The more fierce - The more urgent and pressing. They saw that there was a prospect of losing their cause, and they attempted to press on Pilate the point that would be most likely now to affect him. Pilate had, in fact, acquitted him of the charge of being an enemy to Caesar, and they, therefore, urged the other point more vehemently.

Stirreth up the people - Excites them to tumult and sedition.

All Jewry - All Judea.

From Galilee to this place - To Jerusalem - that is, throughout the whole country. It is not merely in one place, but from one end of the land to the other.

Saying, He stirreth up the people, etc. - In the Codex Colbertinus, a copy of the ancient Itala or Antehieronymian version, this verse stands thus: He stirreth up the people, beginning from Galilee, and teaching through all Judea unto this place; our wives and our children he hath rendered averse from us, and he is not baptized as we are. As the Jews found that their charge of sedition was deemed frivolous by Pilate, they changed it, and brought a charge equally false and groundless against his doctrine.

And they were the more fierce,.... Or urgent to have him put to death; so the Hebrew word is rendered in Exodus 12:33 which answers to that here used. "They cried out", as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read; they were more clamorous and noisy; they cried out louder, and exerted themselves with great fury and violence, and added strength to their clamour, and increased their charges:

saying, he stirreth up the people; to sedition and rebellion:

teaching throughout all Jewry; or "Judea"; not in one, or a few places only, but every where:

beginning from Galilee; where indeed our Lord did begin his ministry, and where he chiefly taught; see Matthew 4:12 and which they rather chose to mention, because that the Galilaeans were reckoned a seditious people, and had been drawn into rebellion, and had suffered for it; see Acts 5:37

to this place; the city of Jerusalem, the metropolis of the nation; suggesting, that he taught seditious principles not only in Galilee, but all the way from thence throughout Judea, and even in their chief city, and had drawn many disciples after him every where; so that it was a notorious case, as well as of great consequence, and much danger, and ought not to be trifled with.

Were the more fierce (ἐπίσχυον)

Only here in New Testament. The verb means, literally, to grow strong. See on Luke 14:30; and Luke 16:3. Here the sense is, they were more energetic and emphatic. Rev., urgent. Wyc., waxed stronger.

Stirreth up (ἀνασείει)

See on Mark 15:11. The increased urgency is shown by the use of a stronger word than perverteth (Luke 23:2).

And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

23:5 He stirreth up the people, beginning from Galilee - Probably they mentioned Galilee to alarm Pilate, because the Galileans were notorious for sedition and rebellion.

23:1-5 Pilate well understood the difference between armed forces and our Lord's followers. But instead of being softened by Pilate's declaration of his innocence, and considering whether they were not bringing the guilt of innocent blood upon themselves, the Jews were the more angry. The Lord brings his designs to a glorious end, even by means of those who follow the devices of their own hearts. Thus all parties joined, so as to prove the innocence of Jesus, who was the atoning sacrifice for our sins.