Mark 12:13 Meaning and Explanation
“And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The leaders send Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in his words.
What Does Mark 12:13 Mean?
Unable to arrest him openly, the authorities turn to entrapment. Pharisees and Herodians were unlikely partners -- one party resented Rome's grip on Israel, the other prospered under Rome's client rulers -- but shared opposition to Jesus had united them once before (Mark 3:6).
The word for "catch" pictures a hunter snaring game: the question they carry is bait, not honest inquiry. Jesus faced not only open hostility but carefully engineered conversations designed to destroy him, and he met them with unhurried wisdom. It is a quiet comfort that the Lord cannot be maneuvered; no trap of words ever closed on him, and no answer he gave ever needed retracting.
Mark 12:13 in the Original Language
agreuo (ἀγρεύω), 'catch' -- to snare or trap, as a hunter takes prey.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 12:13
What does Mark 12:13 mean?
The leaders send Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in his words.