Not Lawful to Have Your Brother's Wife - Mark 6:18

Mark wrote how, “king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him, Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. But when Herod heard thereof, he 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”, and in chapter six and verse eighteen of his book, Mark wrote how, “John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife” where we read:

For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.

The verse reads, “For John had said unto Herod, ...” Mark began with the words, “for John had said” or “because, since and on account that John the Baptist had uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto Herod” which means “to King Herod whose name means heroic”. Mark wrote the reason Herod arrested John the Baptist which because of what John the Baptist said to him.

The verse goes on to say, “... It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” Mark continued with the words, “It is not lawful” which means “it is against the law of God” “for you” or “for Herod” “to have your brother's wife” which means “to be married to Herod's brother's (Philip) wife”. Mark shared how John the Baptist told King Herod it was “against the law of God” for him to marry his brother Philip's wife.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we understand how King Herod and his wife Herodias would be offended by what John the Baptist said. Though what John said was true, it must have been greatly embarrassing and shameful for them to be told this. Sin leaves it mark upon every person's life, and this is the reason Jesus came. He died upon the cross for every sin that people commit, and even the sin of “adultery” which Herod committed could have been forgiven. Rather than humble themselves before God, they chose to have the messenger “John the Baptist” arrested, and so it is with many people when their sin is exposed. Those who are wise will discover the “saving power” of Jesus Christ over “sin” and yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Mark shares how, “Herodias had a quarrel against” John, 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".