And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
All Commentaries on Mark 6:29 Go To Mark 6
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
The Evangelist Mark, taking occasion from what went before, here relates the death of the Forerunner, saying, “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.”.
The law also commanded abrother to marry his brother’s wife, if he died without children; but in this case there was a daughter, which made the marriage criminal. There follows: “Therefore Herodias had aquarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not.”.
But see how great is the fury of lust, for though Herod had such an awe and fear of John, he forgets it all, that he may minister to his fornication.
For during the banquet, Satan danced in the person of the damsel, and the wicked oath is completed. For it goes on: “And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.”.
The malignant woman begs that the head of John be given to her immediately, that is, at once, in that very hour, for she feared lest Herod should repent. There follows: “And the king was exceeding sorry.”.
Herod not being his own master, but full of lust, fulfilled his oath, and slew the just man; it would have been better however to break his oath, than to commit so great a sin. Wherefore it goes on: “But sending an executioner, he commanded his head to be brought in a charger.”.
‘Spiculator’ is the name forthe public servant commissioned to put men to death.
In a mystical way, however,Herod, whose name means, ‘of skin,’ is the people of the Jews, and the wife to whom he was wedded means vain glory, whose daughter even now encircles the Jews with her dance, namely, a false understanding of the Scriptures; they indeed beheaded John, that is, the word of prophecy, and hold to him without Christ, his head.
