Luke 23:2

We found A word intended to excite prejudice.

perverting the nation The technical Jewish name for an offender of this sort was Mesith,-seducer" or -impostor," Acts 13:8-10. This was their firsthead of indictment, and had the advantage of being perfectly vague.

forbidding to give tribute to Cesar This was a complete falsehood; but a politicalaccusation was necessary for their purpose, since a heathen would not have listened to any religious accusation. The mixture of religion with politics is always perilous to truth and sincerity. This was their secondcharge.

that he himself is Christ a King The word -King" is an explanation to bring the case under the head of treason. Yet they must have been well aware that this charge was all the more false in spirit from being true in the letter; for Christ had always refused and prevented every effort to make Him a temporal king (John 6:15). This was their third charge.