Herodias

How would you like to be remembered throughout history for doing something wrong? That is what happened to Herodias and her daughter. Herodias will always be remembered as the woman who had John the Baptist beheaded. What did John the Baptist do to make this woman have him beheaded? He simply told the truth — it was unlawful for Herod to marry Herodias, his brother’s wife.

Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus and his wife, Bernice. She was the granddaughter of Herod the Great and the princess of the Herodian dynasty of Judea during the Roman Empire. This princess was born in 15 BC and died after AD39. During the time of John the Baptist, she was first married to Philip whom she divorced to marry his brother, Herod Antipas. According to the history books, Herod Antipas also divorced his first wife, Phasaelis to marry Herodias.

John the Baptist opposed the marriage which was the reason Herod Antipas had put him in prison. We can read about this in Mark 6:17–18, “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 thee to have thy brother’s wife,” and in Matthew 14:3–4, “For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.” It was unlawful for them to marry because Philip was still alive. For it says in Leviticus 20:21, “And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless,” and Leviticus 18:16, “Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.” These were the laws of the Old Testament which they still lived in, and they violated these laws by Herod and Herodias being married. Matthew and Luke state that this is why John the Baptist opposed the marriage in Matthew 14:4, “For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her”.

As we can see in Mark 6:19, “Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not.” Herodias wanted him dead just for opposing the marriage, but she couldn’t have him killed “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy” (Mark 6:20). Herod might have feared that the followers of John the Baptist would riot if John was killed since it reads in Matthew 14:5, “And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.” But in the end, she got her opportunity through her daughter when her daughter danced before Herod and was told she could have anything she wanted. Since he had given an oath, he had to follow through. What a sad day that was when John the Baptist lost his life because of a dance and an oath. That is one reason one should be careful when giving an oath.

As for Herod, he feared John but protected him because he knew John the Baptist was a just and holy man. Herod must have wished that he had not given that oath because in Mark 6:26 it says “And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.” As king, he had to fulfill his oath.

We don’t know the daughter’s name but we are told from the history books that her name was Salome. According to historian Josephus, Herodias and Philip had only one daughter, and her name was Salome. One can only assume that she asked her mom for advice or wisdom since she was being told, “Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom” (Mark 6:23). That would be a great and serious decision.

But in the end, John the Baptist was beheaded, and it was a sad day for everyone who knew him. Mark 6:29–30: “And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb. And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.” After his death, we don’t hear anything about Herodias or her daughter. But what we do know is not good.

We need to be careful when we give others an oath. When we do, we need to make sure we follow through since it is our word. An oath is a promise. In the end, we don’t want to end up like Herodias who, because of a grudge, caused a man from God to lose his life.