This week's readings are all from Mark chapter 6. Click here to see the full reading and a list of each day's readings. Each day's segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading:
For Herod himself had sent men, arrested John, and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had repeatedly told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not because Herod stood in awe of John and protected him, since he knew that John was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, and yet he liked to listen to John.
But a suitable day came, when Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his court officials, military commanders, and leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” He swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” So she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother said, “The head of John the baptizer.” Immediately she hurried back to the king and made her request: “I want the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” Although it grieved the king deeply, he did not want to reject her request because of his oath and his guests. So the king sent an executioner at once to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded John in prison. He brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb. (Mark 6.17–29 NET)
The previous translation is from the NET Bible translation. Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Resources for the Reading
Herod Antipas
It can be confusing sometimes reading the Gospels and Acts because there are several people who have the name Herod. The Gospel of Mark really only mentions one, and he is Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great. Antipas was one of three sons made rulers by Rome after the death of their father. Herod the Great had been made King of Judea by the Romans in the mid-first century BCE and died around 4 BCE (he is the Herod of the birth narratives of Jesus in Matthew and mentioned once by Luke). Herod Antipas was given control of the tetrarchy of Galilee and Perea, ruling there from 4 BCE to 39 CE (click on image below to see Antipas' tetrarchy).
A Man Who Would (Not) Be King
Herod Antipas is mentioned only in two passages in Mark: in Mark 6:14-29 concerning John the Baptizer's arrest and execution, and another brief mention of the "yeast of Herod" by Jesus in Mark 8:15. Though Mark calls Antipas a "king" in Mark 6:16, he was, instead, a tetrarch, a "ruler of a fourth." The three other tetrarchies of his father's kingdom being divided to Herod Archaelaus, Herod Philip, and Salome (Herod the Great's half-sister and Antipas' aunt). Mark may have being a bit tongue-in-cheek in calling Antipas a king, because when Antipas actually did seek that title from emperor Caligula after the death of emperor Tiberius, he was deposed and exiled. Caligula was good friends with Antipas' nephew, Herod Agrippa, whom Caligula had named king of the tetrarchy to the north of Galilee (formerly ruled by his uncle, Herod Phillip—but not the Herod Philip of Mark 6. Again, it can be confusing). When Herod Agrippa was named king, his sister Herodias (the same from the John the Baptizer story in Mark 6:14-29), pressured Antipas to petition Caligula for the same title. Herod Agrippa had a deep, long-standing grudge against his uncle Antipas, and Caligula, in this case, did the bidding of his friend, and after Antipas' removal as tetrarch, Caligula made Herod Agrippa king of Galilee and Perea as well.
From Josephus:
But when Caius [Caligula] was made Caesar he ... made [Agrippa] king of Philip’s tetrarchy, who was now dead; but when Agrippa had arrived at that degree of dignity, he inflamed the ambitious desires of Herod [Antipas] the tetrarch, who was chiefly induced to hope for the royal authority by his wife Herodias, who reproached him for his sloth, and told him that it was only because he would not sail to Caesar that he was destitute of that great dignity; for since Caesar had made Agrippa a king, from a private person, much more would he advance [Antipas] from a tetrarch to that dignity. These arguments prevailed with Herod, so that he came to Caius [Caligula], by whom he was punished for his ambition, by being banished into Spain; for Agrippa followed him, in order to accuse him; to whom also Caius gave his tetrarchy, by way of addition. So Herod [Antipas] died in Spain, where his wife had followed him.
(War 2.181–183 JOSEPH)
John the Baptizer
The first-century Jewish historian Josephus also describes the imprisonment and death of John the Baptizer, though he gives different reasoning for Herod Antipas' decision. According to Josephus it was Antipas' fear that John would lead a rebellion. Josephus also notes John's righteousness and favor with God:
(18.5.2) Now, some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist; (18.5.2) for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. (18.5.2) Now, when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it should be too late. (18.5.2) Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. Now the Jews had an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod, and a mark of God’s displeasure against him. (Antiquities 18.116–119 JOSEPH)
I envision Herod’s response to John the Baptist as how the world accepts the words of God. That is many will hear the word and many will like what it says at first but when the world is asked to change it’s ways to follow Jesus they turn away because the world is more pleasing to them. Herod could have chosen to follow God after hearing from John the Baptist but he chose the world instead.
@vltaylor1136 Gosh, that's so true... Like just considering it some entertaining novelty when it's convenient, but throwing it away because you give it no real value.
May we grow deeper in our understanding of the worth of the words of God...
The world is a powerful and broken. But "greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4)