A.T. Robertson Commentary Matthew 12:14

"But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against him, how they might destroy him." — Matthew 12:14 (ASV)

Took counsel against him (συμβουλιον ελαβον κατ' αυτου). An imitation of the Latin

concilium capere and found in papyri of the second century A.D. (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 238.) This incident marks a crisis in the hatred of the Pharisees toward Jesus. They bolted out of the synagogue and actually conspired with their hated rivals, the Herodians, how to put Jesus to death (Matthew 12:14; Luke 6:11). By "destroy" (απολεσωσιν) they meant "kill."