Study and discussion
What is infanticide?
It is the practice of killing babies/children. Also called the Massacre of the Innocents.
Question 1
Can you give examples? If not, continue to the next.
What is the conscience?
The Christian website gotquestions.org: The conscience is defined as that part of the human psyche that induces mental anguish and feelings of guilt when we violate it and feelings of pleasure and well-being when our actions, thoughts and words are in conformity to our value systems. The Greek word translated “conscience” in all New Testament references is suneidēsis, meaning “moral awareness” or “moral consciousness.” The conscience reacts when one’s actions, thoughts, and words conform to, or are contrary to, a standard of right and wrong.
Question 2
Does everybody originally have this moral compass, regardless their social or religious value system?
In the following passage we learn about “King” Herod, also called Herod Antipas. He was an evil and adulterous man. He is one of a very cruel family. Under his Roman rule in Galilee both John the Baptist and Jesus were executed. He did this in co-operation with his friend-in-crime Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman govenor of Judea. Herod’s father was Herod the Great, who committed the infanticide in the time of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:16).
Read Mark 6:14-29 John the Baptist Beheaded
14King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” 16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” 17For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. 21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. 25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Watch the video teaching
Question 3
How do you think Herod felt about killing John the Baptist? (See Mark 6:20, 26, and then Mark 6:16.)
Question 4
Mark tells us that “the opportune time came” (Mark 6:21). What opportunity did Herodias (Also called Salome) take? (See Mark 6:19, 24.)
Question 5
What opportunity did Herod miss, and why?
Question 6
What kind of soil is Herod? (See Mark 4:15-20.)
Question 7
An old saying says, “We are the choices we have made”. How was that true for Herod?
What is infanticide?
It is the practice of killing babies/children. Also called the Massacre of the Innocents.
Question 1
Can you give examples? If not, continue to the next.
What is the conscience?
The Christian website gotquestions.org: The conscience is defined as that part of the human psyche that induces mental anguish and feelings of guilt when we violate it and feelings of pleasure and well-being when our actions, thoughts and words are in conformity to our value systems. The Greek word translated “conscience” in all New Testament references is suneidēsis, meaning “moral awareness” or “moral consciousness.” The conscience reacts when one’s actions, thoughts, and words conform to, or are contrary to, a standard of right and wrong.
Question 2
Does everybody originally have this moral compass, regardless their social or religious value system?
In the following passage we learn about “King” Herod, also called Herod Antipas. He was an evil and adulterous man. He is one of a very cruel family. Under his Roman rule in Galilee both John the Baptist and Jesus were executed. He did this in co-operation with his friend-in-crime Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman govenor of Judea. Herod’s father was Herod the Great, who committed the infanticide in the time of Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:16).
Read Mark 6:14-29 John the Baptist Beheaded
14King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” 16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!” 17For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. 21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. 25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Watch the video teaching
Question 3
How do you think Herod felt about killing John the Baptist? (See Mark 6:20, 26, and then Mark 6:16.)
Question 4
Mark tells us that “the opportune time came” (Mark 6:21). What opportunity did Herodias (Also called Salome) take? (See Mark 6:19, 24.)
Question 5
What opportunity did Herod miss, and why?
Question 6
What kind of soil is Herod? (See Mark 4:15-20.)
Question 7
An old saying says, “We are the choices we have made”. How was that true for Herod?