Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
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."
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Luke 23:2:
Matthew 27:1
Matthew 27:11
Matthew 27:12
John 11:48
John 18:31
John 18:33
John 19:7
Acts 3:14
Acts 4:27
Acts 13:28
Acts 17:7
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