Luke 23 2

Luke 23:2 kjv

And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

Luke 23:2 nkjv

And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."

Luke 23:2 niv

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."

Luke 23:2 esv

And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king."

Luke 23:2 nlt

They began to state their case: "This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king."

Luke 23 verses

Luke 23 2 Meaning

Luke 23:2 describes the formal accusations brought against Jesus before Pontius Pilate by the Jewish chief priests and scribes. Having condemned Jesus on religious grounds of blasphemy, but lacking the authority to execute Him, they shifted their strategy to present politically treasonous charges to the Roman governor. They falsely claimed Jesus was inciting rebellion among the Jewish people, hindering their payment of taxes to Caesar, and declaring Himself as the "Christ, a King"—a direct challenge to Roman imperial authority. These specific charges were designed to align Jesus' perceived crimes with offenses punishable by death under Roman law, compelling Pilate to act upon their desired verdict.

Luke 23 2 Context

Luke chapter 23 commences with Jesus being led from the Jewish Sanhedrin, who had condemned Him for blasphemy, directly to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. The Sanhedrin's authority under Roman rule did not extend to capital punishment, making Pilate's verdict crucial for their plan to execute Jesus. Therefore, the accusations articulated in Luke 23:2 are strategically designed to appeal to Roman concerns. They are political and economic rather than religious, as Pilate, a Gentile ruler, would not care for Jewish religious law or the nuances of Messianic claims unless they directly challenged Roman imperial control. Judea was a province known for occasional unrest and zealot movements that opposed Roman taxes and rule, so charges of sedition and claiming kingship were serious treasonous offenses in the eyes of Rome, carrying a mandatory death penalty, usually by crucifixion.

Luke 23 2 Word analysis

• And they began to accuse Him: Greek: κατηγόρουν αὐτοῦ (katēgoroun autou). The term κατηγορέω (kategoréō) signifies "to make an official accusation in a legal setting." This phrase marks the initiation of a formal trial under Roman jurisprudence, moving beyond the religious condemnation of the Sanhedrin to politically actionable charges. It implies a coordinated, formal prosecution by the Jewish authorities.

• saying, 'We found this fellow': The accusers refer to "the whole multitude" (Luke 23:1), comprising the Sanhedrin and their followers. The phrase "this fellow" is dismissive and derogatory, aimed at diminishing Jesus' standing and presenting Him as a common agitator or criminal from the outset.

• 'perverting the nation': Greek: διαστρέφοντα τὸ ἔθνος (diastréphonta to ethnōs). διαστρέφω (diastréphō) means "to twist, distort, turn aside, mislead, or corrupt." "The nation" (ἔθνος, ethnōs) refers to the Jewish people within the Roman province. This was a grave charge of sedition, implying Jesus was actively leading the Jewish population astray from Roman authority, disrupting peace, and inciting rebellion against the governing power.

• 'and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar': Greek: καὶ κωλύοντα φόρους Καίσαρι διδόναι (kai kōlyonta phórous Kaisari didónai). κωλύω (kōlyō) means "to prevent, hinder, forbid." φόρος (phoros) is a specific "tribute" or "tax" paid to a ruler, referring here to the Roman imperial tax. This accusation was a direct and deliberate fabrication, completely contradicting Jesus' explicit teaching to "render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's" (Luke 20:25). Tax rebellion was viewed as an act of treason by Rome and could lead to severe penalties, thus making it a potent charge designed to guarantee Pilate's intervention.

• 'saying that He Himself is Christ, a King': Greek: λέγοντα ἑαυτὸν Χριστὸν βασιλέα εἶναι (legonta heauton Christon basilea einai).

  • Χριστός (Christos): The Greek transliteration of the Hebrew Messiah, meaning "Anointed One." While religiously significant to the Jews, it was here presented in a political light.
  • βασιλεύς (basileus): "King." The accusers intentionally linked Jesus' claim to being the "Christ" with an earthly, political kingship (βασιλεύς), presenting Him as a rival ruler to Caesar. This was the most serious charge of treason against Rome, designed to force Pilate to recognize Him as a revolutionary threat to imperial power. They twisted His spiritual kingship into a political conspiracy.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "perverting the nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar": These two interconnected accusations together paint Jesus as a nationalistic rebel seeking to undermine Roman authority, both politically and economically. They are designed to portray Him as a clear and present danger to Roman provincial stability.
  • "saying that He Himself is Christ, a King": This third accusation is the foundational motive presented for the first two. By portraying Jesus' Messianic identity as a claim to an earthly throne, the Jewish leaders aimed to provoke Pilate into condemning Him for treason, which carried a mandatory death sentence under Roman law, particularly crucifixion, reserved for rebellious non-Roman citizens. The dramatic irony is that while they accuse Him falsely of being an earthly king in rebellion, He truly is the heavenly King whose spiritual kingdom directly challenged their worldly religious system.

Luke 23 2 Bonus section

The charges presented in Luke 23:2 demonstrate a cynical manipulation of law and public fear. The accusers knowingly lied about Jesus' teachings on taxes and misrepresented His identity as the Christ, deliberately amplifying the political implications of "King" to fit Roman categories of sedition. This stark contrast between Jesus' true nature and the distorted claims against Him highlights the extreme lengths to which His enemies would go to silence Him, revealing the profound spiritual blindness and moral bankruptcy driven by hatred and self-preservation among those in power. It serves as a reminder of the historical instances where religious leaders abused their influence and joined hands with political powers to oppose God's chosen ones.

Luke 23 2 Commentary

Luke 23:2 vividly captures the malicious intent and calculated deceit of Jesus' accusers. Unable to impose a death sentence on purely religious grounds, the Sanhedrin cleverly rephrased their condemnation of blasphemy into accusations of treason against the Roman Empire. These charges were complete fabrications, as Jesus explicitly affirmed payment of taxes to Caesar and consistently declared His kingdom was spiritual, "not of this world" (John 18:36).

This pivotal moment underscores the contrast between earthly power and divine authority, human deceit and divine truth. The accusations served two purposes: to secure Jesus' death under Roman law and to justify their own rejection of Him by appealing to Roman anxieties about rebellion. The Sanhedrin's actions highlight their deep-seated envy and fear of Jesus' growing influence, leading them to betray their own national dignity by handing an innocent man to a foreign occupier for execution. This act also reveals the prophetic nature of Jesus' suffering; He was falsely accused, maligned, and delivered over, perfectly fulfilling Old Testament types of innocent suffering for the salvation of many.