The Real Housewives of Judea

Read Mark 6:14-29

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” –Mark 6:22-23

If Herod the Great lived today, no doubt his family would have been the subject of countless tabloids and TMZ videos. Here’s a short summary of just some of the weird dynamics that existed within his family:

Herod the Great had at least eight different wives, by whom he fathered at least fourteen children. (I say “at least” because it is highly likely that Herod also had consorts and fathered children who were never officially recognized as his offspring.) Herod’s oldest son & intended heir, Antipater II, was executed for treason. His next two oldest sons, Alexander and Aristobulus IV, were also killed for the same charge. So when Herod the Great died (4 BC), his kingdom was split into four parts. Three sections were ruled by his sons (Philip, Herod Antipas, and Herod Archelaus), and a fourth was given to his sister Salome.

But we’re not yet done. When Herod executed his sons, Alexander and Aristobulus, he gave their children to his other sons in marriage. Herodias, the daughter of Aristobulus IV, was given to Philip (her uncle). At the time of their betrothal (7 BC), Philip was twenty years old; Herodias was only eight. Herodias eventually gave birth to a daughter, whom they named Salome (in honor of Philip’s aunt and Herodias’ great-aunt).

Fast-forward thirty-three years later. In 26 AD, Herod Antipas (Philip’s half-brother) fell in love with Herodias. Both ended up divorcing their spouses, and then Herod Antipas married his niece and sister-in-law, bringing her and her teenage daughter into his home. This caused a stir throughout Galilee (the region of the tetrarchy over which Herod Antipas ruled), it was expressly against Israelite law: “If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity. He has uncovered his brother’s nakedness. They shall be childless.” (Leviticus 20:21)

Perhaps the most vocal critic of Herod Antipas was John the Baptist. Herod had John arrested for his words, but the irony is that Herod came to like him. Even though John puzzled him, he enjoyed listening to him talk (Mark 6:20). Herod’s wife, though, was not satisfied with John’s imprisonment, and Herod’s birthday celebration presented a moment to carry out her vengeance.

As we might imagine, Herod’s birthday was quite the feast; all the “high officials and military commanders” of the region attended the celebration. (6:21) For entertainment that evening, Herodias had her daughter, Salome, dance before the king, who was so pleased by her dance that he promised to grant her a wish, anything up to half of his kingdom. What stepfather hasn’t made such a promise to win the favor of his step-daughter (especially if she was a teenager)!

But Herod was dismayed when Salome, under instruction from her mother, asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Even though Herod liked John and feared him as a holy man, he feared even more losing face before his distinguished guests. So Herod gave the order, and his soldiers beheaded John in his prison cell.

Within Mark’s Gospel, John’s death functions as a “precursor” of the end that awaits Jesus. Jesus, too, would appear before an official who found no guilt in him, but who would nonetheless cave to political pressure and hand him over to be killed. The story also gives us a stark picture of the depravity of Israel’s rulers. They flouted God’s law and married whomever they wanted; they imprisoned anyone who spoke out in protest. John’s beheading took place at a birthday party, of all places—the persecution of the righteous was a part of their evening entertainment!

We are meant to feel sadness and outrage. We can only imagine how Jesus felt—John was his cousin, a fellow missionary in the field, the one who had “prepared the way” and baptized him in the River Jordan. I imagine that Jesus was tempted to speak out against the death of his cousin, just as John had spoken out against Herod’s unholy marriage. But Jesus knew the time was not yet ready; there was still much work to be done before his own conflict with the powers that be would reach its climax.

So how are we to respond to the issues that inspire the same kind of outrage and sadness in us? The truth is that I don’t know. Sometimes, courageous truth is the answer, as John exemplified until the end. Sometimes, wise patience is the better course, to know there is a time and place to speak our truth. We are all called to resist evil and injustice in the world, but we must rely upon God to help us know how and when.

I close with a familiar prayer that I hope will be helpful in your own discernment:

Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.