I will therefore chastise him – The word chastise here means to scourge or to whip. This was usually done before capital punishment, to increase the sufferings of the man condemned. It is not easy to see the reason why, if Pilate supposed Jesus to be innocent, he should propose publicly to scourge him. It was as really unjust to do that as it was to crucify him. But probably he expected by this to conciliate the minds of his accusers; to show them that he was willing to gratify them if it could be done with propriety; and perhaps he expected that by seeing him whipped and disgraced, and condemned to ridicule, to contempt, and to suffering, they would be satisfied. It is farther remarked that among the Romans it was competent for a magistrate to inflict a slight punishment on a man when a charge of gross offence was not fully made out, or where there was not sufficient testimony to substantiate the precise charge alleged. All this shows,

1. The palpable injustice of our Lords condemnation;
2. The persevering malice and obstinacy of the Jews; and,
3. The want of firmness in Pilate.

He should have released him at once; but the love of popularity led him to the murder of the Son of God. Man should do his duty in all situations; and he that, like Pilate, seeks only for public favor and popularity, will assuredly be led into crime.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

I will therefore chastise him,…. Give him some correction, as by scourging, or beating with rods: this he proposed, not because he thought him deserving of it, but in complaisance to the Jews; since it would look as if their charges were not altogether weak and groundless; and that Jesus was not entirely innocent: this would carry a show of guilt and punishment, and he hoped this might be thought sufficient, and so he should please them, and save Jesus from dying, which he much desired: and release him; from his bonds, and let him go.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Chastise (). First aorist active participle of , to train a child (), and then, as a part of the training, punishment. Our English word chasten is from the Latin castus, pure, chaste, and means to purify (cf. Heb 12:6f.). Perhaps Pilate may have split a hair over the word as Wycliff puts it: “I shall deliver him amended.” But, if Jesus was innocent, Pilate had no doubt to “chastise” him to satisfy a mob. Verse 17 is omitted by Westcott and Hort as from Mark 15:6; Matt 27:15.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Chastise [] . Originally to bring up a child [] . Hence, to instruct, so Act 7:22, of Moses instructed in the wisdom of the Egyptians; and Act 22:3, of Paul instructed in the law. To discipline or correct, as Heb 12:6, 7. The word is not synonymous with punish, since it always implies an infliction which contemplates the subject’s amendment; and hence answers to chastise or chasten. So Heb 12:10; Rev 3:19. In popular speech chastise or punish are often confounded. Chasten is from the Latin castus, “pure,” ” chaste; ” and to chasten is, properly, to purify. This meaning underlies even the use of the word by Pilate, who was not likely to be nice in his choice of words. Instead of punishing him with death, he will chastise him, in order to teach him better. So Wyc., I shall deliver him amended.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1)I will therefore chasten him,” (psideusas oun auton) “When therefore I have chastised him,” or scourged Him, though he had twice announced publicly that he found no fault in Him, Luk 23:4; Luk 23:11; Mat 27:26. And he did scourge Him, Joh 19:1; Mar 15:15. It was a cruel form of scourging at the hand of Roman soldiers which often preceded crucifixion.

2) “And release him.” (apoluso) I will release him,” Act 5:40-41, or let Him go free, if that is all right with you all, but he did not do it, Mar 15:9-11. This severe scourging often led to death before crucifixion, and this he perhaps supposed would satisfy the Jews, Mat 27:26.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

Luk 23:16

. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. If any slight offense had been committed, which was not a capital crime, the Roman governors (262) were wont to cause the offenders to be beaten with rods; and this kind of punishment was called, in the Latin language, coerctio Pilate, therefore, acts unjustly when, after pronouncing Christ to be free from all blame, he resolves to punish him, as if he had been guilty of an ordinary offense; for he not only declares that he has found in him no crime worthy of death, but asserts his innocence in the most unqualified manner. Why, then, does he beat him with rods? But earthly men, who are not confirmed by the Spirit of God in a constant wish to do what is right, even though they are desirous to maintain integrity, are accustomed, in this manner, to yield so far as to commit small injuries, when they are compelled. And not only do they reckon it a valid excuse, that they have not perpetrated a very heinous crime, but they even claim for themselves the praise of mildness, because they have, to some extent, spared the innocent. As to the Son of God, had he been dismissed in this manner, he would have carried with him the shame of having been scourged, without any advantage to our salvation; but on the cross, as in a magnificent chariot, he triumphed over his enemies and ours.

Would to God (263) that the world were not now filled with many Pilates! But we see that what was begun in the head is accomplished in the members. The Popish clergy persecute his holy servants with the same cruelty with which the Jewish priests cried out, demanding that Christ should be put to death. Many of the judges, indeed, willingly offer themselves as executioners to follow out their rage; (264) but when they shrink from shedding blood, so as to save innocent men from dying, they scourge Christ himself, who is the only righteousness of God. For when they compel the worshippers of God to deny the Gospel, for the purpose of saving their life, what else is it than to cause the name of Christ to undergo the disgrace of being beaten with rods? Yet in their defense they plead the violence of his enemies; as if this pretense were a sufficient cloak for their treacherous cowardice, which, if it was not excusable in Pilate, deserves to be viewed in them with the highest detestation. But though our three Evangelists pass by this circumstance, yet it is evident from the Evangelist John, (Joh 14:1,) that Christ was beaten with rods, while Pilate was still laboring to save his life, in order that so appalling a spectacle might appease the rage of the people. But John has also added, that it could not be appeased until the Author of life was put to death.

(262) “ Les Gouverneurs deputez de par l’Empereur de Rome;” — “the Governors appointed by the Emperor of Rome.”

(263) “ Pleust à Dieu.”

(264) “ Entre les juges, la plus grand’ part ne demandent pas mieux que de servir de bourreaux pour executer la rage des supposts de l’Antechrist.” — “Among the judges, the greater part ask nothing better than to act as hangmen to execute the rage of the supporters of Antichrist.”

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(16) I will therefore chastise him.The primary meaning of the word was to correct as children are corrected, thence to use the rod, as in Pro. 19:18; Pro. 29:17. As used here it implied the Roman punishment of scourging. Pilate was here, as throughout, halting between two opinions, convinced of the innocence of the Accused, yet afraid to oppose the people. Would it not be enough, he thought, that they should see Him treated as guilty of a minor offence? Would they not accept His release as part of the ceremonial of the day?

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

16. Chastise him The Romans had a customary chastisement preceding crucifixion; but this was a chastisement to save him from it. Pilate, like a true compromiser, hoped by this lesser punishment to satisfy the Jews.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Luk 23:16. I will therefore chastise him Pilate might imagine that Christ was an enthusiast, though not a seditious person; and this punishment might be designed as an admonition to him in future, not to use such expressions as had given so much umbrage; being persuaded, that if he was set at liberty, he neither would nor could give them any further trouble. He might likewise order Jesus to be scourged, hoping that they might be contented with thatlesser punishment, being himself fully satisfied of his innocence. Joh 19:1. It was the custom of the Romans to scourge criminals condemned to crucifixion, after they had received their sentence. See Livy, lib. 1 Chronicles 26. But Christ was scourged by the order of Pilate before sentence was passed on him, for the reasons above mentioned; and therefore it is thought that during the time he underwent that punishment, he was bound to a pillar, and not to his cross, like those criminals who were scourged after their condemnation; as St. Paul afterwards would also have been treated, had he not prevented it by pleading his privilege as a Roman citizen.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him .

Ver. 16. I will therefore chastise him ] And so he did, purposely to move pity, Joh 19:1 , but all in vain: yea, though he afterwards presented him a pitiful spectacle, with “Behold the man.”

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

16. ] ‘ Hic cpit nimium concedere Pilatus ,’ Bengel. If there be no fault in Him, why should He be corrected at all? the Jews perceive their advantage, and from this moment follow it up .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 23:16 . : doubtless used here in the Hellenistic sense of chastise, scourge a mild name for an ugly thing. The policy of the proposal Euthy. thus explains: “a moderate flagellation ( ) to mitigate their wrath, that thinking they had gained their point they might cease from further madness”. A weak, futile policy. “Hic coepit nimium concedere” (Bengel). Fanaticism grows by concession (Schanz).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

I will, &c. Probably with his own hands (Compare Luk 23:22. Mat 27:26. Mar 15:15) instead of crucifying Him; with the view of releasing Him.

chastise. Compare Isa 53:5.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

16.] Hic cpit nimium concedere Pilatus, Bengel. If there be no fault in Him, why should He be corrected at all?-the Jews perceive their advantage, and from this moment follow it up.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Luk 23:16. ) Having chastised, viz. with scourging. A Meiosis [i.e. the term is a softer expression than what Pilate really meant]. At this point Pilate began to concede more than he ought.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Isa 53:5, Mat 27:26, Mar 15:15, Joh 19:1-4, Act 5:40, Act 5:41

Reciprocal: Mat 27:15 – General Mar 15:6 – General Luk 23:22 – I will Act 3:13 – whom

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

6

It was customary to chastise all prisbners before being released, regardless of whether they were considered “guilty as charged,” or not.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Luk 23:16. I will therefore chastise him. Pilate ought to have said: I will release without any punishment. His want of moral earnestness now appears. This was a concession, and an illegal one, since he declares Jesus to be innocent. This first wrong step was the decisive one, since the Jews understood how to follow up the advantage thus given them. If he was willing to chastise Jesus illegally, why could he not be forced to crucify Him. This proposition of Pilate was repeated (Luk 23:22), but Luke does not mention the fact of the scourging. See on that fact, Mat 27:26; Joh 19:1.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

23:16 {5} I will therefore chastise him, and release [him].

(5) The wisdom of the flesh is to choose the lesser of two evils, but God curses such plans.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Pilate evidently punished Jesus because He had caused Pilate trouble and as a concession to the Jewish leaders. This is clearer in the Greek text than in most English versions. "Punish" (Gr. paideusas) is probably a participle that modifies the main verb "release" (Gr. apolyso). Luke presented Pilate as wanting to give Jesus a light reprimand and then release Him. This is one of several indications in Luke’s Gospel that the writer wanted his Gentile readers to view Christianity favorably. This desire comes through at several places in Acts too. The flogging (Gr. phragellosas, Mat 27:26; Mar 15:15) that Jesus received before His crucifixion was much more severe than the scourging (Gr. paideusas) that Pilate referred to here. Pilate had no idea of crucifying Jesus now.

"The suggestion that Jesus should be chastised before being released strikes us as curious. If He was innocent, He should have been released without further ado. But in Roman law a light beating was sometimes given together with a magisterial warning, so that an accused might take greater care for the future." [Note: Morris, p. 322.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)