This verse is the climax of this whole confrontation section ( Mark 2:1 to Mark 3:6). Faced with the most convincing arguments and actions about Jesus" deity, the Pharisees chose to reject them. Furthermore instead of simply leaving Jesus alone they took steps to kill Him. As the gospel story unfolds, it becomes increasingly clear that Jesus" enemies opposed Him because He constituted a threat to their authority. That motivation is evident here, too, because the Herodians were supporters of Roman authority over Palestine. Together the Pharisees and the Herodians "feared he might be an unsettling political influence in Palestine." [1] These two groups had little in common except their common enemy, Jesus. [source][source][source]
This is Mark"s first explicit reference to Jesus" death. Jesus" enemies had decided to destroy Him. They only needed to plan how. In spite of their objections to Jesus working on the Sabbath, they did not mind plotting His death on that day. His words and works, from their viewpoint, undermined their whole approach to the Law, their piety, and their actions. [source][source][source]
This decision of Jesus" enemies to kill Him constitutes a turning point in Mark"s narrative. It is a benchmark that affected Jesus" ministry from then on. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Mark 3:1-19 - The Lord Of The Sabbath
The ritualist demands the outward, the conventional, the ancient usage of the past. Christ says, "Be natural." The needs of man, whether of body or of soul, are greater than ceremonial restriction. Ceremonies are only expressions of life, and where life is wanting, they are meaningless and void.
The withered hand, Mark 3:1-6. Through long disuse of powers which God has given, but which we have refrained from exercising, degeneration may have set in; Christ, however, bids us exert them again. In so far as we dare to obey, we shall find ourselves able. Dare to speak, or pray, or work, not at the impulse of your nature, but at His bidding, and you will suddenly find yourself given power.
The Apostolate, Mark 2:7-19. On three occasions Christ used the boat as His pulpit, Mark 4:1; Luke 5:3. We must be disciples (learners), before we can be apostles (those sent). As the Father sent the Master, so the Master sends us. Our mission is threefold-to bear Him company, to perform His errands, and to cast out devils. What infinite variety in the apostolic band! The Boanergic group of four; the group of questioners who were sometimes doubters; and the group of practical men, whose business capacity was a snare at least to one. If there was a traitor even amid the Twelve, who can expect to find his fields free from tares? [source]
Chapter Summary: Mark 3
1Jesus heals the withered hand, 10and many other infirmities; 11rebukes the unclean spirit; 13chooses his twelve apostles; 22convinces the blasphemy of casting out demons by Beelzebub; 31and shows who are his brother, sister, and mother
Greek Commentary for Mark 3:6
And straightway with the Herodians took council [ευτυς μετα των ηρωιδιανων] The Pharisees could stand no more. So out they stalked at once in a rage of madness (Luke 6:11) and outside of the synagogue took counsel (συμβουλιον εποιησαν sumboulion epoiēsan) or gave counsel (συμβουλιον εδιδουν sumboulion edidoun as some MSS. have it, imperfect tense, offered counsel as their solution of the problem) with their bitter enemies, the Herodians, on the sabbath day still “how they might destroy him” (οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν hopōs auton apolesōsin), a striking illustration of the alternatives of Jesus a few moments before, “to save life or to kill.” This is the first mention of the Herodians or adherents of Herod Antipas and the Herod family rather than the Romans. The Pharisees would welcome the help of their rivals to destroy Jesus. In the presence of Jesus they unite their forces as in Mark 8:15; Mark 12:13; Matthew 22:16. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 3:6
Matthew 12:14Took counsel against him [συμβουλιον ελαβον κατ αυτου] An imitation of the Latin concilium capere and found in papyri of the second century a.d. (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 238.) This incident marks a crisis in the hatred of the Pharisees toward Jesus. They bolted out of the synagogue and actually conspired with their hated rivals, the Herodians, how to put Jesus to death (Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14; Luke 6:11). By “destroy” (απολεσωσιν apolesōsin) they meant “kill.” [source]
Matthew 15:1From Jerusalem [απο Ιεροσολυμων] Jerusalem is the headquarters of the conspiracy against Jesus with the Pharisees as the leaders in it. Already we have seen the Herodians combining with the Pharisees in the purpose to put Jesus to death (Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14; Luke 6:11). Soon Jesus will warn the disciples against the Sadducees also (Matthew 16:6). Unusual order here, “Pharisees and scribes.” “The guardians of tradition in the capital have their evil eye on Jesus and co-operate with the provincial rigorists” (Bruce), if the Pharisees were not all from Jerusalem. [source]
Matthew 22:16The Herodians [των ερωιδιανων] Not members of Herod‘s family or Herod‘s soldiers, but partisans or followers of Herod. The form in ιανος ̇ianos is a Latin termination like that in Χριστιανος Christianos (Acts 11:26). Mentioned also in Mark 3:6 combining with the Pharisees against Jesus.The person of men (προσωπον αντρωπων prosōpon anthrōpōn). Literally, face of men. Paying regard to appearance is the sin of partiality condemned by James (James 2:1,James 2:9) when προσωπολημπσια προσωπολημπτειν prosōpolēmpsia prosōpolēmptein are used, in imitation of the Hebrew idiom. This suave flattery to Jesus implied “that Jesus was a reckless simpleton” (Bruce). [source]
Mark 11:18Sought how they might destroy him [εζητουν πως αυτον απολεσωσιν] Imperfect indicative, a continuous attitude and endeavour. Note deliberative subjunctive with πως pōs retained in indirect question. Here both Sadducees (chief priests) and Pharisees (scribes) combine in their resentment against the claims of Jesus and in the determination to kill him. Long ago the Pharisees and the Herodians had plotted for his death (Mark 3:6). Now in Jerusalem the climax has come right in the temple. [source]
Mark 12:13That they might catch him in talk [ινα αυτον αγρευσωσιν λογωι] Ingressive aorist subjunctive. The verb is late from αγρα agra (a hunt or catching). It appears in the lxx and papyri. Here alone in the N.T. Luke 20:20 has the same idea, “that they may take hold of his speech” See discussion in Matthew. We have seen the scribes and Pharisees trying to do this very thing before (Luke 11:33.). Mark and Matthew note here the combination of Pharisees and Herodians as Mark did in Mark 3:6. Matthew speaks of “disciples” or pupils of the Pharisees while Luke calls them “spies” (ενκατετους enkathetous). [source]
Mark 8:11And the Pharisees came forth [και εχηλτον οι Παρισαιοι] At once they met Jesus and opened a controversy. Matthew 16:1 adds “and Sadducees,” the first time these two parties appear together against Jesus. See discussion on Matthew 16:1. The Pharisees and Herodians had already joined hands against Jesus in the sabbath controversy (Mark 3:6). They began to question with him Dispute, not mere inquiry, associative instrumental case of αυτοι autoi They began at once and kept it up (present infinitive). [source]
Luke 6:7The scribes and the Pharisees [οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι] Only Luke here though Pharisees named in Matthew 12:14 and Pharisees and Herodians in Mark 3:6. [source]
Luke 6:11Communed [διελαλουν] Luke puts it in a less damaging way than Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14. This aorist optative with αν an is the deliberative question like that in Acts 17:18 retained in the indirect form here. Perhaps Luke means, not that they were undecided about killing Jesus, but only as to the best way of doing it. Already nearly two years before the end we see the set determination to destroy Jesus. We see it here in Galilee. We have already seen it at the feast in Jerusalem (John 5:18) where “the Jews sought the more to kill him.” John and the Synoptics are in perfect agreement as to the Pharisaic attitude toward Jesus. [source]
Luke 6:11What they might do to Jesus [τι αν ποιησαιεν Ιησου] Luke puts it in a less damaging way than Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14. This aorist optative with αν an is the deliberative question like that in Acts 17:18 retained in the indirect form here. Perhaps Luke means, not that they were undecided about killing Jesus, but only as to the best way of doing it. Already nearly two years before the end we see the set determination to destroy Jesus. We see it here in Galilee. We have already seen it at the feast in Jerusalem (John 5:18) where “the Jews sought the more to kill him.” John and the Synoptics are in perfect agreement as to the Pharisaic attitude toward Jesus. [source]
What do the individual words in Mark 3:6 mean?
Andhaving gone outthePhariseesimmediatelywiththeHerodianscounselbegan to takeagainstHimhowHimthey might destroy
Greek Commentary for Mark 3:6
The Pharisees could stand no more. So out they stalked at once in a rage of madness (Luke 6:11) and outside of the synagogue took counsel (συμβουλιον εποιησαν sumboulion epoiēsan) or gave counsel (συμβουλιον εδιδουν sumboulion edidoun as some MSS. have it, imperfect tense, offered counsel as their solution of the problem) with their bitter enemies, the Herodians, on the sabbath day still “how they might destroy him” (οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν hopōs auton apolesōsin), a striking illustration of the alternatives of Jesus a few moments before, “to save life or to kill.” This is the first mention of the Herodians or adherents of Herod Antipas and the Herod family rather than the Romans. The Pharisees would welcome the help of their rivals to destroy Jesus. In the presence of Jesus they unite their forces as in Mark 8:15; Mark 12:13; Matthew 22:16. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 3:6
An imitation of the Latin concilium capere and found in papyri of the second century a.d. (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 238.) This incident marks a crisis in the hatred of the Pharisees toward Jesus. They bolted out of the synagogue and actually conspired with their hated rivals, the Herodians, how to put Jesus to death (Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14; Luke 6:11). By “destroy” (απολεσωσιν apolesōsin) they meant “kill.” [source]
Jerusalem is the headquarters of the conspiracy against Jesus with the Pharisees as the leaders in it. Already we have seen the Herodians combining with the Pharisees in the purpose to put Jesus to death (Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14; Luke 6:11). Soon Jesus will warn the disciples against the Sadducees also (Matthew 16:6). Unusual order here, “Pharisees and scribes.” “The guardians of tradition in the capital have their evil eye on Jesus and co-operate with the provincial rigorists” (Bruce), if the Pharisees were not all from Jerusalem. [source]
Not members of Herod‘s family or Herod‘s soldiers, but partisans or followers of Herod. The form in ιανος ̇ianos is a Latin termination like that in Χριστιανος Christianos (Acts 11:26). Mentioned also in Mark 3:6 combining with the Pharisees against Jesus.The person of men (προσωπον αντρωπων prosōpon anthrōpōn). Literally, face of men. Paying regard to appearance is the sin of partiality condemned by James (James 2:1, James 2:9) when προσωπολημπσια προσωπολημπτειν prosōpolēmpsia prosōpolēmptein are used, in imitation of the Hebrew idiom. This suave flattery to Jesus implied “that Jesus was a reckless simpleton” (Bruce). [source]
Imperfect indicative, a continuous attitude and endeavour. Note deliberative subjunctive with πως pōs retained in indirect question. Here both Sadducees (chief priests) and Pharisees (scribes) combine in their resentment against the claims of Jesus and in the determination to kill him. Long ago the Pharisees and the Herodians had plotted for his death (Mark 3:6). Now in Jerusalem the climax has come right in the temple. [source]
Ingressive aorist subjunctive. The verb is late from αγρα agra (a hunt or catching). It appears in the lxx and papyri. Here alone in the N.T. Luke 20:20 has the same idea, “that they may take hold of his speech” See discussion in Matthew. We have seen the scribes and Pharisees trying to do this very thing before (Luke 11:33.). Mark and Matthew note here the combination of Pharisees and Herodians as Mark did in Mark 3:6. Matthew speaks of “disciples” or pupils of the Pharisees while Luke calls them “spies” (ενκατετους enkathetous). [source]
At once they met Jesus and opened a controversy. Matthew 16:1 adds “and Sadducees,” the first time these two parties appear together against Jesus. See discussion on Matthew 16:1. The Pharisees and Herodians had already joined hands against Jesus in the sabbath controversy (Mark 3:6). They began to question with him Dispute, not mere inquiry, associative instrumental case of αυτοι autoi They began at once and kept it up (present infinitive). [source]
Only Luke here though Pharisees named in Matthew 12:14 and Pharisees and Herodians in Mark 3:6. [source]
Luke puts it in a less damaging way than Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14. This aorist optative with αν an is the deliberative question like that in Acts 17:18 retained in the indirect form here. Perhaps Luke means, not that they were undecided about killing Jesus, but only as to the best way of doing it. Already nearly two years before the end we see the set determination to destroy Jesus. We see it here in Galilee. We have already seen it at the feast in Jerusalem (John 5:18) where “the Jews sought the more to kill him.” John and the Synoptics are in perfect agreement as to the Pharisaic attitude toward Jesus. [source]
Luke puts it in a less damaging way than Mark 3:6; Matthew 12:14. This aorist optative with αν an is the deliberative question like that in Acts 17:18 retained in the indirect form here. Perhaps Luke means, not that they were undecided about killing Jesus, but only as to the best way of doing it. Already nearly two years before the end we see the set determination to destroy Jesus. We see it here in Galilee. We have already seen it at the feast in Jerusalem (John 5:18) where “the Jews sought the more to kill him.” John and the Synoptics are in perfect agreement as to the Pharisaic attitude toward Jesus. [source]