Mark 6:14-29

6. THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 6:14-29

TEXT 6:14-29

And king Herod heard thereof; for his name had become known: and he said, John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him. But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets. But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen. For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous man and a holy, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was much perplexed; and he heard him gladly. And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, and the high captains, and the chief men of Galilee; and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him; and the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat, he would not reject her. And straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard thereof, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 6:14-29

273.

Just who was this Herod? i.e. who was his father?brother?wife? etc.

274.

Why did Herod associate the words of Jesus with John the Baptist?

275.

Was Jesus like Elijah or one of the Old Testament prophets? In what way?

276.

Why did Herod want to see Jesus?

277.

Who was Herod Philip? Who was Herodias?

278.

If Herod's sin was so plainly and publicly condemned by John why did Herod want to see him and hear him?

279.

Was the fear of the popularity of John a factor in Herod's respect for John? Cf. Matthew 14:5.

280.

Who attended the birthday banquet?

281.

Why make such a rash offer?was the dance professional?

282.

Was Herodias behind the dance and its purpose? Why?

283.

Why the urgency in the request for the head of John?

284.

Who beheaded John?

285.

Where did this incident take place?

286.

What do you imagine Salome and Herodias did with the head after it was brought to them?

COMMENT

TIMEWinter of A.D. 29.
PLACESAt Herod's Palace and capital, Tiberias on the Lake of Galileeor at Machaerus the palace-fortress east of the Dead Sea.

PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMatthew 14:1-12.

OUTLINE1. The fear of Herod and of others, Mark 6:14 to Mark 16:2. The imprisonment and its reason, Mark 6:17-18. Mark 6:3. The hatred of Herodias, Mark 6:19-20. Mark 6:4. The dance and the death, Mark 6:21-29.

ANALYSIS

I.

THE FEAR OF HEROD AND OF OTHERS, Mark 6:14-16.

1.

Fear based on what he heard of the miracles of Jesus.

2.

His conscience said, this is John risen from the dead.

3.

Others saidthis is Elijah, or a prophet like the prophets of our fathers.

II.

THE IMPRISONMENT AND ITS REASON, Mark 6:17-18.

1.

John in prison because of the hatred of Herodias.

2.

John had rebuked Herod for his marriage to his brother's wife.

III.

THE HATRED OF HERODIAS, Mark 6:19-20.

1.

A continual desire to kill in the heart of Herodias.

2.

Prevented by the respect of her husband for John.

IV.

THE DANCE AND THE DEATH, Mark 6:21-29.

1.

The time of the dancea birthday supper.

2.

The reward of the dancepromised by an oath.

3.

The mother of death.

4.

A sad departure.

5.

The trophy of lust and hate.

EXPLANATORY NOTES 6:14-29

Mark 6:14. King Herod: King by courtesy only, since Herod was but a Tetrarch, that is, a governor of the fourth part of a kingdom or province. Jesus warned His disciples to beware of Herod, saying: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod (Mark 8:15).

heard: of the fame of Jesus, which the Apostles by their miracles and preaching had helped to spread.

John the Baptist is risen again from the dead. He must have suffered martyrdom during or after the Apostles-' first mission, and before the fourth Passover after our Lord's baptism.

is risen again. Evidently Herod was no Sadducee, who said there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit (Acts 23:8), or his guilty conscience and superstitious fears had obscured his religious belief.

mighty works: miracles. John the Baptist had worked no miracles during his lifetime. And many resorted to him, and they said: John indeed did no sign (John 10:41). Herod seems to have imagined that John the Baptist having risen would necessarily do mighty works.

Mark 6:14-15. In these verses three opinions are given concerning our Lord. He is John the Baptist risen from the dead, or Elijah or another prophet.

It is Elijah. According to the prophecy, Behold 1 will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord (Malachi 4:5). Elijah had not died, but had been taken up to heaven while conversing with Elisha. And as they went on, walking and talking together, behold a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (2 Kings 2:11). There was therefore an expectation among the Jews that Elijah should return to earth as the forerunner of the Messiah. Moses had said, a Prophet should be raised up by God (Deuteronomy 18:15), but this refers to Christ Himself.

Mark 6:16. John whom I beheaded. Herod fears to meet his victim again.

Mark 6:17. Herod. had apprehended John, etc. Mark here refers to a preceding event. Herod had had John the Baptist bound and then imprisoned him, probably in Machaerus (the Black Fortress), which Herod the Great had built, and which was situated east of the Dead Sea.

This castle had been in the possession of Aretas, father-in-law to Herod Antipas, and Emir of Arabia Petraea. Probably Herod had seized this castle when his lawful wife, hearing of his approaching marriage with Herodias, had fled to her father at Petra. Machaerus was both a palace and a prison. At this period Herod was probably living there with an armed retinue, on account of the war with Aretas in which he was engaged. Herod lost the day, and the Jews considered this defeat a punishment for the beheading of John the Baptist.

for the sake of Herodias. Herod's sister-in-law and niece.

he had married her. This was unlawful for four reasons:

(1)

Herodias-' first husband, Herod Philip I. (not the Tetrarch) was still living.

(2)

The daughter of Aretas, Herod's wife was also alive.

(3)

Herodias was niece to Herod, being the daughter of Aristobulus, his eldest half-brother.

(4)

Herod Antipas was a convert to Judaism, and hence bound to observe the Jewish law. This distinctly forbade marriage with a deceased brother's wife (Leviticus 20:21) unless that brother died without issue which was not the case, since Salome was the child of Herodias and Herod Philip I.

Mark 6:18. to have,i.e. to marry.

it is not lawful for thee, etc. John boldly rebuked vice even in the great. As our Lord said, when speaking of him, John was no reed shaken with the wind; he was a prophet and more than a prophet, and spoke with a prophet's fearlessness. Luke tells us that John also reproved all the evils which Herod had done (Luke 3:19).

Mark 6:19. Herodias laid snares. Naturally his boldness in rebuking Herod would arouse her anger and resentment, which was all the keener because she perceived that John had a great influence of Herod, who feared John.

Mark 6:20. kept him. Preserved him from Herodias-' vengeance, at least for a time.

when he heard him, did many things. Herod was awed by John's virtue. He feared and esteemed him, and did many things to please the Precursor, but not the one thing against which John's rebukes were chiefly directed. Herod would not put away Herodias.

heard him willingly. Herod had his better moments, but he had not the courage to conquer his vices and to amend. It was easier to listen than to yield, and the many things evidently did not cost him so much as the one necessary sacrifice would have done. They were matters of less moment than his sinful marriage. In like manner, Felix coming with Drusilla (a daughter of Herodias), his wife who was a Jew, sent for Paul, and heard of him the faith that is in Christ Jesus (Acts 24:24).

Mark 6:21. a convenient day,i.e. for the vengeance of Herodias, that she might win by stratagem, where she had failed by direct petition.

made a supper. Probably at the castle of Machaerus.

for his birthday, Herod, like the Roman emperors, made a great banquet on his birthday. The Jews disliked the observance of birthdays, as being connected with idolatry and favouring it, since at these banquets libations and sacrifices were frequently offered to the gods.

princes. High civil or military officials.

tribunes. Doubtless here military tribunes are referred to, of whom there were four or six in each legion. Ten Roman civil tribunes were chosen by the people to protect them from the oppression of the senate and nobles. These tribunes would hardly be living in Palestine.

chief men of Galilee. The local authorities, the great landowners.

Mark 6:22. when the daughter. had danced. Salome here dishonors herself and family by performing the part of a hired scenic dancer, Moreover these oriental dances were generally immodest. It was customary to give some such entertainment at the close of the banquet. Herod and his guests, from their couches, would have a full view of the performers.

Ask me what thou wilt. It would seem as though Salome hesitated as to what request to proffer, since Herod reiterates his offer, and enforces it with oaths, as the original expression indicates.

Mark 6:23. though it be the half, etc. Not to be taken literally, but meaning that Herod was willing to bestow great gifts on her. It was a boastful assertion made in presence of his flatterers; possibly he was not sober when he made it. Assuerus had promised Esther the half of his kingdom, but at least it was his to give (Esther 5:3).

Mark 6:24. What shall I ask? Herodias does not hesitate as to her reply; she had long since decided what she wished to obtain.

Mark 6:25. Immediately with haste. Herodias feared delay, lest she should ultimately meet with a refusal. When Herod was sober, he might again refuse to accede to the request of Salome.

Mark 6:26. struck sad. Mark's graphic expression for denoting Herod's consternation. The original Greek word indicates great sorrow and grief. Herod feared to keep his rash oath, yet had not the manliness to break it, by refusing to commit a crime. To keep a rash oath is a sin against the Second Commandment. Herod, by keeping his oath, broke the fifth Commandment also.

Mark 6:27. an executioner, literally a spiculator which signifies either (1) a scout, (2) a special adjutant, (3) a soldier of the guard. The spiculators formed a special division of the legion, and each emperor had a body of them to guard his person and execute his orders. They were often employed as instruments to execute the emperor's private vengeance. As Herod was at war with Aretas, these spiculators would be in attendance.

Mark 6:28. the damsel gave it to her mother.

The crime is now accomplished. Jerome says that Herodias glutted her vengeance by piercing the saint's tongue with needles (as Fulvia did to her enemy Cicero). Nicephorus states that Salome met with a terrible death as a punishment for her share in the sacrilegious crime. When crossing the ice it broke under her, and the fragments drifting together severed her head from her body.

Mark 6:29. his disciples. took his body. Jerome tells us they buried their master in Sebaste (Samaria). Herod allowed them to perform this act of respect. They buried the headless corpse only. Matthew adds that these disciples came and told Jesus. Possibly some of John's disciples now attached themselves to Christ, while others in outlying districts entered the Church later, through the ministry of the Apostles (see Acts 19:1-7). In this narrative four details are given by Mark alone:

(1)

Herodias was John the Baptist's enemy rather than Herod, who esteemed him.

(2)

Herod kept him for a time at least from her vengeance.

(3)

Salome consulted her mother regarding the request.

(4)

Herod sent a special executioner to behead John. (Cecilia)

FACT QUESTIONS 6:14-29

305.

In what sense was the title king used for Herod?

306.

Was Herod a Sadducee? Discuss.

307.

Why associate mighty works with John when John did no mighty works?

308.

Show how Malachi 4:5 related to the opinion of some.

309.

In what place had Herod imprisoned John? Who was Aretas?

310.

Give the four reasons it was unlawful for Herod to marry Herodias.

311.

Show how the description of John given by our Lord fit him.

312.

John's imprisonment was actually a protectionshow how.

313.

What respect did Herod show for John the Baptist?

314.

Who attended the birthday banquet?

315.

Why offer a reward for the dance?

316.

Was the dance and the request prepared ahead of time?

317.

Why was Herod so sad?why carry out the rash vow?

318.

What does Jerome add to the story?

319.

What does Matthew add?

320.

State the four details given by Mark not included in the other gospels.