12:13 Then 4 they sent some of the Pharisees 5 and Herodians 6 to trap him with his own words. 7
1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 tn Grk “was giving them orders, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
3 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
5 sn See the note on Pharisees in 2:16.
6 sn Pharisees and Herodians made a very interesting alliance. W. W. Wessel (“Mark,” EBC 8:733) comments: “The Herodians were as obnoxious to the Pharisees on political grounds as the Sadducees were on theological grounds. Yet the two groups united in their opposition to Jesus. Collaboration in wickedness, as well as goodness, has great power. Their purpose was to trip Jesus up in his words so that he would lose the support of the people, leaving the way open for them to destroy him.” See also the note on “Herodians” in Mark 3:6.
7 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
8 sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some
9 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
10 tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”