Mark 6:14-19

Interpretation:

Mark’s description of King Herod here seems out of place. It reminds me of the transitions George Lucas makes in the Star Wars movies. A scene will be focused on the protagonist, or hero, and then suddenly the scene shifts to the antagonist, or nemesis. It lends clarity to the plot of the intergalactic drama that’s building. Mark is doing something similar in this passage. The scene shifts to one of God’s enemies, King Herod. And with the shift we see two things that help fill out the effect Jesus was having on the region.

Christ’s Increasing Fame Jesus’ ministry was no longer local to Galilee. Now word had spread about all the great miracles He was accomplishing. Jesus was known by name all over Israel even by the king, King Herod. Verses 14 – 16 is evidence of this increasing fame as people all over Israel had different opinions of who or what Jesus was.  It is very important to understand that at this time the leaders of the land were trying to come to terms with teaching and miracles of Jesus.

Herod’s Interest in Finding Christ Verses 17-29 describe the dispicable beheading of John the Baptist in prision. Herod’s motives are confused by verses 20 and 26. Matthew’s account of this same instance in Matthew 14:5 we see Herod’s real reasons for not killing John the Baptist. It wasn’t so much a holy fear of John the Baptist’s faith but a fear of the uprising that killing him might have provoked. What does this have to do with Jesus? Herod now percieved Jesus as a threat to his authority because of his conviction that Jesus was in fact the ressurected John the Baptist. Luke 9: 9 further evidences Herod’s interest in finding Christ. Now Jesus’ teachings and miracles were no longer just the talk at the dinner table or the quiet conversation while fishing (if there ever was such a time). Now people’s persepctives on who Jesus was would shape history.

Application:

After Herod had made up His mind on who Jesus really was we’ve seen history become rich with His name. Jesus is no longer just a man from Galilee but the most important man in history. What is your perspective on who Jesus really was?

To the christian the answer is obvious.  In light of the answer do we change the way we live? I’ll be the first to admit my perspective of Jesus is skewed. But we have to constantly ground and re-wire our perspectives in the truth of His Word because our perspective is everything. How does that look? Read what Jesus has said and done then make your analysis of who He was.