Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 23:3
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest [it.]
3. Art thou the King of the Jews? ] St Luke narrates the trial very briefly. The Jewish priests had expected that on their authority Pilate would at once order Him to execution; but, on the contrary, he meant first to hear the case, and asked them what accusation they brought, refusing to accept their bare assertion that He was “a malefactor.” Pilate only attends to the third charge, and asks Christ this question on the Roman principle that it was always desirable to secure the confession of the accused. We see from St John (Joh 18:33) that Jesus had been led into the Praetorium while His accusers stayed without; that He had not heard their accusations (Joh 18:34), and that Pilate was now questioning Him at a private examination.
Thou sayest it ] For a fuller account of the scene read Joh 18:33-38. It is alluded to in 1Ti 6:13.
See the notes at Mat 27:11. And Pilate asked him, saying,…. Observing that it was said, he had given himself out to be a king; for as for what regarded religion, he took no notice of it; he put this question to him,
art thou the King of the Jews? that their prophecies speak of, and they have expected;
and he answered him and said, thou sayest it; that is, thou sayest well; it is as thou sayest, I am the King of the Jews;
[See comments on Mt 27:11] though he did not leave this without an explanation; without informing him what sort of a king he was, and what kind of a kingdom he had; see Joh 18:36 which made Pilate perfectly easy, and desirous to release him, as appears by what follows.
Thou sayest ( ). A real affirmative as in 22:70. The Gospels all give Pilate’s question about Jesus asking of the Jews in precisely the same words (Mark 15:2; Matt 27:11; Luke 23:3; John 18:33).
1) “And Pilate asked him, saying,” (ho de Pilatos erotesen auton legon) “Then Pilate questioned him, directly saying, asking Jesus personally, as a judge, Mat 27:15; Mar 15:2.
2) “Art thou the King of the Jews?” (su ei ho basileus ton loudaion) “Are you the king of the Jews?” Mat 27:15; Mar 15:2.
3) “And he answered and said, Thou sayest it.” (ho de apokritheis auto ephe su legeis) “Then he answered him (Pilate) and said, you said it,” Mat 27:15; Mar 15:2; Joh 18:33-37; 1Ti 6:13. John gives the fuller account of this event. Jesus was brought to the Praetorium while His accusers were without. Pilate personally examined Jesus and knew the kingdom He spoke of was “not of this world,” was no threat of treason or sedition against Caesar and said so.
(3) Thou sayest it.Here, as in Luk. 22:70 and Mat. 26:64, the formula is one of confession. The fuller narrative of St. John should be compared throughout.
‘And Pilate asked him, saying, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him and said, “You say so.” ’
‘You?’ The word is emphasised. Pilate had expected them to haul in a glaring insurrectionist, the type that he knew exactly how to deal with. And now here was someone who was calm and fearless, who spoke to him quietly as man to man, who argued philosophy and who had a quality about Him that could not pass unnoticed. This was not at all what he had expected.
“Are you the King of the Jews?” This is very much an abbreviation of all that was said, but deals with the essential point. What Pilate overall wanted to know was what claims He did make, and whether it was true that He was claiming to be a King in opposition to Caesar and his appointee. Jesus replied by pointing out that it was all something that had arisen from people’s own ideas. The claim, in the way in which the court meant it, had not come from Him, it had come from Pilate himself, via the Sanhedrin. While then there was a sense in which He was a King, it was not in the way that everyone was saying. Whatever else was said (see Joh 18:33-38) it convinced Pilate, who was very experienced and no fool, that the charge was baseless. This man may be a clever arguer. He might even be more. But He was no revolutionary.
3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it .
Ver. 3. See Mat 27:11 ; Mar 15:2 ; Joh 18:33 .
3. ] This question is related in all four Gospels. But in John the answer is widely different from the distinct affirmation in the other three, amounting perhaps to it in substance at all events affirming that He was ‘a King’ which was the form of their charge. I believe therefore that the Three give merely the general import of the Lord’s answer, which John relates in full. It is hardly possible, if Jesus had affirmed the fact so strongly and barely as the Three relate it, that Pilate should have made the avowal in Luk 23:4 which John completely explains.
Luk 23:3 . , etc.: Pilate’s question exactly as in Mt. and Mk. : this reply needs some such explanation as is given in John; vide notes on Mt.
asked = questioned.
the King. Pilate using the Art., as
though implying hisbelief.
thou sayest. A Hebraism for a strong affirmation. Compare Luk 22:70, &c.
3.] This question is related in all four Gospels. But in John the answer is widely different from the distinct affirmation in the other three, amounting perhaps to it in substance-at all events affirming that He was a King-which was the form of their charge. I believe therefore that the Three give merely the general import of the Lords answer, which John relates in full. It is hardly possible, if Jesus had affirmed the fact so strongly and barely as the Three relate it, that Pilate should have made the avowal in Luk 23:4-which John completely explains.
Pilate: Mat 27:11, Mar 15:2, Joh 18:33-37, 1Ti 6:13
the King: Luk 23:38, Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33, Luk 19:38-40, Mar 15:18, Mar 15:32, Joh 1:49, Joh 19:3, Joh 19:19-21
he answered: 1Ti 6:13
Thou sayest it: This was the most solemn mode of affirmation used by the Jews. When the inhabitants of Zippor, inquired whether Rabbi Judah were dead, the son of Kaphra answered, , Ye say.
Reciprocal: Mat 2:2 – born Mar 14:62 – I am Luk 22:70 – Ye say Joh 18:37 – Thou
3
Thou sayest it is the “good confession” referred to by Paul in 1Ti 6:13, showing there is no set form in making the confession.
Luk 23:3. And Pilate asked him. This took place within the praetorium (Joh 18:33).
Art thou the King of the Jews? Pilates question implies some knowledge of the Messianic expectations of the Jews.
Thou sayest it = Yes. So Matthew and Mark. But fuller details of the interview are given by John (Joh 18:34-38). Pilates language in Luk 23:4 implies some further conversation.
It may seem strange that having secured a confession from Jesus that He was the King of the Jews Pilate would declare Him innocent. The answer is that Luke did not record the conversation that took place between Luk 23:3-4 (cf. Joh 18:35-38). In this conversation Pilate learned that Jesus did not claim to be a king in the ordinary sense. He concluded that Jesus posed no treat to the political stability of Roman interests in Palestine. Only Luke recorded Pilate’s official verdict that he gave to the Sanhedrin (cf. Joh 18:38; Joh 19:4; Joh 19:6). Perhaps Luke chose not to record what John did because for his readers the claim to be King of the Jews was ludicrous; it would have been obvious to Greeks that Jesus posed no threat to Rome.
In Acts as well as in Luke our writer recorded the innocent verdicts of government officials when passing judgment on Christian leaders (e.g., Act 18:12-17; Act 19:35-41; Act 25:23-27; Act 26:30-32). He obviously wanted to assure his readers that Christianity was not seeking to overthrow the Roman Empire and was not hostile to Roman civil authority.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)