Luke 23:6

Jesus Faces Herod Antipas

6 When Pilate heard this,[a] he asked if the man was a Galilean.

Luke 23:6 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 23:6

When Pilate heard of Galilee
"The name of Galilee", as the Syriac and Persic versions read when that was mentioned, he asked;
the Ethiopic version says, the "Galilaeans"; some of which might be present, being come to the feast of the passover, and were very proper persons to inquire of: whether the man were a Galilean;
so Jesus was reputed to be: for though he was born at Bethlehem of Judah, he was brought up at Nazareth in Galilee, where he spent the greater part of his private life, and his public ministry was chiefly exercised in those parts; hence the Jews thought, that he came out of Galilee, and was a Galilean, ( John 7:41 John 7:52 ) and so he used to be called by Julian the apostate; and it seems, that the answer returned to Pilate was, that he was a Galilean; and so the Persic version adds, and they said, yes; for it follows,

Luke 23:6 In-Context

4 Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no grounds for charging this man."
5 But they kept insisting, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where He started even to here."
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
7 Finding that He was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.
8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see Him, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by Him.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Other mss read heard "Galilee"
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