Mark 12:13

Mark 12:13, in plain English

The leaders sent a tag team — Pharisees and supporters of Herod — two groups that normally disagreed on everything, united by their desire to trap Jesus.

Why it's here

This unlikely alliance shows how threatening Jesus was to the power structures. People who were usually rivals came together because they both felt threatened.

Who's speaking

Mark describes the new delegation sent to challenge Jesus.

Where it sits in the story

When very different people team up to take you down, you know you're shaking things up. Jesus had disrupted the status quo so thoroughly that old enemies became allies.

The scholarly reading

The coalition of Pharisees and Herodians — typically opposing factions — unites specifically to entrap Jesus, demonstrating that shared hostility creates unlikely political alliances.

Language and setting

Pharisees opposed Roman occupation while Herodians supported Herod's dynasty and Roman collaboration; their joint mission signals the breadth of opposition Jesus faced.

Voice

Mark narrates the deployment of a new group to confront Jesus.

Significance

The religious leaders escalate their strategy by sending a bipartisan delegation designed to trap Jesus on the politically explosive question of Roman taxation.

11This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

12At this, the leaders sought to arrest Jesus, for they knew that He had spoken this parable against them. But fearing the crowd, they left Him and went away.

13Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.

14“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”

15But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.”

Read all of Mark 12 — Trick questions from every direction, a scribe who almost gets it, and a poor widow who gives everything — two small coins that outweigh them all.