Matthew 14:1-12, Mark 6:14-29, and Luke 3:19-20, 9:7-9
A note in my Study Bible intrigued me, so I looked further online. Herodias is a main character in today’s readings. She is the wife of Herod Antipas and is the person who goads her husband into having John the Baptist beheaded. But there’s more to her than just that. She is, herself, related to her husband prior to her marriage – she is the granddaughter of Herod the Great! Her father was Aristobulus, one of at least four sons of Herod the Great. Herod Antipas and Herod Philip (Herodias’ first husband) were two other sons, so Herodias twice married her uncles! What a loving family!
Then we come to Herodias’ daughter, Salome (so named by Josephus). Salome is now the great-granddaughter of Herod the Great. She goes on to marry another of Herod the Great’s sons, Philip by name (not to be confused with Herod Philip), so Salome is also marrying in the family, her granduncle – her grandfather Aristobulus’ brother! What a family!! Here’s more reading: https://biblehub.com/topical/h/herodias.htm.
…for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. (Mark 6:20) In that one verse we hear these three things, that Herod feared John, kept him safe, and heard him gladly. But John is the man who is accusing Herod of illegally marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias. This verse also says that Herod …was greatly perplexed… by John. No doubt! He becomes even more perplexed later in Mark’s 26th verse, And the king was exceedingly sorry… Unfortunately it seems that Herod was not sorry enough to want to repent of his sins. What a sad story is John the Baptist’s death.
See also: May 12 / Matt. 14:1-12; May 13 / Mark 6:14-29; May 14 / Luke 3:19-20; 9:7-9
Assuming that Salome is the daughter of Herodias’ first husband, Herod Philip, then Salome is both the great-granddaughter and the granddaughter of Herod the Great. But she is not alone in having an “interesting” family tree. Consider the patriarch, Jacob (aka Israel). Terah (Abraham’s father) was Jacob’s great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and great-great-great-grandfather. (I’ll let you work out all the connections, but see Gen 11:27-29, 22:20-23), and he married his cousins Leah and Rachel… And people object to the creation story because Cain somehow found a wife. Ha!
This painting, by Caravaggio, is in the Cathedral of St. John in Malta. It is magnificent (about 12’ tall and 20’ wide). The cathedral was the home of the knights of the Order of St. John, which was founded in the 11th century to protect the pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land. After Jerusalem fell to the Ottoman Turks, the knights took on a military role and founded a base in Malta, which was granted to them by the King of Spain in 1530. Malta became the stronghold of Christendom, and they repelled many attacks by the Ottomans.
Upon the floors of the church lay the tombstones of many of the most noble knights. Beautifully appointed stones with epitaphs in Latin, state the accomplishments and virtues of each (many of which are humorous).
This photo does the actual painting little justice. It is an extraordinary piece, and in Malta, it is under appreciated.
Thanks, Tom. Does this mean you have been to Malta and seen all this in person? What a wonderful trip!
Wonderful painting! (Caravaggio is amazing!!!)
Very interesting about Herodias and Salome. The bloodlines and relationships in the OT are confusing, to say the least. Abraham married his half sister then a cousin, etc.
I was struck by the different explanations of who Jesus was – John come back to life, a rabble-rouser, a preacher, a rabbi, a great moral teacher, so many alternatives, some with partial truth. Our answer to the question of who He is is foundational. Reading the Bible it’s pretty hard to say that during His ministry, Jesus didn’t know who He was/is. I believe Him and stake my life on that.