Luke 23:1-7 - Debbie McCleery

Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”

So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Pilate

  • Appointed prefect (governor) Judea approximately 26 AD

  • Commanded incredible power in his province and was to keep the peace

  • In charge of collecting taxes and sending a portion to Rome

  • Josephus claimed Pilate confiscated temple funds to built an aqueduct in Jerusalem

  • Top judge in legal matters. Jewish council needed his approval for execution.

  • Coptic Church believes he is a saint for trying to save Jesus.

Whole Assembly consisted of hundreds if not thousands as this was an important week. Jerusalem roughly had over a hundred thousand visitors during Passover. The assembly was fixed with lies and mob mentality. The mob spoke truth yet tried to spin it in their favor. Pilate recognized the truth vs the lies and found Jesus innocent while the mob found him guilty.

Tony Valdez