And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.
Pharisees.
Psalm 109:3,4 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause…
Matthew 12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Luke 6:11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.
Herodians.
Mark 8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
Mark 12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.
Matthew 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
and began plotting with the Herodians
The Herodians were a political group that supported the Herodian dynasty, which was aligned with Roman rule. Normally, the Pharisees and Herodians were at odds, as the Pharisees opposed Roman influence. Their collaboration against Jesus underscores the threat He posed to both religious and political establishments. This alliance illustrates the extent of their desperation to maintain control and suppress Jesus' influence.
how they might kill Jesus
This phrase marks the beginning of a concerted effort to eliminate Jesus, foreshadowing the eventual crucifixion. It reflects the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the suffering Messiah, such as Isaiah 53. The plot to kill Jesus is a pivotal moment in the Gospel narrative, demonstrating the rejection of Jesus by the religious leaders and setting the stage for His sacrificial death, which is central to Christian theology.
“Immediately He [Jesus] went out with His disciples...” (Matthew 12:14) reminds us that the moment marks a turning point. Up to now, Jesus has been healing, teaching, extending mercy—especially in the synagogue where He restored the man’s withered hand (Mark 3:1-5). That merciful act should have evoked praise, yet it provokes hostility. Here’s why:
• It exposed the hardness of religious hearts (Mark 3:5).
• It revealed that Sabbath regulations had become more precious to the leaders than people (Luke 14:3-6).
• It forced a decision—either follow the Messiah’s authority or resist Him (John 3:19-20).
Leaving the synagogue, the Pharisees step outside both physically and spiritually. Rather than repenting, they retreat into opposition. Similar exits appear when:
• Judas “went out” into the night to betray Jesus (John 13:30).
• The Nazarenes “drove Him out” of their town after His inaugural sermon (Luke 4:28-29).
In each case, walking away from Christ signals hardened unbelief.
A deliberate, calculated conspiracy replaces any semblance of seeking truth. Psalm 2:2 speaks prophetically: “The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One.” Planning evil rather than embracing grace fulfills Isaiah 53:3—“He was despised and rejected by men.”
This unlikely alliance underlines the depth of the Pharisees’ hatred. Normally, Pharisees fiercely opposed Herodian political loyalties. Yet:
• For a common enemy, they put aside differences (Luke 23:12 shows Herod and Pilate doing the same).
• Psalm 83:5 describes similar coalitions formed “against You.”
• Amos 3:3 asks, “Can two walk together without agreeing on the direction?”—here, agreement centers on destroying Jesus.
The verb points to murder, not mere silencing. From early ministry onward, death loomed (John 5:18; John 11:53). But every plot unfolds under divine timetable: “No one takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord” (John 10:18). Their murderous intent sets in motion the redemptive plan foretold in Acts 2:23.
Mark 3:6 records a decisive moment: mercy shines, unbelief hardens. Religious leaders, stung by exposure, unite with political foes to destroy the source of their discomfort—Jesus. Yet their scheming cannot outmaneuver God’s sovereignty; every step hastens the cross where love triumphs over sin and death.
Verse 6. - The Pharisees and the Herodians combine together against the Lord. This was a terrible crisis in his history, or rather in the history of those unbelieving men. They are now in this dilemma: they must either accept his teaching, or they must take steps against him as a sabbath-breaker. But what had he done? The miracle had been wrought by a word only. It would have been difficult, therefore, to have obtained a judgment against him. Therefore they secured some fresh allies. They had already gained to their side some of the disciples of John the Baptist (Mark 2:18), now they associate with themselves the Herodians. This is the first mention that we find made of the Herodians. They were the natural opponents of the Pharisees; but here they seem to have found some common ground of agreement, though it is not very easy to say what it was, in combining against our Lord. But it is no uncommon thing to find coalitions of men, strangely opposed to one another on most points, but united to effect some particular object; and it is easy to see how the purity and spirituality of our Lord and of his doctrine would be opposed, on the one hand, to the ceremonial formality of the Pharisee, and on the other to the worldly and secular spirit of the Herodian.