Mark 3:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

NIV: Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

NASB: The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might put Him to death.

CSB: Immediately the Pharisees went out and started plotting with the Herodians against him, how they might kill him.

NLT: At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

KJV: And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

NKJV: Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

This is the first mention of the Herodians in the book of Mark. The Herods are a Jewish family who have received authority from the Roman occupiers to rule over Judea and Galilee. Herod the Great tried to kill Jesus shortly after His birth (Matthew 2:1–12). His kingdom was later split into four sections, and his son, Herod Antipas, rules over Galilee and nearby territories at the time of this story.

The Herodians' alliance with the Pharisees is interesting. Philosophically, they have nothing in common. The Pharisees concentrate on obeying the Mosaic Law in hopes the Messiah will arrive and free Israel from Rome. The Herodians have absolutely no formal connection to the temple or religion. Their primary concern, and loyalty, is to the king and Rome's rule over Israel.

Differences aside, the Pharisees know how to use the Herodians to get what they want. Herod has legal authority to execute a criminal in certain cases; the Pharisees don't. The Roman government is very sensitive to rumors of rebellion by the Jews. The Maccabean Revolt had gained Israel independence, for a time, in 166 BC. The ancient historian Josephus also wrote about a rebellion in Galilee in AD 6 (Acts 5:37). All the Pharisees have to do is paint Jesus as a political threat and the Herodians will take care of the rest, or so they think.

The Pharisees' strategy is sound, although it will take a while to come to fruition. The Roman-appointed governor, Pilate, will be key in Jesus' death. Herod Antipas's son, Herod Agrippa I, will persecute the church in Jerusalem and have James, the brother of John, beheaded (Acts 12:2). But the Pharisees' dependence on Rome will also backfire, and in AD 70, Rome will sack Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and cause the Jews to flee their own homeland.

Mark 3:1–6 relates a story of Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. Continuing from chapter 2, this passage is usually grouped as the last of five events which show Jesus' authority. This incident specifically reinforces His lordship over the Sabbath. At the same time, this event can also be considered the first of five stories about the different reactions people have to Jesus' early ministry, seen in chapter 3. Since the beginning of Jesus' ministry, the Pharisees' antagonism has slowly grown. Now, Jesus' provocative actions push the religious teachers over the edge, and the Pharisees ally with the Herodians to plot Jesus' destruction. Matthew 12:9–14 and Luke 6:6–11 record parallel accounts of these events.

The bulk of chapter 3 deals with how different people react to Jesus' teaching and His assumption of authority. The Pharisees' confusion transitions into plotting. The crowds that continually follow Jesus for healing become more frenetic and dangerous. Jesus' own family, afraid for His sanity, try to pull Him away. But true followers also show themselves. Twelve join together to become a core group, while a slightly bigger crowd, more interested in Jesus' teaching than miracles, earn the honor of being called His true family.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.