Luke 23:12

12 And both Herod and Pilate became friends with one another on [that] same day, {for they had previously been enemies of one another}.

Luke 23:12 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 23:12

And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends
together
For it pleased Herod, that Pilate should show such a regard to his authority and power, as to send one that belonged to his jurisdiction to take cognizance of his case; and especially as it was a person that was much talked of, and he had long wanted to see; and Pilate, on the other hand, was pleased with Herod, that though he was one that was under his jurisdiction, and so had a right of trying the cause, and either absolve or condemn, yet chose not to use this his power, but referred the case to the Roman governor: for before they were at enmity between themselves;
it may be on account of the Galilaeans, the subjects of Herod, whom Pilate had slain, whilst they were sacrificing at Jerusalem, ( Luke 13:1 ) , which Herod might resent, as an infringement upon his authority and power; for had they been ever so deserving of punishment, it ought to have been left to him, to have inflicted it, and not the governor of Judea, who had nothing to do with them: but now matters were made up by this step of Pilate's, in sending Christ to him, supposed to be a Galilean, and so of Herod's jurisdiction; which was tacitly acknowledging his former conduct to be wrong, and showed a regard to Herod's authority: and thus they were reconciled together, and agreed in their contemptuous usage, and ill-treatment of Christ, and so fulfilled ( Psalms 2:1 Psalms 2:2 ) .

Luke 23:12 In-Context

10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there vehemently accusing him.
11 And Herod with his soldiers also treated him with contempt, and [after] mocking [him] [and] dressing [him] [in] glistening clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.
12 And both Herod and Pilate became friends with one another on [that] same day, {for they had previously been enemies of one another}.
13 So Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people
14 [and] said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people, and behold, [when I] examined [him] before you, I found nothing in this man as basis for the accusation which {you are making} against him

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "for they had previously existed being at enmity with each other"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.