Luke 23:6

6 When Pilate heard that, he asked, "So, he's 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 told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, "I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me.

5 But they were vehement. "He's stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He's a dangerous man, endangering the peace."

6 When Pilate heard that, he asked, "So, he's a Galilean?"

7 Realizing that he properly came under Herod's jurisdiction, he passed the buck to Herod, who just happened to be in Jerusalem for a few days.

8 Herod was delighted when Jesus showed up. He had wanted for a long time to see him, he'd heard so much about him. He hoped to see him do something spectacular.