The Meaning of Mark 6:17 Explained

Mark 6:17

KJV: For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

YLT: For Herod himself, having sent forth, did lay hold on John, and bound him in the prison, because of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he married her,

Darby: For the same Herod had sent and seized John, and had bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.

ASV: For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For  Herod  himself  had sent forth  and laid hold  upon John,  and  bound  him  in  prison  for  Herodias'  sake,  his  brother  Philip's  wife:  for  he had married  her. 

What does Mark 6:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 6:1-20 - The Widening Fields
In the opening paragraph of this chapter, we learn of hatred and rejection of those who had enjoyed the rich privileges of being the neighbors and associates of our Lord from His earliest days. They could not discern the divine in the human, the heavenly under the earthly veil. The Savior, therefore, driven from their towns, goes about among the villages, depriving Himself of the companionship of His disciples, in order to spread the good news as far as possible. The Lord is still in His Church through the Holy Spirit, but His power is limited and neutralized by our unbelief. It is useless to ask Him to put forth His great power and save us, so long as we have made it practically impossible for Him to do as we ask. The oldtime cry was: "Why shouldst thou be as a mighty man that cannot save?" The answer is supplied here: He could do no mighty work,"¦ and he marveled at their unbelief. Faith is our capacity for God, and there are several conditions for its nurture and growth.
With what simplicity the Twelve were started on their mission, Mark 6:7. But with what authority they spoke! Simplicity and power are closely allied. The truly strong soul is not in need of the external surroundings and circumstances on which others lean; and in proportion to our willingness to deprive ourselves of the sources of human confidence may we lay hold on and possess divine power. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 6

1  Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country
7  He gives the twelve power over unclean spirits
14  Various opinions of Jesus
16  John the Baptist is imprisoned, beheaded, and buried
30  The apostles return from preaching
34  The miracle of five loaves and two fishes
45  Jesus walks on the sea;
53  and heals all who touch him

Greek Commentary for Mark 6:17

For Herod himself [Αυτος γαρ ο ηρωιδης]
Mark now proceeds to give the narrative of the death of John the Baptist some while before these nervous fears of Herod. But this post eventum narrative is very little out of the chronological order. The news of John‘s death at Machaerus may even have come at the close of the Galilean tour. “The tidings of the murder of the Baptist seem to have brought the recent circuit to an end” (Swete). The disciples of John “went and told Jesus. Now when Jesus heard it, he withdrew from thence in a boat” (Matthew 14:12.). See note on Matthew 14:3-12 for the discussion about Herod Antipas and John and Herodias. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 6:17 mean?

Himself for - Herod having sent seized - John and bound him in prison on account of Herodias the wife of Philip the brother of him because her he had married
Αὐτὸς γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ἀποστείλας ἐκράτησεν τὸν Ἰωάννην καὶ ἔδησεν αὐτὸν ἐν φυλακῇ διὰ Ἡρῳδιάδα τὴν γυναῖκα Φιλίππου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ὅτι αὐτὴν ἐγάμησεν

Αὐτὸς  Himself 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἡρῴδης  Herod 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἡρῴδης  
Sense: the name of a royal family that flourished among the Jews in the times of Christ and the Apostles.
ἀποστείλας  having  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀποστέλλω 
Sense: to order (one) to go to a place appointed.
ἐκράτησεν  seized 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κρατέω  
Sense: to have power, be powerful.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰωάννην  John 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωάννης 
Sense: John the Baptist was the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the forerunner of Christ.
ἔδησεν  bound 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δέω  
Sense: to bind tie, fasten.
φυλακῇ  prison 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: φυλακή  
Sense: guard, watch.
διὰ  on  account  of 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
Ἡρῳδιάδα  Herodias 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Ἡρῳδιάς  
Sense: daughter of Aristobulus and granddaughter of Herod the Great.
γυναῖκα  wife 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γυνή  
Sense: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.
Φιλίππου  of  Philip 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Φίλιππος  
Sense: an apostle of Christ.
ἀδελφοῦ  brother 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ὅτι  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
αὐτὴν  her 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐγάμησεν  he  had  married 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γαμέω  
Sense: to lead in marriage, take to wife.

What are the major concepts related to Mark 6:17?

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