New Testament · Gospel

Mark 6:17

Rejected and Relentless

For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married. Mark 6:17 · Berean Standard Bible
What It Means

Mark 6:17, in plain English

Here's the backstory: Herod had arrested John the Baptist and thrown him in prison because of Herodias — his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married.

Why it's here

Herod took his own brother's wife. John called it out. And rather than repent, Herod locked up the messenger. Power doesn't like being corrected.

Who's speaking

Mark explains the events leading to John's imprisonment.

Where it sits in the story

Mark fills in the backstory: Herod married his brother's wife, John told him it was wrong, and Herod responded by putting John in chains. Truth-tellers often pay a heavy price.

A Closer Look

The scholarly reading

Mark begins the flashback narrative (analepsis) explaining John's imprisonment: Herod Antipas arrested John because of Herodias, whom he had married after she was the wife of his half-brother Philip.

Language and setting

Herod Antipas divorced his Nabatean wife to marry Herodias, his half-brother's wife — a double violation of Jewish law (Lev 18:16; 20:21) that John publicly condemned, leading to political and personal consequences.

Voice

Mark narrates the backstory of John the Baptist's arrest.

Significance

Mark flashes back to explain how John ended up in prison: Herod had married his brother Philip's wife Herodias, and John had publicly condemned the union as unlawful.

In context

Mark 6:15–19

15Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”

17For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.

18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”

19So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,

Read all of Mark 6 — His hometown dismisses him, a king beheads his cousin, and the crowds won't stop coming. Jesus feeds five thousand anyway.

Understand every verse, not just this one

This page covers one. BibleKey does all 31,102 — tap any verse for its meaning, any word for its Hebrew or Greek root, and keep reading without leaving the chapter.

Get BibleKey

Understand every verse.

Not just the famous ones. BibleKey is free on iPhone and iPad.

Download on the App Store

Free on iPhone & iPad