Mark 6:21

And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; AND WHEN A CONVENIENT DAY (FOR THE PURPOSES OF HERODIAS) WAS COME, THAT HEROD, [ genomenees (G1096) heemeras (G2250) eukairou (G2121), hote (G3753)] - rather, 'A convenient day being come, when Herod,' ON HIS BIRTH DAY, MADE A SUPPER TO HIS LORDS, HIGH CAPTAINS, AND CHIEF [ESTATES] OF GALILEE. This graphic minuteness of detail adds much to the interest of the tragic narrative....

14-29 Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more when he was dead. Herod did many of those things which John in his preaching taught him; but it is not enough to do many things, we must have respect to all the commandments. Herod respected John, till he touched him in his Herodias. Thus many love good preaching, if it keep far away from their beloved sin. But it is better that sinners persecute ministers now for faithfulness, than curse them eternally for unfaithfulness. The ways of God are unsearchable; but we may be sure he never can be at a loss to repay his servants for what they endure or lose for his sake. Death could not come so as to surprise this holy man; and the triumph of the wicked was short....

Verse 21. _LORDS_] μεγιστασιν, probably governors of particular districts. _HIGH CAPTAINS_] χιλιαρχοις; literally, _chiefs_ or _captains_ over a _thousand men_, military chiefs. _CHIEF ESTATES_] πρωτοις; probably such as might be called _nobles_ by _title_ only, having no _office_ civil or military; probably _magistrates_. See KYPKE an the place....

EXPOSITION MARK 6:1 Our Lord now left the neighbourhood of Capernaum, and came INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY, the district of Nazareth, where he had been, not born indeed, but brought up, and where his kinsfolk after the flesh still lived. Nazareth would be about a day's journey from Capernaum. This was not the first public exercise of his ministry at Nazareth. Of that and its results St. Luke gives us the account (Luke 4:16). It would seem reasonable to suppose that, after the fame which he had now acquired, he should again visit the place where he had been brought up. His sisters were still living there. St. Mark here again uses the historical present ἔρχεται, "he cometh," for which there is better authority than for ἧλθεν_. _HIS

AND WHEN A CONVENIENT DAY WAS COME,.... For Herodias; who had long sought and watched for an opportunity of avenging herself on John, and such a time Herod's birthday proved; though some think, that this phrase is the same with יום טוב, "a good day"; often used by the Jews for a festival, any one of their feast days; there is a tract in their Misna which bears this name; and that such a day was this. But not one of the festivals of the Jews was this, as either their passover, or pentecost, or feast of tabernacles, which Herod had no regard to; but his own birthday, which he kept as a festival, in eating, and drinking, and dancing; and so was a very opportune and seasonable time for Herodias to take the advantage of Herod when in a good humour, amidst his company, and in his cups, to solicit that, which she had often done without success: and so it was now, THAT HEROD ON HIS BIRTHDAY MAD...

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The Servant rejected in Nazareth. (Mark 6:1. Matthew 13:54; Luke 4:16)_ 2. The Servant sends forth the Twelve. (Mark 6:7 .Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:1) 3. King Herod troubled. (Mark 6:14. Matthew 14:1; Luke 9:7)...

HEROD AND JESUS. THE END OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. Wellhausen, J. Weiss, and Klostermann would begin a new period with this section the period of constant wandering, in which Jesus is mostly outside Galilee, _e.g._ in the districts of Tyre and Sidon (Mark 7:24), Decapolis (Mark 7:31), Bethsaida (Mark 8:22), Cæ sarea Philippi (Mark 8:27). The restless journeying across the lake, and the avoidance of Galilee, would be explained by the fact that the suspicions of Herod have been aroused. This characterisation of the period is correct and the hint as to its cause is also probable (_cf._ L

WITHOUT HONOR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY (Mark 6:1-6)...

WHEN. CONVENIENT DAY WAS COME. a convenient day being come, when, &c CONVENIENT. opportune. Only in Mark, and Hebrews 4:16. BIRTHDAY. The notice of the banquet and guests is. Divine supplement. LORDS. great men. Occurs only here, Revelation 6:15, and Revelation 18:23, HIGH CAPTAINS. chiliarchs (commanders of 1,000 men). CHIEF ESTATES. the first, or leading [men]....

_a convenient day_ i. e. a suitable day for her fell designs. _on his birthday_ In imitation of the Roman emperors, the Herodian princes kept their birthdays with feasting and revelry and magnificent banquets. Wieseler, however, considers the word denotes a feast celebrating Herod's accession, but this is more than doubtful. Birthday festivals were one sample of foreign habits introduced into Palestine and spread there by the Herodians. _made a supper_ probably at Machærus or some neighbouring palace. _lords, high captains_ or "_chiliarchs_." The words here used denote servants of the state, civil and military. _chief estates_ This term denotes men of high rank, and includes the Galilæan nobles generally. Comp. Fuller _Ch. Hist_. V. iii. 28, "God never gave grace nor knowledge of Holy Scripture to any _great estate_or rich man." State is also employed in the same way. Thus Adams says...