Luke 23:2

Perverting the nation - The Greek word διαστρεφοντα, signifies stirring up to disaffection and rebellion. Many MSS. and versions add ἡμων, Our nation. They intimated that he not only preached corrupt doctrine, but that he endeavored to make them disaffected towards the Roman government, for which they now pretended to feel a strong affection!

Several copies of the Itala add, Destroying our law and prophets. Et solventem legem nostram et prophetas.

Forbidding to give tribute to Caesar - These were the falsest slanders that could be invented. The whole of our Lord's conduct disproved them. And his decision in the case of the question about the lawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar, Matthew 22:21, was so fully known that we find Pilate paid not the least attention to such evidently malicious and unfounded accusations. Neither Christ nor any of his followers, from that day until now, ever forbade the paying tribute to Caesar; that is, constitutional taxes to a lawful prince.

This fellow - The word "fellow" is not in the original. It conveys a notion of "contempt," which no doubt they "felt," but which is not expressed in the "Greek," and which it is not proper should be expressed in the translation. It might be translated, "We found this man."

Perverting the nation - That is, exciting them to sedition and tumults. This was a mere wanton accusation, but it was plausible before a Roman magistrate; for,

1. The Galileans, as Josephus testifies, were prone to seditions and tumults.

2. Jesus drew multitudes after him, and they thought it was easy to show that this was itself promoting tumults and seditions.

Forbidding ... - About their charges they were very cautious and cunning. They did not say that he "taught" that people should not give tribute - that would have been too gross a charge, and would have been easily refuted; but it was an "inference" which they drew. They said it "followed" from his doctrine. He professed to be a king. They "inferred," therefore, if "he" was "a king," that he must hold that it was not right to acknowledge allegiance to any foreign prince; and if they could make "this" out, they supposed that Pilate "must" condemn him of course.

Tribute - Taxes.

Caesar - The Roman emperor, called also Tiberius. The name "Caesar" was common to the Roman emperors, as "Pharaoh" was to the Egyptian kings. "All" the kings of Egypt were called Pharaoh, or "the" Pharaoh; so all the Roman emperors were called "Caesar."