Mark 6_14_29 Exegesis

This scene takes place during the ministry of the twelve disciples who were sent by Jesus to preach repentance to those members of the House of Israel who were like sheep without a Sheppard. True repentance is always associated with faith because it means to do a double turn,” turn away from your sin and turn towards the Lord.” As the disciples were sent out they told that they would meet hospitality and hostility. This scene is given by Mark as a “flashback” as he has opportunity to introduce his readers to the tragic event of the death of John the Baptist. His readers would be able to identify with this scene because they too were under heavy persecution from Nero the emperor of Rome.

Nero was a very wicked man and under his rule Christians were treated harshly, many were crucified, impaled on stakes, burned in his garden as light for nightly strolls, and many were beheaded and sat before him as he causally ate dinner. Mark writes this as a warning, there is a cost associated with proclaiming the word of God but he encourages the readers to not count that cost because it is gives an opportunity for repentance. John the Baptist serves as an encouragement, he proclaimed God’s word in the face of a ruler who had power to execute him. Through his preaching Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea received opportunity to repent of his sins. John’s earthly reward was death but his heavenly reward was zōē (life eternal).

This scene should drive us to faithfulness in the proclamation of God’s word in the face of opposition and tribulation. Discipleship is costly; it means a life dedicated to the Lord Jesus. It is a life given up to the cause of Christ and the day may come when our religious freedoms are taken away and we find ourselves in a situation like John the Baptist.

Herod’s Guilty Conscience 14-18

John the Baptist had been preaching a message of repentance and that message became directed at Herod the tetrarch due to his unlawful marriage to his sister in law/niece. Herod was married to the daughter of king Areta of Nabataea but while in Rome on a visit he fell in love with his brother Philips wife who was also the daughter of his brother Aristobulus. He convinced her to divorce her husband and they got married. Though Herod was only half Jewish he was still in violation of the law of God. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. (Lev. 18:16) If there is a man who takes his brother’s wife, it is abhorrent; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They will be childless. (Lev. 20:21). John preached that the ruler of Galilee should repent of his sin. This message lead to the death of John the Baptist.

During the ministry of the 12, news of Jesus reached the Palace of Herod Antipas, His miraculous works were signs of His messiahship as He did signs only God could do, heal the blind, heal the leper, heal the paralyzed, raise the dead, calm the storms. Jesus had people perplexed as to who He was, some said He was Elijah who never tasted death but returned to earth. Others were saying He was a prophet of old, but not necessarily the promised profit of Deut. 18:15, 18-19. “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken, I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” While others thought Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead. This was the thought of Herod. Notice the imperfect verb tense of legō (said KJV), in verse 16, the NASB translates it as Kept Saying “It is John whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.” Herod was anxiously superstitious thinking John had returned to judge his wicked deed, his conscience was gnawing at him and instead of repenting he became paranoid. A.T. Robertson states, His fears got the best of him and so Herod settled down on this nightmare. He could still see that charger containing John’s head coming towards him in his dreams. Herod had committed a crime against God and now recognizes his guilt.

Repentance must start with recognizing guilt, without recognition one has nothing to repent of, but this did not lead to repentance.

Herodias’ Grudge 19-25

Herod’s Gruesome compromise 26-28