SCRIPTURE:
“For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her.”
Mark 6:17 NLT
“Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee.
Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests.
“Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.””
Mark 6:21-22 NLT
“She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!””
Mark 6:24 NLT
“Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him.
The soldier beheaded John in the prison, brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother.”
Mark 6:26-28 NLT
OBSERVATION:
This addition to Jesus’ story is almost an add-in, a “oh, by the way...” moment. For the original context of the chapter was of Jesus performing many amazing miracles, and teaching with an authority not seen by those already in the synagogue.
This led many to make assumptions as to who this Jesus might be; a resurrected version of prophets like Elijah, among a few other guesses.
One of those guesses was from Herod, the king of Galilee as a client state of the Roman Empire.
Herod divorced his wife and took on his brothers wife for himself. John the Baptist, who was the loved and respected prophet of God there, would always rebuke Herod for such wrongdoing.
And Herodias hated it, despite the fact that Herod liked John and listened to his words which were said to be from God.
Herodias somehow persuaded her husband to have John arrested and imprisoned for something...but we know it’s because she had no recourse for the powerful truths John the Baptist confronted them with.
At a party, Herod had Herodias’ daughter, also named Herodias, dance for the people.
We don’t know what kind of dance it was, but it so mesmerized Herod her step-father, that he made an impetuous vow; I will give you anything you want, even half of the kingdom.
That’s the kind of offer one makes to someone who he wants as a wife...another wife maybe?
She can have anything she wants; wealth, property, a new Tesla even! (Oops wrong millennium).
What does the young Herodias, the exotic dancer, do?
She asks her mom. Her mom, who hated John the Baptist because of the truths she had to hear.
And she told her daughter what she should want.
We know the rest of the story. We know the head of John the Baptist was put on a tray, just as Herodias the dancer asked. The she presented the head on a tray to her mother.
How does someone concoct such an evil plan, as to use their own child, exploit what she had to seduce her own step-father , then take an impetuous, lust-fueled decision and turn it into a contract murder, just to silence a voice that was penetrating to the heart.
There is no real logical explanation except that’s how pure evil works.
APPLICATION:
One might ask what my point is on all this.
I don’t know, but it wouldn’t leave me as I read through it, as I have in the past.
This is a snapshot of child trafficking, using ones own child as a means to a wicked act being done.
This is a conspiracy, using the authoritative power of one to cause harm or death to another without even getting ones hands dirty.
This is the use of primal urges and desires—Herod having divorced his own wife to marry his brother’s wife, then be attracted to her own daughter—and leverage these urges into a decision from a foolish vow that ultimately cost a man his life. All to silence the truth coming from that man.
It can hardly get more evil than this.
Yet in some way, it reflects on the condition of mankind as God presents Himself in Jesus, showing us the Way...yet we allow ourselves to be lured and drawn by our primal desires to look away from Jesus.
I must learn from Herod and his weakness for women, and how he was led to making an impetuous vow off of a lusty stupor, and how that ultimately cost a prophet his life.
I wondered what the LORD had done when Herod, Herodias, and Herodias the daughter/dancer, crossed into eternity to face a just and righteous God.
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus, Herod was a bonehead in so many ways, but this story that Mark included was there for a reason.
Help me to understand the power of lust of the flesh, and the kinds of damage it does in so many ways. Have mercy on me, a sinner, Lord Jesus! Amen.
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