Luke 23:12

And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: for before they were at enmity between themselves.

Cause of the enmity is not known, but it is commonly believed to have been Pilate's slaying of the Galileans mentioned in Luke 13:1-2. It was Pilate's civility and deference to Herod which healed the breach.[7]

It has often been noted that old enemies often become friends when there is a common opportunity to wound the Lord in the person of his followers.

In this whole episode, Herod appears as the most contemptible. Hobbs agreed that "In all this horrible picture, no figure appears so ignominious as Herod."[8]

Before leaving this unit of teaching, attention should be directed to the slander that this episode "was included as part of (Luke's) attempt to remove responsibility for the death of Jesus from the Roman authorities."[9] Not only is there no such attempt in this paragraph, nor in the whole New Testament, to do such a thing; but, on the other hand, the culpability, dastardly cowardice, unfeeling injustice, and utter incompetence of Pilate are overwhelmingly evident throughout the chapter.

THE SECOND TRIAL BEFORE PILATE

The six trials of Jesus were: before Annas, before Caiaphas, before the Sanhedrin at daybreak, before Pilate, before Herod, and again before Pilate. Some twenty pages of comment regarding these six trials are given in my Commentary on Matthew, Matthew 26:57ff. The trial here is the last of the six.

[7] Charles L. Childers, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1964), p. 605.

[8] Herschel H. Hobbs, An Exposition of the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1966), p. 328.

[9] E. J. Tinsley, op. cit., p. 198.