Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 23:13

"And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people," — Luke 23:13 (ASV)

Once again Pilate protests Jesus’ innocence, this time in front of the people as well. Luke seems to be making a significant point by mentioning their presence. Throughout his gospel, Luke has been careful to distinguish the “people” (GK 3295) from the “crowd” (GK 4063). The people appear again in v.27, following Jesus to the place of crucifixion, and then in v.35, watching Jesus die. Once more (24:19) Luke mentions them as witnesses of Jesus’ mighty works. At their first mention in Acts, Luke refers to the “people” as approving the young Jerusalem church (2:47).

In order to placate the Jewish leaders Pilate (knowing Jesus’ innocence) offered to scourge Jesus and then to release him. As a Roman official, he wanted to treat Jesus as fairly as possible. This would fit in with one of Luke’s apparent goals in writing the gospel and Acts—namely, to show that Christianity deserved to be favorably treated by Rome.