ISB ~ Mark 12 v13

Pharisees … Herodians:Two opposing groups in NT Palestine. They stand far apart in their political outlook but close together in their opposition to Jesus (3:6). The Pharisees opposed the Roman rule and occupation of Palestine, whereas the Herodians were sympathetic to Rome’s government of Israel through the Herodian dynasty.

See essay:Who Are the Pharisees? at Mk 2.

entrap him:Roman taxation was a sensitive and potentially explosive issue for Jews of the NT period. Jesus’ opponents thus confront him on the tax in order to trap and eliminate him once and for all.

The dilemma they pose appears inescapable:If Jesus agrees with the tax, he will lose credibility with the majority of Jews embittered by Roman rule; if Jesus rejects the tax, he will be reported to the Roman governor for instigating rebellion.