And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
they.
Luke 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,
Psalm 2:1,2 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? …
Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
communed.
Matthew 12:14,15 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him…
Matthew 21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
John 7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.
and began to discuss with one another
This phrase indicates a shift from internal anger to external plotting. The scribes and Pharisees' discussions were likely secretive and strategic, aiming to find a way to undermine Jesus' influence. This behavior is consistent with their previous attempts to trap Jesus in His words (Luke 11:53-54). The use of "discuss" suggests a calculated effort to devise a plan, reflecting their desperation to maintain their authority and the status quo.
what they might do to Jesus
The phrase implies a premeditated intent to harm or discredit Jesus. This plotting foreshadows the eventual conspiracy to arrest and crucify Him (John 11:53). Their discussions were not merely about silencing Jesus but eliminating Him as a threat. This aligns with the broader narrative of the Gospels, where religious leaders consistently oppose Jesus, culminating in His crucifixion. Theologically, this opposition fulfills Old Testament prophecies about the suffering Messiah (Isaiah 53:3-5) and highlights the spiritual blindness of those who reject Him.
The verse opens by spotlighting the religious leaders who had just witnessed Jesus heal the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.
• Scribes copied, taught, and interpreted the Law; Pharisees were lay leaders zealous for ritual purity (Luke 5:17; Matthew 23:13).
• They were guardians of tradition, yet their hearts were often closed to the very Messiah the Scriptures proclaimed (Isaiah 29:13; John 5:39-40).
• Their presence in the synagogue shows they were tracking Jesus closely, not to learn, but to critique (Luke 11:53-54).
Instead of rejoicing over a miraculous healing, they erupted in fury.
• Luke uses the vivid phrase “filled with rage,” revealing sin’s power to twist even good news into a perceived threat (Acts 7:54; James 1:20).
• Their anger sprang from:
– Jealousy over Jesus’ growing influence (John 12:19).
– Fear that His authority exposed their hypocrisy (Luke 11:45-47).
– Offense that He violated their Sabbath traditions while upholding the true intent of the Law (Mark 2:27-28).
• The contrast is stark: the man’s hand is restored, yet their hearts harden (Mark 3:5).
Fury quickly turns to plotting.
• “Discuss” suggests a deliberate, ongoing strategy session (Psalm 2:1-3).
• Evil often advances through whispered agreements (Proverbs 26:24-26).
• Their collaboration shows how opposition to Christ unites unlikely partners—later they even ally with the Herodians (Mark 3:6).
Their conversation centers not on truth but on eliminating the Truth incarnate.
• Earlier hints of hostility (Luke 4:28-30) now harden into intent to destroy (John 5:18).
• This moment foreshadows the escalating plot:
– Luke 19:47—“the chief priests and scribes…were trying to kill Him.”
– Luke 22:2—“the chief priests and scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death.”
• Yet every scheme only advances God’s redemptive plan (Acts 2:23; Genesis 50:20).
Luke 6:11 exposes the tragic irony of religious leaders enraged by a merciful miracle. Their fury reveals hardened hearts threatened by Jesus’ authority and compassion. Instead of repenting, they consult together, launching the long conspiracy that will culminate at the cross. The verse warns believers against letting pride and tradition blind us to God’s work, and it testifies that even human rage cannot thwart the sovereign purpose of Christ’s saving mission.
(11) They were filled with madness.--The expression is peculiar to St. Luke's report.Communed one with another.--It seems singular that Luke, who in other respects seems to have had so many points of contact with people connected with the Herods (see Introduction), should have omitted the fact which St. Mark records, that it was with the Herodians that the Pharisees took counsel. Possibly, however, his very acquaintance with the men so named may have made him reluctant to give a special prominence to the part they had taken against the Christ. St. Mark, it will be remembered, says that they "took counsel" (or, held a council) that they might destroy Him.
Verse 11. - And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus. The storm was already gathering. From this time we gather from the words of SS. Matthew and Mark, that in the minds of others as well as in the mind of Jesus, the thought of his death was ever present. The thought-leaders of the Jews - the men whose position was secured as long as the rabbinic teaching held sway in the hearts of the people, but no longer - from this hour resolved upon the death of that strange mighty Reformer. He was, said they, an impostor, a fanatic; one who led men's minds astray. Had they no doubts, we ask; no qualms of conscience, no deep searchings of heart? Were these great ones of earth really persuaded that he was a deceiver?