Discovery BoxLuke 23:2 
Context23:2 They 1 began to accuse 2 him, saying, “We found this man subverting 3 our nation, forbidding 4 us to pay the tribute tax 5 to Caesar 6 and claiming that he himself is Christ, 7 a king.”
Luke 23:5
Context23:5 But they persisted 8 in saying, “He incites 9 the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!” 10
Luke 23:14-15
Context23:14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading 11 the people. When I examined him before you, I 12 did not find this man guilty 13 of anything you accused him of doing. 23:15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing 14 deserving death. 15
1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
2 sn They began to accuse him. There were three charges: (1) disturbing Jewish peace; (2) fomenting rebellion through advocating not paying taxes (a lie – 20:20-26); and (3) claiming to be a political threat to Rome, by claiming to be a king, an allusion to Jesus’ messianic claims. The second and third charges were a direct challenge to Roman authority. Pilate would be forced to do something about them.
3 tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrefw) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.
sn Subverting our nation was a summary charge, as Jesus “subverted” the nation by making false claims of a political nature, as the next two detailed charges show.
4 tn Grk “and forbidding.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated to suggest to the English reader that this and the following charge are specifics, while the previous charge was a summary one. See the note on the word “misleading” earlier in this verse.
5 tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”
6 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
7 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 2:11.
8 tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.
9 sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.
10 tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”
11 tn This term also appears in v. 2.
12 tn Grk “behold, I” A transitional use of ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
13 tn Grk “nothing did I find in this man by way of cause.” The reference to “nothing” is emphatic.
14 sn With the statement “he has done nothing,” Pilate makes another claim that Jesus is innocent of any crime worthy of death.
15 tn Grk “nothing deserving death has been done by him.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style.
