Luke 23:2

23:2 They ¹  began to accuse ²  him, saying, “We found this man subverting ³  our nation, forbidding ⁴  us to pay the tribute tax ⁵  to Caesar ⁶  and claiming that he himself is Christ, ⁷  a king.”

Luke 23:5

23:5 But they persisted ⁸  in saying, “He incites ⁹  the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” ¹⁰ 

Luke 23:19

23:19 (This ¹¹  was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection ¹²  started in the city, and for murder.) ¹³ 

Luke 23:25

23:25 He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over ¹⁴  to their will. ¹⁵ 

[23:2]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:2]  ² 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]  ³ tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrefw) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.

[23:2]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[23:2]  ⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[23:5]  ⁸ tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.

[23:5]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”

[23:19]  ¹¹ tn Grk “who” (a continuation of the previous sentence).

[23:19]  ¹² sn Ironically, what Jesus was alleged to have done, started an insurrection, this man really did.

[23:19]  ¹³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[23:25]  ¹⁴ tn Or “delivered up.”

[23:25]  ¹⁵ sn He handed Jesus over to their will. Here is where Luke places the major blame for Jesus’ death. It lies with the Jewish nation, especially the leadership, though in Acts 4:24-27 he will bring in the opposition of Herod, Pilate, and all people.