Herod Antipas "listened gladly" to John the Baptist (Mark 6:20). What are we to make of that?

[BartholomewB]

When John the Baptist was a prisoner in Herod’s fortress at Machaerus, Herod used to listen to him “gladly” (in most translations) or “willingly” (in the DR) or “enjoyed listening to him” (in some modern translations). What do the commentators make of this detail, which is found in Mark alone (6:20)?

Haydock leaves it open to two possible interpretations: “The sense both of the Latin and Greek text seems to be, that Herod entertained and shewed a particular respect and value for John the Baptist: yet some expound it, that he had a watchful eye over him, and sought only for an occasion to take him off.” Has any other commentator that we know of added anything to that?

 

[aroosi]

I cannot help you with that but Herod with Saint John reminds me a lot of Pilatus with Jesus. I think they both were men of power and probably both of them had inquisitive minds able to recognize that the person in front of them was extraordinary. I imagine them curious and intrigued by the encounter but probably also afraid to be seen as weak or unpopular.

 

[Todd_Easton]

I think Herod enjoyed listening to John the Baptist because John offered him some hope. Though he didn’t enjoy hearing that it was not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife, Herod enjoyed hearing that it wasn’t too late, that it was still possible for him to be reconciled with God, even if Herod was not yet willing to do what was necessary to achieve that reconciliation, namely, repent.

 

[JGD]

There was nothing in Lapide’s commentary or in Aquinas’ Catena Aurea. I did find a couple lines elsewhere that were of interest.

From the Sacred Space website: “John the Baptist was a channel of grace for King Herod, and the king ‘liked to listen to him’.”

And in Matthew Henry’s commentary (Protestant) on Mark 6, he spoke of “a flashy joy, which a hypocrite may have in hearing the word;” and likened Herod’s reception of John’s teaching to the seed that fell on rocky ground - Our Lord’s parable in Luke 8:13.

Probably a combination of the two.
I find the Sacred Space commentary most likely and meaningful. God is always reaching out; calling everyone to come to Him.

 

[Dan_Defender]

I cannot help you with that but Herod with Saint John reminds me a lot of Pilatus with Jesus. I think they both were men of power and probably both of them had inquisitive minds able to recognize that the person in front of them was extraordinary. I imagine them curious and intrigued by the encounter but probably also afraid to be seen as weak or unpopular.

Yes and like Pilate who did not intend to kill Jesus, Herod did not intend to kill John the Baptist, but was pressured by the manipulation of Herodias and not wanting to look weak in front of his courtiers.

 

[Julius_Caesar]

John the Baptist was a wild man, eccentric.

He would have been good entertainment for a man like Antipas.