Mark 12:13 Commentary and Bible Study

Following the question about his authority (Matthew 11:27), there is a second question. It amounts to this: is your allegiance to God or Caesar? The chief priests and Pharisees want him destroyed and out of the way, but they cannot accomplish this themselves; they cannot effect the death sentence. They are an occupied country and only the Roman overlords, the Roman power can put anyone to death, and so they try to find a way to get him to commit treason against Caesar. They have just listened to the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, and they realise it is spoken against them. Luke describes their plotting: ‘And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor’ (Luke 20:20).‘And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees.’ noticed the language – ‘certain of the Pharisees.’ There were a specially selected group of Pharisees. Matthew tells us that they were the disciples of the Pharisees. This is real cunning! The Pharisees said, ‘We've got a question that he cannot answer without alienating all the people, or alienating the Roman authorities. But we will ask our question in a subtle way. We will send students to ask him, disciples of the Pharisees, then perhaps his guard will be down.’ So a group of students were briefed to ask this question. They go to Christ; they are learners; they are younger men. Everyone wants to help the students, the young men, and if they come with questions, you don't suspect them of simply wanting to trip you up. You will answer them in good faith. These students will put their blockbuster question. But not only students of the Pharisees: Herodians also. They were really a group of politicians. They were people who fiercely supported the Roman occupation. They had nothing in common with the Pharisees. They were usually looking at each other over smoking gun barrels, hostile to each other. But in opposing Christ, they find common cause, something that overcame their traditional enmity to each other. The Herodians were all in favour of the rule of King Herod Antipas. They believed in the poll-tax of the Romans, and Roman authority. They thought the Jewish Council in Israel was a waste of time; they wanted total Roman authority. So it's the Pharisees and Herodians who come together to catch in him in his words.