Chapter # 6 Paragraph # 3 Study # 2
November 9, 2021
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
(258)
1901 ASV
15 But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, [It is] a prophet, [even] as one of the prophets.
16 But Herod, when he heard [thereof], said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen.
17 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.
18 For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19 And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not;
20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was much perplexed; and he heard him gladly.
21 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;
22 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.
23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
24 And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.
25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
26 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.
27 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,
28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29 And when his disciples heard [thereof], they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
- I. Mark's Focus Upon Herod.
- A. Is entirely contained in 6:14-29 except for 8:15.
- B. Concerns Herod Antipas, one of three sons of the Herod who killed the babies of Jerusalem.
- C. Presses his readers to consider why Herod insisted that Jesus was "John raised from the dead".
- 1. There were other options.
- a. Some "were saying" that Jesus was Elijah.
- 1) This "Elijah" thesis was rooted in Malachi 4:5 and is clearly used by Mark in 1:2 to refer to John, the forerunner.
- 2) John, himself, was questioned as to whether he was this prophesied "Elijah" (John 1:21) and he said "No", but Jesus, Himself, complicated the issue somewhat by saying that "...John himself is Elijah who was to come..." (Matthew 11:14).
- b. Some "were saying"...[He is] a prophet as one out from (i.e., "standing out from" as "distinctly unique") the prophets...".
- 1) This, also, had a traditional understanding of an Old Testament prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:15).
- 2) John was also asked if he was "that prophet" (John 1:21), and he said, "No".
- c. It might be helpful to be aware of just how little the "knowledge" of these prophecies helped those who were aware of them in terms of making believing choices and being motivated to loyalty to Yahweh. In the face of the power of the embedded lusts of depravity, "knowledge" often is of no help whatsoever. There is a significant number of illustrations of people who were actually murderous in their pursuit of these lusts...from King Saul to Saul of Tarsus; from Adam to Cain; from Nebuchadnezzar to Herod the Great...many are the stark witnesses to the magnitude of the power of Lucifer's pride as it was spread throughout human history. Only Jesus "did not reckon equality with His Father a thing to be held tightly", but, instead, offered Himself to the abject humiliation of the Cross for the sake of His "vessels of mercy".
- 2. But Herod doubled down on his claim that Jesus was John raised from the dead.
- a. A more ludicrous claim can hardly be imagined: How could a "Jesus" Who was doing these works of power while John was yet alive and baptizing disciples be a "John" who was raised from the dead? It is a testament to the "reprobation" of the mind under Sin that such abject stupidity can take root downward and lift rotten fruit upward.
- b. So, Mark's purpose is to get us to ask: Just what was it that was pushing Herod to go down this path? And, having pressed this question, he proceeds to answer it for us: a profoundly guilty conscience that twisted and writhed within his soul with such violence that he could not squelch it. He murdered God's greatest prophet, born of a woman (Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28).
- 1) Herod "himself", having sent, took control over John and bound him in prison.
- a) He did this "on account of Herodias" the wife of Phillip his brother because he married her.
- b) John "was saying" to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother".
- c) And this Herodias was holding a grudge against him and was willing to kill him, and was not able.
- i. She was not able because Herod was being afraid of John, knowing him [to be] a righteous man and holy, and he was keeping him safe.
- ii. Herod heard John and was much perplexed and was gladly hearing [him].
- 2) And a timely day having come when Herod on his birthday made a banquet supper for his chief men and the commanders of thousands and the leading men of Galilee.
- a) The daughter of Herodias entered and danced to please Herod and those reclining upon the banquet couches.
- b) The king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you will and I will give to you up to half of my kingdom".