Luke 23:7

Herod’s jurisdiction. That is, Galilee and Peraea (see pp. 46, 64; see on Luke 3:1).

Sent him to Herod. Pilate was faced with a dilemma. He was fully convinced of Jesus’ innocence and had publicly announced his decision to this effect. His own determination to release Jesus was exceeded only by the determination of the Jewish authorities to have the Saviour crucified. During Pilate’s past tenure of about five years as procurator of Judea (which then included Samaria), he had made himself most unpopular with the Jews, and he feared that to displease them further would endanger his office. He knew well the treachery of some of the Jewish leaders. He knew also that their hatred of Jesus was due to malice alone. Pilate therefore must have felt that he was cutting the Gordian knot by sending Jesus to Herod, hoping thereby to maintain the good will of the Jewish authorities and at the same time evade responsibility for the death of one who was obviously innocent.

At Jerusalem. Though half Idumaean and half Samaritan (see p. 64; The Hasmonaeans and the Herods), Herod Antipas professed close adherence to the Jewish faith (see p. 33), and had no doubt come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover. This does not mean that he was, in any sense, a devout Jew, but simply that he maintained the forms of religion as a matter of political expediency. While in Jerusalem, Herod probably stayed in the palace of the Hasmonaeans, the location of which is uncertain (see Jerusalem in Time of Christ).