Luke 23:6
in Luke 23When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan.
KJV
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean.
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This verse in Luke 23
Commentary
12 notes on this verseHaving been bound, Christ went from Caiaphas to Pilate; is this also written? Yes: "And having bound him, they led him away as a present to the King of Jarim." But some keen listener will object: "Pilate was not a king." (Let us pass over for the time the main points of the inquiry.) "How then, having bound him, did they lead him as a present to the king?" But read the Gospel: "Pilate, hearing that he was from Galilee, sent him to Herod; for Herod was then king and was present in Jerusalem."
This site's exposition
But they kept insisting
on Luke 23:5-6
Galilee gives Pilate a way out. His question whether the man was a Galilean is one of jurisdiction, from a governor eager to hand off the case.
This site's exposition
he asked if the man was a Galilean
Pilate's question is a legal one. Albert Barnes explains that a Galilean belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, so the word gave Pilate a way to pass the case on. Matthew Henry sees God ordering the transfer, so that Psalm 2:2, which Acts 4:26-27 applies to Herod and Pilate, would be fulfilled.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church4 voices
But Pilate, hearing of Galilee, asked if the man were a Galilean. And when he knew that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days. Pilate, indeed, lest he be forced to sentence him, whom …
Pilate having determined not to question our Lord concerning the above-mentioned accusation, is the rather glad now that an opportunity offers to escape from passing judgment upon Him. Hence it is said, When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan.
Pilate sends the Lord to Herod, in fulfillment of the Roman law commanding that each person be judged by the ruler of his province. Therefore he sends Jesus, as a Galilean, to the governor of Galilee.
But Pilate, hearing, etc. After the accusation before the governor has been described, here he describes the order of the accusation before Herod; for whose orderly description four things are introduced, namely the caution of Pilate evading, the curiosity of Herod questioning, the wickedness of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
But God ordered it so for the more evident fulfilling of the scripture, as appears Acts iv. 26, 27 , where that of David ( Ps. ii. 2 ), The kings of the earth and the rulers set themselves against the Lord and his Anointed, is expressly said to be fulfilled in Herod and Pontius Pilate.
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
When Pilate heard of Galilee,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Whether he were a Galilean - He asked this because, if he was, he properly belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, who reigned over Galilee.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
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.)
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1858)
proposed
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.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Πιλᾶτος | pilatos | Pilate | G4091 → | 55 times |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἀκούσας | akousas | having heard | G191 → | 425 times |
| ἐπηρώτησεν | eperotesen | asked | G1905 → | 56 times |
| εἰ | ei | whether | G1487 → | 508 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἄνθρωπος | anthropos | man | G444 → | 549 times |
| Γαλιλαῖός | galilaios | a Galilean | G1057 → | 11 times |
| ἐστιν, | estin | is, | G1510 → | 2333 times |
ΠιλᾶτοςPilate
pilatosG4091 →55 times
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
ἀκούσαςhaving heard
akousasG191 →425 times
ἐπηρώτησενasked
eperotesenG1905 →56 times
εἰwhether
eiG1487 →508 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἄνθρωποςman
anthroposG444 →549 times
Γαλιλαῖόςa Galilean
galilaiosG1057 →11 times
ἐστιν,is,
estinG1510 →2333 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 13:1At that time some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 4:17–18
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
- Lamentations 2:20
Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have You ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the infants they have nurtured? Should priests and prophets be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord?
- Acts 5:37
After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
- Ezekiel 9:5–7
And as I listened, He said to the others, “Follow him through the city and start killing; do not show pity or spare anyone!
- 1 Peter 4:17–18
Through
Acts 5:37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and drew away people after him. He too perished, and all his followers were scattered.
it leads to
- Luke 2:1–2
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole empire.
- Psalms 9:15–16
The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
- Luke 13:1–2
At that time some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
- Job 20:5–9
the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
- Luke 2:1–2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
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About Luke
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Gospel of Luke; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on Luke, Chapter 23; Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 13:14; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Luke (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Luke.