Luke 23:5-7

The continuing protestations of the Sanhedrin members led Pilate to send Jesus to Herod for examination. He probably did this to placate the Jewish leaders and to satisfy himself that he had not overlooked something in Jesus’ case that might merit punishment. Perhaps Herod Antipas had evidence of Jesus’ alleged insurrectionist activity in Galilee. Herod had a longer and more thorough acquaintance with Jewish affairs than Pilate did, and he was Semitic. Herod was evidently in Jerusalem for the same reasons Pilate was. Pilate’s intention was evidently not to pass Jesus off to Herod and so relieve himself of his own responsibility but to secure Herod’s counsel in Jesus’ case (cf. Luke 23:7; Luke 23:11).