Focus:
kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(
FaithOfJesus thread begun by r
RandyP )
Today's Verse:
kjv@Mark:6:14-29
kjv@Mark:6:14 @ And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
kjv@Mark:6:15 @ Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
kjv@Mark:6:16 @ But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
kjv@Mark:6:17 @ For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
kjv@Mark:6:18 @ For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
kjv@Mark:6:19 @ Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
kjv@Mark:6:20 @ For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
kjv@Mark:6:21 @ And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
kjv@Mark:6:22 @ And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
kjv@Mark:6:23 @ And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
kjv@Mark:6:24 @ And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
kjv@Mark:6:25 @ And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
kjv@Mark:6:26 @ And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
kjv@Mark:6:27 @ And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
kjv@Mark:6:28 @ And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
kjv@Mark:6:29 @ And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
Today's notes:
Context:
- Before - Commissioning twelve
- After - Sheep without a shepherd
Key Concepts:
What is God's righteousness observed doing?:
- Working through a great deal of men's rumors and presumptions and superstitions.
- Allowing the beheading of the Great Prophet to the hands of a very contentious queen.
What does this tell us about God's righteousness?:
- It helps to illustrate the fears and corruptions otherwise intelligent men and women are under. They would swear that they are not under such narrow influences, HE would show that they are.
- Death for us is a horror, almost like a punishment, a stealing away, a waste. Death for HIM an honor, a grace betowed, a priceless gift having prepared the way for Messiah. It is not the losing of a prophet, it is a gaining of much obedient and loved soul into the congregation of the like precious.
How is man reacting?:
- News of Jesus is late to come to the potentate of Galilee as where it has reached nearly all others.
- Herodias' consuming anger with John the Baptist made her to even to degrade her princes daughter by forcing her to perform a licentious dance before the chiefs and elite to gain the head of her insulter.
Notes:
Herod Antipas
kjv@John:10:41 John wrought no miracles
kjv@Leviticus:18:16 kjv@Leviticus:20:21 brothers wife
kjv@Esther:5:3 oath similar to one given Esther
The bible of course politely sanitizes what type of dance actually occurred here and how shocking it would have been for his step daughter/niece the Royal Princes to have performed it instead of a professional at any event let alone a birthday attended by all the social elite. This is what her mother the queen put her daughter to. There are some suggestions that the daughter knew in advance what it was her mother wanted from this public oath and went back to her mother for just the reconsideration. After all, she was forfeiting up to half the kingdom to appease her mom.
The Pharisees have deserted John in all the sacred righteousness that they too are divinely charged to possess. John called them vipers, vipers they have proven themselves to be. Their anger and vindication towards John is no less venomous as Herodias'. If one is to honestly search God's righteousness in these matters one truly must begin at the realization that this is what wickedness inflicts upon righteousness. It is how we come to know wickedness and thereto come to know righteousness. When Jesus says 'since the time of John the Kingdom has suffered much violence' it is to say that this is what wickedness wants... this is what wickedness does. Righteousness of His type however will not be intimidated nor be provoked into unrighteousness.
Like Elijah with Jezebel so is John with Herodias, God's righteousness shown here on a backdrop of one vile vindictive woman's self righteousness; her's seemingly for now wins this battle at the cost for her of everything else. In a sense we wonder could not HIS righteousness be shown shadowed by better human conditions? Well what other conditions do we live under that this could be better shown? How long shall God wait for us to provided for HIM such an unlikely backdrop? Why would God choose to do this in this manner? Better at first through her wickedness than with all of ours!
Note that Mark's original audience would know well of these events and likely would have partaken of these various initial suspicions and irrational public impressions of Jesus. Similar reports were given Jesus by His disciples of the public sentiment. I find it interesting that Antipas is just now coming to this curiosity in Jesus as if those surrounding him have kept it from him. I also find it illustrative of the Pharisees and Sadducee and Herodians that they have not made mention of this widely known "fame throughout the region" Jesus. Yes, the leader indeed is always last to know, but that is because of the many games being played below him. Wouldn't Mark's audience be aware of all this to some certain extent as well?
Key Messages:
What does this say about our present condition?
- How plausible is it that a mother would put her daughter to this? Quite plausible so it would seem from modern legal records and media reports. Virgins, especially those just ripe of sexual age are used and abused and photographed and traded and enslaved all of the time and we think so little of it. And to say that it does not have the effect upon men, even men of power and authority, what they will say and do and promise one to another under it's influence is simply infantile in and of itself. Such obvious truth cannot be hid nor denied. To say that a mother cannot be party to this or even instigator/benefactor of this likewise is not so preposterous then is it?
- RWP perhaps put it best, that for the Herod conscience was trumped by circumstance. Just as he had put himself into this adultrous marital circumstance, so too he had put himself in the circumstance of having to keep his royal pledge, and that over moral conscience, friendly acquaintance, admiration, even an odd reverence for the works of the prophet. In one sense he is played like a pawn, in another his authority handed away by him by a few strong drinks and a half naked step daughter's dance. Can any one else say that they've fallen to the same or similar? Most certainly!
Further Resources:
Comment Board:Mark:6:14-29
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Mark:6:14-29 rwp@Mark:6:14-29 mhcc@Mark:6:14-29
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index
![[pBiblx2]](/img/pbiblx2_logo3.png){kind=logo}