Mark - Lesson 9...Continued from page 3

DAY FOUR:  A Conscience-torn King

Please carefully read Mark 6:18-21 and answer the following questions.

1.  The verb tense in verse 18 indicates that John had been repeatedly rebuked and challenged the relationship between Herod and Herodias.[xiii]  What was the reaction of Herodias to this (v. 19)? 

NOTE: The verb tense of the phrase wanted to kill him means that she wanted to kill him all along, or that it was a long desired wish. A.T. Robertson summarized this much better than this author could:  “And Herodias set herself against him.” Literally, had it in for him. This is modern slang, but is in exact accord with this piece of vernacular Koiné. [Common, everyday Greek]...The tense is imperfect and aptly described the feelings of Herodias towards this upstart prophet of the wilderness who had dared to denounce her private relations with Herod Antipas. Gould suggests that she “kept her eye on him” or kept up her hostility towards him. She never let up, but bided her time which, she felt sure, would come.”[xiv]

2.  What was Herod’s mixed reaction to John (v. 20)?

3.  The nlt helps us understand this conflict in Herod’s conscience in verse 20:  “And Herod respected John, knowing that he was a good and holy man, so he kept him under his protection. Herod was disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him” (emphasis mine).  How easy it is for someone with a torn conscience like this to go the wrong way with it!  What do the following passages tell us about the corruption of someone’s conscience?

Exodus 8:12-15, 32; 9:12, 34

1 Timothy 1:5-7, 19; 4:1, 2

Titus 1:15, 16

Hebrews 3:12-15

4.  What did Herod decide to do sometime after he had imprisoned John, and how did Herodias take advantage of this (v. 21)?

NOTE: The word opportune (kjv, convenient) is only used by Mark.  This birthday party was convenient for Herodias’ long awaited purpose.  M.R. Vincent fittingly quoted, “Opportune for the insidious woman, who hoped, through wine, lust, and the concurrence of sycophants, to be able easily to overcome the wavering mind of her husband” (Grotius in Meyer).[xv] Opportune in Greek is eukairos; made up of kairos, used of a critical epoch-making period of time, and eu, “well” or “good.”  Herodias chose Herod’s birthday “as the strategic moment to spring her trap and force him to put John to death. This was the propitious, auspicious time that promised the attainment of her murderous plans.”[xvi]

Scripture Memory:  Try to fill in the missing words in the blanks below, by memory if at all possible, and then review the passage several times today.

And the ________________ was exceedingly ___________________; yet, because of the ________________ and because of ___________________ who ______________ with him, he did not ______________ to _________________ her.  Mark 6:26, nkjv