: (1) Pilate’s record as governor was not entirely above reproach; (2) Tiberius, who lived away from Rome as a virtual recluse on the island of Capri, was known for his suspicious nature, especially toward rivals or those who posed a political threat; and (3) worst of all, Pilate’s patron in Rome, Sejanus, had recently come under suspicion of plotting to seize the imperial succession for himself. Sejanus was deposed in October of a.d. 31. It may have been to Sejanus that Pilate owed his appointment in Judea. Pilate was now in a very delicate position. The Jewish authorities may have known something of this and deliberately used it as leverage against him. Whether or not they knew just how potent their veiled threat was, it had the desired effect. Pilate went directly to the judgment seat to pronounce his judgment.

[19:12]  ⁶ tn Grk “who makes himself out to be a king.”

[15:3]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:19]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:19]  ⁹ tn Or “The scribes” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[20:19]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “tried to lay hands on him.”

[20:19]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[20:20]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:20]  ¹³ tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.

[20:20]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”

[20:20]  ¹⁵ tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).

[20:21]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.

[20:21]  ¹⁷ tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.

[20:21]  ¹⁸ sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[20:22]  ¹⁹ tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.

[20:22]  ²⁰ tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[20:22]  ²¹ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[20:23]  ²² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:23]  ²³ tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).

[20:24]  ²⁴ tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.

[20:24]  ²⁵ tn Or “whose likeness.”

[20:24]  ²⁶ tn Grk “whose likeness and inscription does it have?”

[20:25]  ²⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ pronouncement results from the opponents’ answer to his question.

[20:25]  ²⁸ sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.

[20:26]  ²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ unexpected answer.

[20:26]  ³⁰ tn On this term, see BDAG 374 s.v. ἐπιλαμβάνομαι 3.

[20:26]  ³¹ tn Grk “to trap him in a saying.”

[20:26]  ³² tn Or “amazed.”

[23:2]  ³³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:2]  ³⁴ sn They began to accuse him. There were three charges: (1) disturbing Jewish peace; (2) fomenting rebellion through advocating not paying taxes (a lie – 20:20-26); and (3) claiming to be a political threat to Rome, by claiming to be a king, an allusion to Jesus’ messianic claims. The second and third charges were a direct challenge to Roman authority. Pilate would be forced to do something about them.

[23:2]  ³⁵ tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrefw) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.

[23:2]  ³⁶ tn Grk “and forbidding.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated to suggest to the English reader that this and the following charge are specifics, while the previous charge was a summary one. See the note on the word “misleading” earlier in this verse.

[23:2]  ³⁷ tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[23:2]  ³⁸ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[23:2]  ³⁹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[23:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the charges brought in the previous verse.

[23:3]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[23:3]  ⁴² sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested only in the third charge, because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.

[23:3]  ⁴³ sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 22:70.

[23:4]  ⁴⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[23:4]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “find no cause.”

[23:5]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.

[23:5]  ⁴⁷ sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.

[23:5]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”