Mark 3:6
in Mark 3At this, the Pharisees went out and began plotting with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the Pharisees went out, and straightway with the Herodians took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
KJV
And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
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This verse in Mark 3
Commentary
11 notes on this verseBut the Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. He refers to the Herodians as the ministers of Herod the tetrarch, who, on account of the enmity which their lord exercised against John, also plotted against …
This site's exposition
he had looked round about on them with anger
on Mark 3:5-6
Mark alone records Jesus's anger here, paired immediately with grief, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, emotion the other Gospels leave out and this eyewitness account preserves. The healing itself costs no labor and breaks no rule even by the strictest reading, a spoken word and a stretched hand, yet it is enough to move the Pharisees to conspire with the Herodians, a political faction they would ordinarily have nothing to do with. The bench reads the unlikely alliance as the measure of how far the opposition has already hardened, common cause against Jesus now outweighing standing political and religious differences.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church4 voices
Morally again, the Herodians, that is, persons who love the lusts of the flesh, wish to slay Christ. For the meaning of Herod is, 'of skin.' (pelliceus. v. Hier. de Nom. Hebr)
(in Marc. i. 15) The Pharisees, thinking it a crime that at the word of the Lord the hand which was diseased was restored to a sound state, agreed to make a pretext of the words spoken by our Saviour; wherefore it is said, And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. As if every one amongst them did not greater things on the sabbath day, carrying food, reaching forth a cup, and whatever else is necessary for meals. Neither could He, Who said and it was done, be convicted of toiling on the sabbath day. (ubi sup.) Or else he calls Herodians the servants of Herod the Tetrarch, who on account of the hatred which their lord had for John, pursued with treachery and hate the Saviour also, Whom John preached.
Who were the Herodians? Either soldiers of Herod, or some new sect that recognized Herod as the Christ, for the reason that under him the succession of Jewish kings came to an end. The prophecy of Jacob determined that when the princes of Judah would …
But the soldiers of Herod the king are called Herodians, because a certain new heresy had sprung up, which asserted that Herod was the Christ. For the prophecy of Jacob intimated, that when the princes of Judah failed, then Christ should come; because therefore in the time of Herod none of the Jewish princes remained, and he, an alien, was the sole ruler, some thought that he was the Christ, and set on foot this heresy. These, therefore, were with the Pharisees trying to kill Christ.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the Pharisees went forth,.... Out of the synagogue, being dreadfully galled with the reasonings of Christ, at the silence and confusion they were put to, and with the miracle he wrought, to the exposing of them, and establishing his own credit: and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him: See Gill on Mat 22:
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Straightway - Immediately, or as soon as possible. Took counsel - Laid a plan. Consulted with them. Literally, “made a consultation.” The Harridans - See the notes at Mat 22:16. How they might destroy him - They hated him, he was so holy; because he reproved them; because he laid open their hypocrisy; and because he won the hearts of the people and lessened their influence. They therefore determined to remove him, if possible, and thus avoid his reproofs. Sinners would often rather put to death the man that reproves them than forsake their sins.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
These verses show us our Lord again working a miracle. He heals a man in the synagogue, "who had a withered hand." Always about His Father's business — always doing good — doing it in the sight of enemies as well as of friends — such was the daily tenor of our Lord's earthly ministry. And He "left us an example that we should follow His steps." (1 Peter 2:21.) Blessed indeed are those Christians who strive, however feebly, to imitate their Master! Let us observe in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was watched by His enemies .
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
These verses show us our Lord again working a miracle. He heals a man in the synagogue, "who had a withered hand." Always about His Father's business — always doing good — doing it in the sight of enemies as well as of friends — such was the daily tenor of our Lord's earthly ministry. And He "left us an example that we should follow His steps." (1 Peter 2:21.) Blessed indeed are those Christians who strive, however feebly, to imitate their Master! Let us observe in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was watched by His enemies . We read that "they watched Him, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse Him." What a melancholy proof we have here of the wickedness of human nature! It was the Sabbath day, when these things happened. It was in the synagogue, where men were assembled to hear the word and worship God. Yet even on the day of God, and at the time of worshiping God, these wretched formalists were plotting mischief against our Lord. The very men who pretended to such strictness and, sanctity in little things, were full of malicious and angry thoughts in the midst of the congregation. (Prov. 5:14.) Christ's people must not expect to fare better than their Master. They are always watched by an ill-natured and spiteful world. Their conduct is scanned with a keen and jealous eye. Their ways are noted and diligently observed. They are marked men. They can do nothing without the world's noticing it. Their dress, their expenditure, their employment of time, their conduct in all the relations of life, are all rigidly and closely marked. Their adversaries wait for their halting, and if at any time they fall into an error, the ungodly rejoice. It is good for all Christians to keep this before their minds. Wherever we go, and whatever we do, let us remember that, like our Master, we are "watched."
Herodians - For an account of these, see the note on Mat 16:1; Mat 22:16.
How the passage was read
On Mark 3:1-6On Mark 3:1-6
A healing that fits no category of work
The tradition held, and holds, that danger to life overrides the Sabbath: “uncertainty concerning a life-threatening situation overrides Shabbat” (Mishnah Yoma 8:6, the principle called pikuach nefesh, “saving a life”). The watchers in the synagogue are not monsters; they stand on a real distinction. A withered hand is chronic, not mortal: on their categories it can wait until sundown. Jesus refuses the wait: “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?”
Notice the halakhic edge the scene itself sharpens: Jesus heals by a word. He performs no act that any category of forbidden labor can name; no kneading, no carrying, no burden. His accusers watch a man stretch out his own hand and are left with nothing to charge but the goodness of the deed and the authority of the doer. That the Pharisees then take counsel “with the Herodians,” the party of Herod Antipas they otherwise had little in common with, shows how far the offense reached beyond law.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Sources: Mishnah Yoma 8:6 (danger to life overrides the Sabbath)
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐξελθόντες | exelthontes | having gone out | G1831 → | 216 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φαρισαῖοι | pharisaioi | Pharisees | G5330 → | 97 times |
| εὐθὺς | euthus | immediately | G2112 → | 87 times |
| μετὰ | meta | with | G3326 → | 461 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἡρῳδιανῶν | herodianon | Herodians | G2265 → | |
| συμβούλιον | sumboulion | counsel | G4824 → | |
| ἐδίδουν | edidoun | were giving | G1325 → | 412 times |
| κατ᾽ | kat᾽ | against | G2596 → | 468 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὅπως | hopos | how | G3704 → | |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀπολέσωσιν.¶ | apolesosin | they may destroy. | G622 → | 90 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐξελθόντεςhaving gone out
exelthontesG1831 →216 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
ΦαρισαῖοιPharisees
pharisaioiG5330 →97 times
εὐθὺςimmediately
euthusG2112 →87 times
μετὰwith
metaG3326 →461 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἩρῳδιανῶνHerodians
herodianonG2265 →
συμβούλιονcounsel
sumboulionG4824 →
ἐδίδουνwere giving
edidounG1325 →412 times
κατ᾽against
kat᾽G2596 →468 times
αὐτοῦHim
autouG846 →5565 times
ὅπωςhow
hoposG3704 →
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἀπολέσωσιν.¶they may destroy.
apolesosinG622 →90 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 22:16They sent their disciples to Him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and that You teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You seek…
it leads to
- Mark 8:15
“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 12:14
“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to…
- Luke 20:21
“Teacher,” they inquired, “we know that You speak and teach correctly. You show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
- Mark 8:15
Through
Mark 12:13Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.
it leads to
- Luke 11:54
waiting to catch Him in something He might say.
- Luke 20:20–26
So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of…
- Luke 11:54
Through
Matthew 12:14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
it leads to
- John 11:53
So from that day on they plotted to kill Him.
- John 10:39
At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.
- John 11:53
Through
Luke 6:11But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with rage and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
it leads to
- Psalms 2:1–2
Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
- Psalms 2:1–2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Mark
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.