Lent 3 - Wednesday - The Beheading of John the Baptist and A Princess Named Salome

Text: Mark 6:13-29 (see below)

The combination of sex, politics and religion always makes for good operatic plots! It also makes for great biblical story telling. In today’s text we have both and the passage speaks to two of my great passions: The Bible and The Opera.

Mark 6 is another good example of Markan sandwich construction where the chapter began with Jesus’ commission of the twelve disciples. Their return is celebrated beginning at verse 30 moving from disciples to apostles (we will deal with that issue tomorrow). In between those two sections is an account of the death of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod Antipas. The transition into this portion of Chapter 6 is so abrupt it gives one pause.

Most commentators are skeptical if this episode in Chapter 6 is indeed factual for when compared to the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus there are sharp distinctions. Here is what Josephus wrote about John in his work Antiquities:

Herod had John put to death, though he was a good man and had exhorted the Jews to live righteous lives, to practice justice towards their fellows and piety towards God, and so doing join in baptism,,,, When others too joined the crowds about him, because they were aroused to the highest degree by his words, Herod became alarmed. Eloquence that had so great an effect on the people might lead to some form of sedition, for it looked as if they would be guided by John in everything that they did. Herod decided, therefore, that it would be much better to strike first and be rid of him before his work led to an uprising, than to wait for an upheaval, get involved in a difficult situation, and see his mistake (Antiquities, XVIII, v.2).

If Mark’s account is not factual, why did the writer of the first Gospel make such a big deal of this story?

In Chad Meyers brilliant commentary on Mark’s Gospel entitled Binding The Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus, the author suggests that Mark is setting the stage for what is to come: namely the political death of Jesus at the hands of the “inner circle of power”. Meyers writes about the politics of intermarriage among the royalty which was fundamental in building and consolidating dynasties. For example, there is great learning to be found in understanding the arrangements of Herod’s first marriage to an Arabian princess of the Kingdom of Nabatea and the fallout from a failed and abusive marriage.

Meyers goes on about how Mark portrays the Herodian court in this episode. Notice who is present at the dinner party: court nobles, army officers, and leading Galileans. The author writes, “Mark accurately describes the inner circle of power as an incestuous relationship involving government, military and commercial interests”(Binding, page 216).

Yet, in this story, who decides the fate of John the Baptist? – a nameless daughter of Herodias! In later versions of this tale the dancer will be named Salome. The real issue in this scene is the oath that Herod Antipas has made and how he can save face in front of all of his guests. Meyers suggests, “The dilemma created by the oath is a parody on the shameless methods of decision-making among the elite, a world in which human life is bartered to save royal face: Herod trades the ‘head’ (symbolizing his honor) of the prophet to rescue the integrity of his own drunken oath…. (the story) paves the way for Mark’s supreme political parody, the trial and execution of the Human One by the collaborative Jewish and Roman powers” (Binding, page 216).

As abruptly as Mark includes this story, I jump ahead to the end of the nineteenth century to a man named Oscar Wilde. Written in French in 1891, Wilde’s play, Salome, followed on the heels of scores of other Salome poems, novels and paintings. Scholars have suggested that Wilde may have read and been influenced by a very popular poem by Heinrich Heine entitled Atta Troll. In this poem, it is Herodias who falls in love with Jochannan (John the Baptist), engineering his execution, and finally kissing his severed head!

Richard Strauss was 41 years old when he attended a performance of Salome in Berlin in the year 1902. He was looking for a new subject to set to music and was immediately attracted to the opening line of the play: “Wie schon ist die Prinzessin Salome heute Nacht!” (How lovely is the Princess Salome tonight!). Strauss immediately began to work on the score which was finished in less than two years.

The premiere of the opera on December 9, 1905 at the Royal Opera House in Dresden was an enormous hit receiving 38 curtain calls. While other composers such as Massenet and Glazunov also composed works on this subject, Strauss focused all of his attention on the young princess writing music that painted the licentious side of her character.

Not everyone was impressed by this darling child! There is an operatic legend that on Sunday, January 22, 1907, the Metropolitan Opera scheduled a dress rehearsal of the opera at 11:00 am in which members of the board were invited to attend. J. Pierpont Morgan and his friends came to the opera house directly from church that day and were not prepared for what was to follow. Apparently, they were “revolted” by such a spectacle. This reaction, naturally, helped to sell out the house for the premiere. However, at that time, there was such an outcry in the press and from pulpits (!) that the opera was withdrawn from the repertory after only five performances. It took another twenty-seven years before Salome was presented again at the Old House on 39th Street.

Richard Strauss uses all the colors of the orchestra available to him at the time. The score calls for 105 musicians, over half of them in the string section alone. Two harps, xylophone, a Celeste, tambourine and castanets, extra high pitched timpani, and my favorite instrument in this piece, the heckelphone, are but a few of the various instruments used by the composer.

The last scene of the opera, after the severed head of Jochannan has been delivered to the princess, is without question one of the most spectacular and devilish moments in all of opera. In a final cry of exhortation, Salome triumphantly exclaims, “Ich habe deinen Mund gekusst, Jokannan” (I have now kissed your mouth, Jochannan) as the orchestra explodes in musical colors. Make sure, if you can stomach it, to watch until the very end to see what happens to this young princess!

Two options: The first is the shorter version with Birgit Nilsson from 1972 in glorious voice. A production of the Royal Opera House in London.

The second option is the full 21 minutes (for you opera devotees!) with Catherine Malfitano. Again from the Royal Opera House in London. This is a chlling performance and it looks like Bryn Terfel actually lost his head!!

Sex, politics and religion not only make for good operatic plots but great lessons from the Scriptures as well. Cheers to Richard Strauss and the author of the Gospel of Mark.

Love One Another - Brian

No Love ~ No Understanding

Oscar Wilde

“Where there is no extravagance, there is no love; and where there is no love, there is no understanding.”

Source: Metropolitan Opera Education Website

Mark 6:13-29

The disciples cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’ For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod* had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.