14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.” 16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.” ~ Mark 6:14-16
Today we return to our study of Mark 6 where the message of the gospel is the main theme. There are two reasons the disciples had success in their overnight ministry trips: the gospel was front and center, and, Herod was preoccupied with his fear. This is the way God always works. Opposition to the Gospel in one place serves to advance it in another.
In v.14 of today's passage we read, "Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, 'This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.'"
Herod Antipas was a "tetrarch" which means "a ruler of a fourth." Herod was the king or ruler of Galilee and Perea, which is that country just east of the Jordan River. It is known as present-day Jordan all the way down to the Dead Sea.
Herod Antipas wanted to be recognized as king, but Augustus, the Roman ruler, refused him the title. Herod’s father, Herod the Great, was the king who was ruling when the Lord Jesus was born. When Herod the Great died, the Roman emperor divided his kingdom into four parts. One part was given to Herod Antipas.
Herod Antipas actually thought the Lord Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead. But the Scriptures tell us that John the Baptist did no miracles! And, Herod was a Sadducee and they did not believe in miracles. Herod had really bad theology because he was not known for reading the Old Testament Scriptures in order to be defined by them.
In order to be defined by the God of the Bible, we must be in the Word regularly. This means that we not only need to read it, but, we must be read by it, as well. And, when we are read by the Word, we will be defined by God as we give way for His will to be done in and through our lives. This is not what saves us, but, it may be used of God in the lives of others that may end up saved themselves.
Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded, because John the Baptist spoke convicting words to him. Herod Antipas was already married, but, he took a liking, while he was in Rome, to his half brother Philip's wife Herodias, and seduced her away from her husband. Herodias was the daughter of his half brother Aristobulus, so, she was actually his niece that he married. And, since John the Baptist told Herod he was guilty of adultery, Herod had John beheaded.
Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded, because John the Baptist spoke convicting words to him. Herod Antipas was already married, but, he took a liking, while he was in Rome, to his half brother Philip's wife Herodias, and seduced her away from her husband. Herodias was the daughter of his half brother Aristobulus, so, she was actually his niece that he married. And, since John the Baptist told Herod he was guilty of adultery, Herod had John beheaded.
As a result, Herod Antipas was haunted by what he had done. Whenever a man does an evil thing, everyone becomes his enemy. Inwardly, his thoughts return to the wicked thing that he had done. Inwardly, he was guilt-ridden, and outwardly, he lived in the fear that he will be found out.
Herod did demand, however, that his subjects call him “king”. He ruled from 4 A.D. to 39 A.D. He was run off to what is now known as France by the Roman emperor for demanding to be made a king in 39 A.D.
Mark refers to Herod as king, but, Herod falls woefully short of what would be expected of the Jewish king. Herod, an insecure ruler, was always on the alert for any threats to his rule. This underscores mankind's deepest problem: insecurity. Granted, sin is our deepest problem, but sin's lack will always lead us to be insecure and to make insecure and immature decisions.
It is the holiness of the Lord Jesus that addresses this problem that all mankind shares. The Greek word for "holy" means "complete" or "whole." Holiness means wholeness, lacking nothing. God desires for us that we live a life of wholeness. The Lord Jesus came to this sin-filled world in order to make broken people whole. His calling on us is the application of His life to ours.
Herod did demand, however, that his subjects call him “king”. He ruled from 4 A.D. to 39 A.D. He was run off to what is now known as France by the Roman emperor for demanding to be made a king in 39 A.D.
Mark refers to Herod as king, but, Herod falls woefully short of what would be expected of the Jewish king. Herod, an insecure ruler, was always on the alert for any threats to his rule. This underscores mankind's deepest problem: insecurity. Granted, sin is our deepest problem, but sin's lack will always lead us to be insecure and to make insecure and immature decisions.
It is the holiness of the Lord Jesus that addresses this problem that all mankind shares. The Greek word for "holy" means "complete" or "whole." Holiness means wholeness, lacking nothing. God desires for us that we live a life of wholeness. The Lord Jesus came to this sin-filled world in order to make broken people whole. His calling on us is the application of His life to ours.
In v.15 of today's passage we read, "Others said, 'He’s the prophet Elijah.' Still others said, 'He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.'"
Some thought the Lord Jesus to be the Old Testament prophet, Elijah, because of the prophecy in Malachi 4:5, which reads, "Before the coming of the day of the Lord, God will send Elijah the prophet." That is the very reason to this day at Passover, Jews keep their door open and an empty chair in case Elijah would come back to their Passover meal.
In v.16 of today's passage we read, "When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead."
All of this brings us back to Herod's mistaken understanding of the Lord Jesus. A faulty understanding of the meaning of things comes from our lack of an understanding that is defined by the Lord. This is why it is so important for us to be defined by the Word of God, the written and the living Word of God. It is not about obedience so much as it is about being defined by God. When we have His culture growing in us, we will see things as they are. Most lack a proper understanding of the nature of things, and, are therefore, deceived due to the fact that they are not being defined by God.
We were created by God who knew each one of us even before we were in our mother’s womb. Our true identity corresponds with how He created and defined us to be. When sin entered into the picture, we were thwarted from living out of a God-given identity. To live the abundant life the Lord Jesus died to give us, we must be defined God. He has been known to re-write our narrative after all of our trauma, loss, and hurt. This only happens as we allow Him to do so.
Today, we do well, to read God's Word, asking Him to define us by His way of thinking. This will not mean we will become sinless. It does mean God will begin healing the hole in our souls that causes us to seek validation from the wrong sources. When we allow Him to define us, we will grow in the confidence that is not circumstantial. We will grow in the wholeness that ushers us to Him who unfailingly gives meaning and purpose to the willing soul.
