Today’s passage: Mark 6:14-29
Helpful thoughts:
- Herod appears to have had a great fear of man. He was also afraid that Jesus was John the Baptist, back from the dead. Today’s passage tells us why he had John the Baptist put to death.
- After being intoxicated by pleasure, Herod made a foolish vow. He (and more so, John the Baptist) paid for it dearly.
- John the Baptists actual “wrong-doing” was simply telling Herod that it was wrong to have married his sister-in-law the way he did.
Questions to consider:
- What are all the instances of fear we see Herod experiencing in this passage (Or clamoring for the approval of people)? How did he respond to his fear/desire? How did his fear/desire control him?
- What are some instances where fear (Or particularly the fear of man) have made you say or do things (Or kept you from doing things) you would or wouldn’t normally want to do?
- Contrast Herod’s leadership with Jesus’ from Mark 5:40. What thinking and heart motivation needs to change in us in order to have victory of the fear of man? (Mark 12:30-31, 1 John 4:19, John 15:13, Ecclesiastes 12:13)