Mark 6:14-32
Lesson 74
Lesson 74
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
In this lesson:
John the Baptist is beheaded.
John the Baptist is beheaded.
Study Tip:
Take notes. Notes help us learn and remember. They keep us focused and are a great help when we want to follow up on thoughts and ideas. Plus, we can carry notes with us to review and meditate on.
Take notes. Notes help us learn and remember. They keep us focused and are a great help when we want to follow up on thoughts and ideas. Plus, we can carry notes with us to review and meditate on.
Who was -
King Herod -
Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great (who ruled during the time of Jesus' birth and tried to kill the infant Messiah in Matthew 2:16). Ambitious, self-destructive and without principle, the Romans appointed Herod tetrarch (ruler) over Galilee (Luke 3:1) and Perea after his father's death. Jesus called him a "fox" (Luke 13:32) due to his reputation for being cunning, cowardly, and sordid. Herod had John the Baptist beheaded for criticizing his incestuous marriage to his niece and brothers ex-wife, Herodias (Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:17-18; Luke 9:9). At the time, Herod was at war with Aretas, the Arabian king of Petraea for divorcing Aretas' daughter so he could marry Herodias. After Jesus was arrested, He was brought before Herod and mocked (Luke 23:6-12). Herod was eventually dethroned by the Romans for "confederating with the king of Parthia against the Roman empire" ("Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; page 473). Herod and Herodias died in exile in Spain.
Elias -
Elias (Greek for Elijah) is perhaps the most famous of Israel's prophets, no other is mentioned as often in the New Testament. Elijah came from Tishbeh in Gilead, was devoutly religious, and prepared Israel to accept God. After the breakup of King David's Israel in 931 BC, Elijah preached against the growing paganism and idol worship under King Ahab and his gentile wife, Jezebel. As Jews turned away from God, Elijah called on Israel to repent of its sins and was
given the power to perform miracles (1 Kings 17:1). He caused the rain to stop for three and a half years (James 5:17) and ascended into heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11). During the Transfiguration, he appeared with Moses at Jesus' side (Matthew 17:1-13). The Old Testament prophesied that Elijah would return just before "the day of the Lord"
(Malachi 4:5-6). To learn more about Elijah see 1 Kings 17:1-20, 1 Kings 18:1-46 and 2 Kings 1-2.
Herodias -
Herod Antipas' niece (daughter of Aristobulos, Herod's half brother) and wife. She divorced her husband Philip (Herod Antipas's half brother) to marry Herod Antipas. After being condemned by John the Baptist for marrying her husband's brother (her uncle), she masterminded John's beheading. Herod Antipas and Herodias both died in exile in Spain.
Philip -
Herod Philip, the son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra, half brother to Herod Antipas, and the tetrarch (ruler) of Ituraea and Trachonitis (Luke 3:1), two territories located northeast of the Sea of Galilee. His brother Tiberius Caesar was the Roman emperor from 14 AD until 37 A.D. Philip's rule lasted thirty-seven years and was a period of peace and prosperity. He built the city of Caesarea Philippi and named it after Caesar and himself. Philip married his niece Herodias, but she divorced him to marry her other uncle, Herod Antipas. He was well thought of by his subjects and died in A D 34.
King Herod -
Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great (who ruled during the time of Jesus' birth and tried to kill the infant Messiah in Matthew 2:16). Ambitious, self-destructive and without principle, the Romans appointed Herod tetrarch (ruler) over Galilee (Luke 3:1) and Perea after his father's death. Jesus called him a "fox" (Luke 13:32) due to his reputation for being cunning, cowardly, and sordid. Herod had John the Baptist beheaded for criticizing his incestuous marriage to his niece and brothers ex-wife, Herodias (Matthew 14:3-12; Mark 6:17-18; Luke 9:9). At the time, Herod was at war with Aretas, the Arabian king of Petraea for divorcing Aretas' daughter so he could marry Herodias. After Jesus was arrested, He was brought before Herod and mocked (Luke 23:6-12). Herod was eventually dethroned by the Romans for "confederating with the king of Parthia against the Roman empire" ("Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; page 473). Herod and Herodias died in exile in Spain.
Elias -
Elias (Greek for Elijah) is perhaps the most famous of Israel's prophets, no other is mentioned as often in the New Testament. Elijah came from Tishbeh in Gilead, was devoutly religious, and prepared Israel to accept God. After the breakup of King David's Israel in 931 BC, Elijah preached against the growing paganism and idol worship under King Ahab and his gentile wife, Jezebel. As Jews turned away from God, Elijah called on Israel to repent of its sins and was
given the power to perform miracles (1 Kings 17:1). He caused the rain to stop for three and a half years (James 5:17) and ascended into heaven without dying (2 Kings 2:11). During the Transfiguration, he appeared with Moses at Jesus' side (Matthew 17:1-13). The Old Testament prophesied that Elijah would return just before "the day of the Lord"
(Malachi 4:5-6). To learn more about Elijah see 1 Kings 17:1-20, 1 Kings 18:1-46 and 2 Kings 1-2.
Herodias -
Herod Antipas' niece (daughter of Aristobulos, Herod's half brother) and wife. She divorced her husband Philip (Herod Antipas's half brother) to marry Herod Antipas. After being condemned by John the Baptist for marrying her husband's brother (her uncle), she masterminded John's beheading. Herod Antipas and Herodias both died in exile in Spain.
Philip -
Herod Philip, the son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra, half brother to Herod Antipas, and the tetrarch (ruler) of Ituraea and Trachonitis (Luke 3:1), two territories located northeast of the Sea of Galilee. His brother Tiberius Caesar was the Roman emperor from 14 AD until 37 A.D. Philip's rule lasted thirty-seven years and was a period of peace and prosperity. He built the city of Caesarea Philippi and named it after Caesar and himself. Philip married his niece Herodias, but she divorced him to marry her other uncle, Herod Antipas. He was well thought of by his subjects and died in A D 34.