'Commenced' in the Bible

After He had left the house, the Scribes and Pharisees commenced a vehement attempt to entangle Him and make Him give off-hand answers on numerous points,

But when the Festival was already half over, Jesus went up to the Temple and commenced teaching.

This led us to urge Titus that, as he had previously been the one who commenced the work, so he should now go and complete among you this act of beneficence also.