Mark 6:14-20, The Death of John the Baptist Part 1

[Every story in Mark is about Jesus, except this one. Mark has two passion narratives: John’s and Jesus’. Curiously, Mark only devoted 5 verses to the ministry of John, less than the other Gospels, but 14 verses to his death, more than the other Gospels!]

14 King Herod [Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, son of Herod the Great and Malthace] heard of it [the preaching tour in Galilee where he had jurisdiction], for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” [John’s death is here assumed in the narrative. This verse also indicates that John must have had a significant ministry, but never are we told that he did miracles. Instead, his ministry called people to repentance in preparation of the coming Messiah.] 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” [John had spoken of Jesus as “the Coming One,” and people would have thought he was referring to Malachi 3:1 and 4:5.] And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” [This seems to be a lower estimate of who Jesus is.] 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” [Herod has lingering guilt over murdering John. Interestingly, he immediately seems to believe in resurrection and must have thought that John had great powers, although no miracles were attributed to him. Herod was an Edomite, not an Israelite, and superstitious in heart rather than religious.] 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” [Herodias was Herod’s niece and his brother’s ex-wife. Leviticus 18:16 forbade a man from marrying his brother’s wife while the brother was still alive. Maybe worse was that Herodias was the daughter of Herod’s older brother’s daughter!] 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. [John’s teaching put Herod in a difficult corner, so he did nothing, fearing the consequences of killing John, whom he considered righteous and of holy character.]