Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Mark: Chapter 6].
with whom he was hopelessly entangled.
6:21 {When a convenient day was come} (\genomen•s h•meras
eukairou\). Genitive absolute. A day well appointed \eu\, well,
\kairos\, time) for the purpose, the day for which she had long
waited. She had her plans all laid to spring a trap for her
husband Herod Antipas and to make him do her will with the
Baptist. Herod was not to know that he was the mere catspaw of
Herodias till it was all over. See on ¯Mt 14:6 for discussion of
Herod's birthday (\genesiois\, locative case or associative
instrumental of time). {Made a supper} (\deipnon epoi•sen\).
Banquet. {To his lords} (\tois megist•sin autou\). From
\megistan\ (that from \megas\, great), common in the LXX and
later Greek. Cf. Re 6:15; 18:23. In the papyri. The grandees,
magnates, nobles, the chief men of civil life. {The high
captains} (\tois chiliarchois\). Military tribunes, commanders of
a thousand men. {The chief men of Galilee} (\tois pr•tois t•s
Galilaias\). The first men of social importance and prominence. A
notable gathering that included these three groups at the banquet
on Herod's birthday.
6:22 {The daughter of Herodias herself} (\t•s thugatros aut•s
H•r•idiados\). Genitive absolute again. Some ancient manuscripts
read \autou\ (his, referring to Herod Antipas. So Westcott and
Hort) instead of \aut•s\ (herself). In that case the daughter of
Herodias would also have the name Herodias as well as Salome, the
name commonly given her. That is quite possible in itself. It was
toward the close of the banquet, when all had partaken freely of
the wine, that Herodias made her daughter come in and dance
(\eiselthous•s kai orch•samen•s\) in the midst (Matthew). "Such
dancing was an almost unprecedented thing for women of rank, or
even respectability. It was mimetic and licentious, and performed
by professionals" (Gould). Herodias stooped thus low to degrade
her own daughter like a common \hetaira\ in order to carry out
her set purpose against John. {She pleased Herod and them that
sat at meat} (\•resen H•r•id•i kai tois sunanakeimenois\). The
maudlin group lounging on the divans were thrilled by the
licentious dance of the half-naked princess. {Whatsoever thou
wilt} (\ho ean thel•is\) The drunken Tetrarch had been caught in
the net of Herodias. It was a public promise.
6:23 {And he sware unto her} (\kai •mosen aut•i\). The girl was
of marriageable age though called \korasion\ (cf. Es 2:9).
Salome was afterward married to Philip the Tetrarch. The
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