Herod's Fear of John the Baptist - Mark 6:20

Mark wrote how King Herod heard of Jesus and said, “It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not”, and in chapter six and verse twenty of his book, Mark wrote how, “Herod feared John” John where we read:

For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

The verse reads, “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him;” Mark began with the words, “for Herod” or “because, since and on account that King Herod whose name means heroic” “feared John” which means “was struck with fear, afraid and seized with alarm concerning John”, “knowing that he was a just man” or “perceiving, understanding, discerning and discovering that John the Baptist was a righteous and virtuous man who kept the commands of God” “and an holy” which means “and a most holy and sacred saint”, “and observed him” or “and kept it within himself, kept it in mind lest it be forgotten and preserved”. Mark shared how Herod “was afraid” of John the Baptist because he knew John was a “righteous and sacred” man.

The verse goes on to say, “and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” Mark continued with the words, “and when” which means “and at the time and moment” “he heard him” or “Herod was endowed with the faculty of hearing, attended to and considered what John the Baptist said”, “he did many things” which means “Herod made, brought forth, caused and performed a great number of things”, “and heard him gladly” or “and with pleasure attended to and considered what John the Baptist said”. Mark shared how King Herod was pleased to listen to John the Baptist and did a lot of things so that he could keep hearing him.

When we consider Mark's words in this verse, we see how John the Baptist influenced King Herod even when he was arrested and put in prison. Evidentially John spoke out regularly concerning the “Kingdom of God”, and “Herod” enjoyed hearing what John had to say. This caused “Herod” to “be in awe” of John the Baptist, and because he knew John was a “righteous man”, he “feared” him. God's desire is for people to know and be in awe of Him through His Son Jesus, and when they begin to understand who He is, their best decision is to yield their lives to Him and allow Him to be their “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Mark shares how, “Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".