Luke 23:3

23:3 You have said it: This is the same vague answer that Jesus gave to the high council (22:70), emphasizing Jesus’ acceptance of the title “king of the Jews” but suggesting that Pilate’s understanding of the title was different from his own.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 23:3 . σὺ εἶ , etc.: Pilate’s question exactly as in Mt. and Mk. σὺ λέγεις : this reply needs some such explanation as is given in John; vide notes on Mt.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(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.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Gill on Mat 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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

See the notes at Mat 27:11.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? Pilate then went again into his judgment-hall, where he had left Jesus, but before going back he could not resist addressing an ironical word to the accusing Jews: "Take ye him, and judge him according to your Law", (Joh_18:31) to which the Sanhedrists replied that they were not allowed to put any man to death, thus publicly confessing the state of comparative impotence to which they were now reduced, and also revealing their deadly purpose in the case of Jesus. Pilate, having gone into the judgment-hall again, proceeds to interrogate Jesus. The first two accusations he passes over, seeing clearly that they were baseless. The third, however, struck him. Art thou, poor, friendless, powerless Man, the King I have been hearing about? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. St. Luke gives only this bare summary of the examination, in which the prisoner Jesus simply replies "Yes," he was the King. St. John (Joh_18:33-38) gives us a more full and detailed account. It is more than probable that John was present during the interrogatory. In the sublime answers of the Lord, his words explanatory of the nature of his kingdom, which "is not of this world," struck Pilate and decided him to give the reply we find in the next verse.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pilate asked him

"Pilate asked Jesus"

You say so

Possible meanings are 1) by saying this, Jesus implied that he is the King of the Jews. AT: "Yes, as you said, I am" or "Yes. It is as you said" or 2) by saying this, Jesus was saying that Pilate, not Jesus, was the one calling him the King of the Jews. AT: "You yourself have said so" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

multitudes

large groups of people

I find no fault in this man

"I do not find this man guilty of anything"

stirs up

"causes trouble among"

all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place

This can be translated as a new sentence. AT: "all Judea. He began causing trouble in Galilee and now is causing trouble here"

translationWords

Pilate

King of the Jews

chief priests

Judea

Galilee

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

3. σὺ εἶ κ.τ.λ. 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 (id. Luk 23:34), and that Pilate was now questioning Him at a private examination.

σὺ λέγεις. See on Luk 22:70. For a fuller account of the scene read Joh 18:33-38. It is alluded to in 1Ti 6:13.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 ver. 4—which John completely explains.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. Σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἱουδαίων; All four record this question, and in exactly these words. The pronoun is emphatic, implying that His appearance was very much against such a claim.

Σὺ λέγεις. Like the reply in 22:70, this is probably not interrogative. It condenses a conversation given at greater length by Jn., without whose narrative that of the three is scarcely intelligible. It would be extraordinary that Pilate should simply hear that Jesus admitted that He claimed to be King of the Jews, and at once declare, “I find no fault in this man.” But a conversation with Jesus had convinced Pilate that He was a harmless enthusiast. He did not claim to be a king in the ordinary sense.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.