Luke 23:2

They obviously contradict the truth. For where did Jesus forbid paying tribute, when He, on the contrary, commanded to render it as what is due? For He Himself said: "Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (Luke 20:25). How does He stir up the …

Now two charges having been brought against our Lord, namely, that He forbade to pay tribute to Cæsar, and called Himself Christ the King, it may be that Pilate had chanced to hear that which our Lord spake, Render unto Cæsar the things which be Cæsar's; and therefore setting aside this accusation as a palpable lie of the Jews, he thought fit to ask concerning that alone of which he knew nothing, the saying about the kingdom; for it follows, Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews, &c.

And they began to accuse him, saying: We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a King. The Jews are convicted of impiety, because in accusing the Savior they do not even …

Most plainly are they opposed to the truth. For our Lord was so far from forbidding to give tribute, that He commanded it to be given. How then did He pervert the people? Was it that He might take possession of the kingdom? But this is incredible to all, for when the whole multitude wished to choose Him for their king, He was aware of it, and fled.

(2.) As making himself a rival with Cæsar, though the very reason why they rejected him, and would not own him to be the Messiah, was because he did not appear in worldly pomp and power, and did not set up for a temporal prince, nor offer to do any thing against Cæsar; yet this is what they charged him with, that he said, he himself is Christ a king.

And they began to accuse him,.... After they found that Pilate would not receive him as a malefactor upon their word, and delivery of him to him as such; but insisted on knowing what they had to charge him with, and what accusation they had to bring against him: saying, we have found this fellow perverting the nation; the nation of the Jews.

Perverting the nation - The Greek word διαστρεφοντα, signifies stirring up to disaffection and rebellion. Many MSS. and versions add ἡμων, Our nation. They intimated that he not only preached corrupt doctrine, but that he endeavored to make them disaffected towards the Roman government, for which they now pretended to feel a strong affection! Several copies of the Itala add, Destroying our law and prophets. Et solventem legem nostram et prophetas. Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar - These were the falsest slanders that could be invented. The whole of our Lord’s conduct disproved them.

Let us observe, for one thing, in this passage — what false accusations were laid to our Lord Jesus Christ's charge. We are told that the Jews accused Him of "subverting the nation, forbidding to give taxes to Caesar, and stirring up the people." In all this indictment, we know, there was not a word of truth. It was nothing but a devious attempt to enlist the Roman governor against our Lord. Lying and slander are two favorite weapons of the devil. He was a liar from the beginning, and is still the father of lies. (John 8:44.)

Let us observe, for one thing, in this passage — what false accusations were laid to our Lord Jesus Christ's charge. We are told that the Jews accused Him of "subverting the nation, forbidding to give taxes to Caesar, and stirring up the people." In all this indictment, we know, there was not a word of truth. It was nothing but a devious attempt to enlist the Roman governor against our Lord. Lying and slander are two favorite weapons of the devil. He was a liar from the beginning, and is still the father of lies. (John 8:44.) When he finds that he cannot stop God's work — his next device is to blacken the character of God's servants, and to destroy the value of their testimony. With this weapon, he assaulted David , "False witnesses," he says, "testify against me. They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about." With this weapon, he assaulted the prophets. Elijah was accused of being a "troubler of Israel!" Jeremiah was accused of undermining the nation, and being a traitor! With this weapon Satan assaulted the apostles . They were "pestilent fellows," and men who "turned the world upside down." With this weapon he assaulted our Lord all through His ministry. He stirred up his agents to call Him a glutton and a drunkard, a Samaritan and a devil! (Luke 7:34; John 8:48.) And here, in the verses before us, we find Satan plying his old weapon to the very last. Jesus is arraigned before Pilate upon charges which are utterly untrue. The servant of Christ must never be surprised if he has to drink of the same cup with his Lord. When He who was holy, harmless, and undefiled, was foully slandered — then who can expect to escape? "If they called the master of the house Beelzebub — then how much more will they call those of his household?" (Matthew 10:25.) Nothing is too evil to slander a saint with.

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, 1. The Galileans, as Josephus testifies, were prone to seditions and tumults. 2. Jesus drew multitudes after him, and they thought it was easy to show that this was itself promoting tumults and seditions. Forbidding ... - About their charges they were very cautious and cunning. They did not say that he “taught” that people 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.”