NOTES for Mar 6:14-29
The preaching of Jesus Himself and His apostles led to His name becoming known throughout Galilee, eventually reaching even its ruler, Herod (v. 14). Herod was not, of course, an independent ruler—he was a vassal of the Roman emperor, for in Gospel times Galilee, like all Palestine, was part of the Roman Empire. Meanwhile, all kinds of rumors about Jesus circulated among the people. Some regarded Him as a prophet like one of the ancient prophets whose preaching became part of the prophetic books of the Old Testament, which were well known to all believing Jews and regularly read in synagogues during worship. To others He was Elijah returned from heaven (v. 15); the Old Testament says that Elijah did not die but was taken alive into heaven (2 Kings 2:11–12). This book was well known, as were the other three Books of Kings, the Book of Joshua, and the Book of Judges: in Judaism they are counted among the prophetic books and are called the “Former Prophets.” Believing Jews of that age held that shortly before the coming of the Messiah-Christ, Elijah would return from heaven to earth to remind people of His imminent appearance.
Herod, however, took Jesus for John the Baptist risen from the dead, whom he had had executed not long before (v. 14). The execution had been preceded by John's arrest after he denounced Herod for marrying his own brother's wife in defiance of the Law (vv. 17–18). It should be noted that the king generally paid little attention to religious and moral norms and was also marked by immoderate sensuality. Yet he did not dare execute the prophet at once: despite his moral corruption, Herod still respected him (v. 20). It is not surprising that Herodias, formerly the wife of Herod's brother Philip, hated John more than Herod himself did (v. 19).
At last a suitable moment for the reprisal came: during a ceremonial banquet, Herodias's daughter performed an inflaming Eastern dance before Herod and his guests, perhaps something like the belly dance still well known in the East today (vv. 21–22). Inflamed by wine and lust, he solemnly swore to grant the girl any wish. At her mother's prompting, she seized the opportunity to be rid of John (vv. 22–25). Herod evidently did not want John to die at all, but driven by vanity and unwilling to lose face before those around him or break his own solemn oath, he nevertheless ordered the execution, which naturally became known at once to many people, including the apostles (vv. 26–29).