Luke 23:22

And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:13-25 The fear of man brings many into this snare, that they will do an unjust thing, against their consciences, rather than get into trouble. Pilate declares Jesus innocent, and has a mind to release him; yet, to please the people, he would punish him as an evil-doer. If no fault be found in him, why chastise him? Pilate yielded at length; he had not courage to go against so strong a stream. He delivered Jesus to their will, to be crucified.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 27:20-23.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Lu 23:13-38. Jesus Again before Pilate—Delivered Up—Led Away to Be Crucified.

(See on [1736]Mr 15:6-15; and [1737]Joh 19:2-17).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 23:1"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he said unto them the third time,.... After Christ had been sent back to him from Herod; for he had declared before he had sent him to him, that he found no fault in him, John 18:38.

Why, what evil hath he done? what capital crime has he committed? is he guilty of murder? or sedition? or blasphemy? or robbery, and theft? or any other enormous a crime?

I have found no cause of death in him; why he should be put to death at all; and much less to this shameful and painful death of the cross, which was the punishment of slaves, and of the vilest of men, which they were desirous of:

I will therefore chastise him, and let him go; this he said, not as if he was determined to do it, whether they liked it, or not; but as signifying what he willed, or chose, and hoped they would be contented with, that he should be scourged, or beaten, and dismissed, as he at first proposed.

Geneva Study Bible

{6} And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go.

(6) Christ is acquitted the third time before he is condemned, so that it might appear that it was for our sins that were condemned in him.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 23:22. τρίτον: third and final attempt, showing some measure of earnestness on Pilate’s part.—τί γὰρ κακόν: the γὰρ answers to the hostile mood of the people = I cannot respond to your demand for, etc.; the “why, what evil,” etc., of the A.V[196] is a happy rendering. In this final appeal, Pilate states most distinctly his opinion that Jesus is innocent.

[196] Authorised Version.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. the third time] We can only obtain from all the four Evangelists, and especially from St John, a full conception of the earnestness with which Pilate strove to escape from the necessity of what he felt to be a needless crime. If he was not, as Tertullian says, “jam pro conscientiasua Christianas” he was evidently deeply impressed; and the impossibility of doing right must have come upon him as a terrible Nemesis for his past sins. It is very noteworthy that he took step after step to secure the acquittal of Jesus. 1. He emphatically and publicly announced His perfect innocence. 2. He sent Him to Herod. 3. He made an offer to release Him as a boon. 4. He tried to make scourging take the place of crucifixion. 5. He appealed to compassion. St John shews still more clearly how in successive stages of the trial he sets aside, i. the vague general charge of being “an evil doer” (Luke 18:30); ii. of being in any seditious sense “a king” (Luke 18:39); iii. of any guilt in His religious claims (Luke 19:12). He only yields at last through fear (Luke 19:12), which makes him release a man guilty of the very crime for which he delivers Jesus to a slave’s death. The fact that Pilate’s patron Sejanus had probably by this time fallen, and that Tiberius was executing all connected with him, may have enhanced Pilate’s fears. He knew that an accusation of High Treason (under the Lex Majestatis) was generally fatal (Tac. Ann. iii. 38. Suet. Tib. 58). All this, with other phases of these last scenes, will be found fully brought out in my Life of Christ, II. pp. 360-391.

Bengel's Gnomen

[22. Οὗτος, this man) By this expression Jesus is put in contradistinction to Barabbas the robber.—V. g.]

Luke 23:22

Vincent's Word Studies

Said (εἶπεν)

Dropping the speech-making tone, and simply asking a question.