HEROD’S BIRTHDAY PARTY

Text: Mark 6:14-34

Introduction: The Herod family weaves its way in and out of the New Testament, but never favorably. In the Christmas story, we meet Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1-18). When wise men conversed with Herod concerning the one born King of the Jews, he felt threatened and acted out of paranoia. Since the star guiding the wise men had appeared about two years earlier, he issued a decree that all male children two years and younger be destroyed. Warned in a dream, Mary and Joseph escaped to Egypt with the baby Jesus.

Herod the Great’s grandson, Agrippa I, appears in the New Testament in Acts 12:1-4. He ordered the execution of James the brother of John. But a third member of the Herod family is mentioned in our text. When Herod the Great died, Rome divided up Palestine among his sons. Herod Antipas received Galilee and Perea for his jurisdiction. Mark mentions this Herod in 6:14 as being greatly troubled by the growing popularity of Jesus. John the Baptist had preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:3). And now Jesus was doing the same. Herod, struggling with guilt, reacted with the bizarre response: “John the Baptist is risen from the dead” (Mark 6:14). Mark provides us with:

I. The back-story: Herod’s personal life reads like a soap opera. Herod Antipas first married the daughter of the king of the Nabataens, an Arab people. Then, on a visit to Rome, he fell madly in love with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. She was both his sister-in-law and niece. She left Philip in Rome and returned on the arm of Herod as his queen. With this action, Herod enraged three people: his Arab wife, his father-in-law, and his brother Philip. It was the wrong time for Herod and the new wife to run into John the Baptist, who did not beat around the bush about the Galilean scandal. His sermon for the royal couple was short: “It is not lawful to have your brother’s wife” (Mark 6:18). Herodias wanted to murder the preacher. Mainly to protect John from the murderous intentions of Herodias, Herod imprisoned him in the palace at Machaerus, 130 miles south of Tiberias. But the evil heart of Herodias came up with a plan. She would silence the voice of the prophet who preached about God’s law and who was gaining the interest of her husband. In Mark 6:21, we learn that she found her opportunity. Who would have thought it would be at a birthday party?!

II. The birthday party: Herodias proposed that Herod celebrate his birthday at his desert palace down by the Dead Sea at Machaerus, where John was held prisoner. Herod would provide the guest list of political and military leaders from Galilee, but Herodias would be in charge of the menu and the entertainment. Picture this royal entourage as they left Tiberius and traveled to the palace. Camels and horses and the royal couple (including Salome, stepdaughter of Herod), led the way. The trip took several days. When settled in at the palace, Herod paid a visit to his prisoner. John’s effect on Herod is best read in the esv translation of Mark 6:19-20: “Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 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.” So before Herod could go any further and possibly repent, Herodias signaled that it was time for the party to begin.

It was a typical Middle Eastern celebration, which can last several days. After there had been enough music and dancing and plenty of liquor to make just about everybody drunk, it was time for the dance planned by Herodias. Salome, her beautiful 16-year-old daughter, had been carefully coached. Herodias knew from experience that Herod was a lustful man, and so Salome was instructed to dance sensuously. She pushed her daughter onto the marble dance floor and Salome’s dance aroused Herod. He offered, in his drunken stupor, anything “up to half my kingdom” (Mark 6:23). Ah, the opportune time: Herodias told Salome to ask for the head of John the Baptist!

What can we learn from this birthday party?

a. The power of peer pressure (6:26-28). Peer pressure is not just a struggle for teenagers; it is very much alive in the adult world. “Herod feared what men might say. He kept his promise to Salome because he had made it in front of his cronies and he could not break it. He feared their jeers, their laughter; he feared that they might think him weak. Many a man has done things he afterward bitterly regretted because he had not the moral courage to do the right thing. Many a man has made himself far worse because he feared the laughter of his so-called friends” (William Barclay, The Gospel of Mark, pp.154-55).
This is where politics overruled principle. All eyes were on Herod. His leaders were probably enjoying his predicament. Herod felt trapped by the cunning of his wife. He caved in. Political power and peer pressure won out over justice.
Peer pressure is rampant in today’s world. Recently, I heard of a Christian faced with a moral dilemma and not caving in. This lawyer was faced with pressure to make an unethical action and was downsized when she refused.
And the topic of peer pressure triggers an early memory indelibly inscribed on my mind. The Christian manager of the supermarket where I worked was being confronted by the CEO of the grocery chain. Voices were raised, and all employees were privy to the issue, which was working on a Sunday in a day when people did not work on Sunday. People were watching and listening. The manager was not only my friend, but he was also my relative. Would he cave in? He took off his apron, handed it to the CEO, and walked out of the store. Many thought it was a great mistake, but to me he was a hero. God provided a job for him within two weeks.

b. Guilt can haunt us endlessly (Mark 6:12-15). John the Baptist had been beheaded, but his voice still reverberated in Herod’s soul. He knew he had executed a righteous and innocent man. Herodias had had her opportune time, and this was Herod’s. Did he recall the words of the Baptist? Was he having trouble sleeping? Was there still time to repent? There is a warning in the Exodus story of Moses and Pharaoh. Pharaoh received many invitations to “Let my people go,” but he kept hardening his heart. There is a significant text in Exodus 10:20: “But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.” It would be easy to miss, but Pharaoh crossed a line in his rejection, and God sealed his rejection. Would Herod turn from his guilt and turn to Jesus? The Bible says no. We discover this near the end of Jesus’ life. It was Holy Week and Jesus stood before this same Herod. Here is the story:
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the man were a Galilean. As soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at the time. Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him (Luke 23:6-11).

Jesus had nothing to say to Herod, because he had had his day. Now he had the heart of a mocker. Today, the Herod story serves as a wake up call for all to respond to the gospel invitation of Jesus: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

c.    Take time for a Sabbath (Mark 6:31-32). The gruesome deed was done. John the Baptist was gone to his home in heaven. Earlier, Jesus had said of His cousin John: “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist, but he who is least in the kingdom is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). Now, when the apostles told Jesus about the death of John, Jesus called for a Sabbath. It was time to get away.

There will always be more to do for believers. But if Jesus and His team could take a Sabbath, a time to rest and recuperate after the stresses of life, so should we.
Recommended Resources:

The Gospel of Mark by William Barclay

Mark: The Man and His Message by E. M. Blaiklock

The Communicator’s Commentary: Mark
by David L. McKenna

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries: Mark
by R. Alan Cole