Luke 6:11

Madness. Gr. anoia, literally, “a lack of sense,” from a, a negative prefix, and nous, “mind”; hence, “senseless rage.” These men were “out of their heads.” From the point of view of the Pharisees this was at least the fifth offense of Jesus against rabbinical law since the beginning of His Galilean ministry (see on Mark 2:24). His enemies were filled with fury; their rage was akin to insanity. The same spirit that possessed the demoniac (see Additional Note on Mark 1) was hardening their hearts.

Communed. They were no longer able to contain themselves, and their anger boiled over as they began discussing what to do about the situation. Their dilemma lay in the fact that Jesus had clearly enunciated a principle they could not deny, and that the people sided with Jesus. According to the account in Mark, it appears that they could not even wait for the close of the service, but stepped outside before the assembly disbanded, to discuss the matter (see on ch. 3:6).

What they might do. Earlier, in the spring of the same year, A.D. 29, the Sanhedrin had determined to take Jesus’ life and had set spies to follow Him and to report all that He said and did (see DA 213; John 5:18; see on Mark 2:6). The decision had already been made, and it remained only a question as to how they might accomplish the deed with a semblance of legality. The reactions of the people and of their leaders were strikingly opposite. The envy, malice, and hatred of the scribes and Pharisees rose in direct proportion to the swelling tide of popularity that met Christ’s labors in Galilee. Sensing imminent danger, His mother and brethren, a little later, urged Him to discontinue His ministry because of the opposition it aroused (see on Matt. 12:46).