Bible Psychodrama: Pimp Your Daughter, Keep Your Man - From Mark 6:14-28
Herodias wasn't sleeping well. That idiot preacher was going to be the death of her yet . She couldn't afford to lose Herod. She loved him. It's hard for her to believe that Herod and Philip are brothers, well half brothers. Herod wasn't the wimp Philip was. He had always had a thing for her. She could tell, the way he looked at her and she responded by letting him.
While vacationing with her and Philip, Herod had the audacity to her delight by proposing to her. They made love right under Philip's nose. Wimp. It was all a hot mess, but she didn't care. She didn't care about her husband and she didn't care about his wife. And she sho' didn't care about what that raggedy preacher John the Baptist had to say. But sometimes she would catch Herod talking to him. In fact, the only time she and Herod argued was about this preacher person. What business was this of his anyway? If he wasn't so raggedy and smelly looking he could probably have somebody instead of bothering people who do. Something had to be done.
Herod liked to party and he liked to drink at his or anybody else's party. His first wife's father had made war on Herod for the disrespect of his daughter or something like that. Herod was sure of victory so on his birthday he threw a party and invited some of the military personnel. Herodias had asked to help out with the entertainment and she had asked in such a way that he told her to do anything she wanted. That's what she taught her daughter Salome - who she raised practically by herself thank you. She taught her baby what she had learned how to use what she had to get what she wanted from any man.
Herod told everyone that she had a surprise for them. She watched their eager, anxious faces turn to fascination as her daughter came forth and danced. Their eyes followed her every move. She watched them grip their wine goblets as if to steady themselves from the desire behind the gaze directed at her daughter. She watched Herod who seemed to be in a trance as Salome moved about the room in a frenzy, filling the room with the scent of jasmine. The lights from the lamps made the sweat on her skin seem to twinkle. When she finished, she fell in front of Herod. He stood up as all the other men, cheering at her daughter.
Herodias watched him as he leaned forward to get a better look at Salome now standing before him. His face was contorted with confusion over what he should do and what he wanted to do with this, his stepdaughter. The men were still whistling and clapping. Salome stood and smiled the smile all women smile when they realize the power they have over men.
Anything, anything you want, you can have up to half my kingdom, Herod blurted out to the roar of approval. He had his brother's wife. Could he have his daughter as well? Could one man be so lucky?
That's when he saw Herodias emerge from another room as Salome ran to her. He saw them whispering. He saw Herodias kiss Salome and then look directly at him with a look of triumph. Salome walked up to him, still slightly out of breath as glanced at her mother and said. "Bring me the head of John the Baptist." The men repeated the chorus, "the head of John the Baptist". Many probably didn't know who he was, but lust both blood and otherwise was in the air.
No he couldn't have heard right. Was he that drunk? Was it Salome or Herodias now at his side cheering with the men. Was it really John's head looking at him with a frozen stare as blood pooled in the platter it was carried on? Where was Salome going? He thought she was going to stay. But when he gave her John's head she didn't so much as look back or say thank you. He saw them both standing side by side. But he heard Herodias laughing. He knew that laugh drunk or sober. She blew him a kiss as she hugged her daughter. This was one great party!
While vacationing with her and Philip, Herod had the audacity to her delight by proposing to her. They made love right under Philip's nose. Wimp. It was all a hot mess, but she didn't care. She didn't care about her husband and she didn't care about his wife. And she sho' didn't care about what that raggedy preacher John the Baptist had to say. But sometimes she would catch Herod talking to him. In fact, the only time she and Herod argued was about this preacher person. What business was this of his anyway? If he wasn't so raggedy and smelly looking he could probably have somebody instead of bothering people who do. Something had to be done.
Herod liked to party and he liked to drink at his or anybody else's party. His first wife's father had made war on Herod for the disrespect of his daughter or something like that. Herod was sure of victory so on his birthday he threw a party and invited some of the military personnel. Herodias had asked to help out with the entertainment and she had asked in such a way that he told her to do anything she wanted. That's what she taught her daughter Salome - who she raised practically by herself thank you. She taught her baby what she had learned how to use what she had to get what she wanted from any man.
Herod told everyone that she had a surprise for them. She watched their eager, anxious faces turn to fascination as her daughter came forth and danced. Their eyes followed her every move. She watched them grip their wine goblets as if to steady themselves from the desire behind the gaze directed at her daughter. She watched Herod who seemed to be in a trance as Salome moved about the room in a frenzy, filling the room with the scent of jasmine. The lights from the lamps made the sweat on her skin seem to twinkle. When she finished, she fell in front of Herod. He stood up as all the other men, cheering at her daughter.
Herodias watched him as he leaned forward to get a better look at Salome now standing before him. His face was contorted with confusion over what he should do and what he wanted to do with this, his stepdaughter. The men were still whistling and clapping. Salome stood and smiled the smile all women smile when they realize the power they have over men.
Anything, anything you want, you can have up to half my kingdom, Herod blurted out to the roar of approval. He had his brother's wife. Could he have his daughter as well? Could one man be so lucky?
That's when he saw Herodias emerge from another room as Salome ran to her. He saw them whispering. He saw Herodias kiss Salome and then look directly at him with a look of triumph. Salome walked up to him, still slightly out of breath as glanced at her mother and said. "Bring me the head of John the Baptist." The men repeated the chorus, "the head of John the Baptist". Many probably didn't know who he was, but lust both blood and otherwise was in the air.
No he couldn't have heard right. Was he that drunk? Was it Salome or Herodias now at his side cheering with the men. Was it really John's head looking at him with a frozen stare as blood pooled in the platter it was carried on? Where was Salome going? He thought she was going to stay. But when he gave her John's head she didn't so much as look back or say thank you. He saw them both standing side by side. But he heard Herodias laughing. He knew that laugh drunk or sober. She blew him a kiss as she hugged her daughter. This was one great party!
Loved reading about this growing up in Church as my Grandfather was a minister and pastor at St. Joseph Missionary Baptist Church. A church he founded. I loved the way he preached about this scripture. But I LOVED the way you told the story. It's funny because this of course goes on still just in a different way.