Â鶹APP

Statues of Santa Maria Salome in the Philippines. Photo by: Judgefloro- Wikimedia.

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Salome

The story of Herod’s stepdaughter, Princess Salome (pronounced “Sah-loh-may”), dates back to the book of Matthew in the Bible. Salome dances for Herod’s birthday feast in the original story, and he is so impressed with her dancing that he offers to give her anything she desires.

Salome, prompted by her mother, requests the head of John the Baptist, and thus bears responsibility for his death. Many writers have retold the story of Salome since the first version was written. Oscar Wilde’s play Salome is one of the most famous editions.

1. Salome was a disciple of Jesus 

Salome, a lesser-known disciple of Jesus, is one of several women mentioned. While Jesus’ male disciples receive far more attention in the New Testament, Salome is not as prominent as Mary Magdalene or the sisters Mary and Martha.

Salome, on the other hand, appears in two crucial scenes. She is mentioned as one of the onlookers at Jesus’ crucifixion in Mark 15:40-41:

“A few women stood back and watched. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome were among them. These women had followed him and looked after his needs in Galilee. Many of the women who had accompanied him to Jerusalem were also present.”

Matthew 27:56 appears to refer to the same group of women, but does not mention Salome’s name.  Jewish women in the first century lived in a patriarchal society, they rarely, if ever, had career paths.

So we can believe Salome and the other women were wealthy and provided financial support to Jesus while he traveled around teaching. Salome was one of the women who appeared at Jesus’ tomb on Sunday after his crucifixion on Friday, according to Mark 16:1.

“When the Sabbath was finished, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to anoint Jesus’ body.”

2. Was the first Salome evil for certain behaviors?

Salome. Photo by: Franz von Stuck- Wikimedia.

Paintings and sermons have taken an erotic, sinister spin on the story of the first Salome since at least the classical period. She is frequently described as a free-spirited woman who arouses men with her dancing and purposefully brings John down.

Oscar Wilde’s 1891 play Salome depicted her as attempting to seduce John the Baptist, being rejected, and then bringing about his demise. We don’t get enough information about Salome from the New Testament passages to know if there’s an erotic subtext to this story.

We don’t know if Salome agreed to dance or if her mother forced her to. We are not told anything about the dancing style (which might help a historian establish if there was something sexual going on).

We’re not told her age, only that she’s a “girl,” which could help us determine whether she was old enough to perform an erotic dance or underage (not to mention how dependent she was on her mother).

We are told that her dancing pleased her uncle and his guests, but we are not told how pleased they were. Aresk, the Greek word for “please,” is also used in 1 Thessalonians 2:15 (“they please not God, and are contrary to all men”).

This would imply that the word does not have an arousing connotation, though it may in this context. So, without the historical and cultural context that the New Testament does not provide, we don’t know if Salome’s dancing provoked the guests or if it was something more innocent.

3. Why should we take advice from the second Salome?

Although we don’t know much about the second Salome or her intentions, what we do know demonstrates her dedication. She was willing to give up her regular life to follow Jesus, a carpenter who had become an itinerant (and uncertified) teacher because he was not a member of the known religious orders.

Dropping everything to follow someone like that would have been difficult to explain, especially since he was a Messiah who avoided any worldly connotations (no way to profit from his revolution).

It would have been even more difficult as a woman in a patriarchal society. Salome not only took big social challenges by following Jesus, but she also endorsed him financially.

Salome was there for Jesus even after his cause appeared to have completely collapsed and he was dying. Instead of discreetly leaving and returning to her normal life, she was present at the cross. She was present at his funeral to respect him by anointing his body.

4. Who were the two Salomes’ in the Bible?

Salome with the head of John the Baptist. Photo by: Titian- Wikimedia.

According to historians, the Bible contains two women named Salome. One is referred to as the “righteous,” while the other is regarded to as the “unrighteous.” In the Bible, only one Salome is mentioned by name.

Why is only one Salome mentioned by name? There is no answer to that question in the Bible. Nonetheless, we can learn from each woman. Every time we open the Bible, we can derive powerful ideas and teachings.

We can learn from reading Scripture about these two women that even if our names are not mentioned in conversation, our actions speak loudly. Both of these women’s actions reveal who is important in their lives. Salome demonstrated her devotion to Jesus. The other demonstrated her love for herself.

5. What did Herod’s daughter Salome do?

Some author refers to a woman named Salome as the “unrighteous.” According to the Bible, Herod incarcerated John the Baptist for speaking out against Herod and his marriage to Herodias.

This Salome was surrounded by her mother Herodias and King Herod, who divorced his wife and married his half-brother Philip’s wife Herodias. The family history was littered with corrupt individuals, selfishness, and a desire for power.

John the Baptist had been imprisoned for speaking out against Herod Antipas and Herodias’ marriage. Despite the fact that John the Baptist was imprisoned, Herod was hesitant to have him executed due to John’s popularity. Herod anticipated a rebellion if he was the one to have John killed.

At a festival, Salome was asked to dance for Herod and his visitors. Her beauty and dancing were meant to dazzle the audience. He promised to give her anything she desired. Salome was urged by her mother to request the head of John the Baptist on a platter.

What a gruesome and cruel request! Herod was then forced to behead John.

According to the Bible, Herod was devastated, but he felt obligated to fulfill his oath to Salome (Mark 6:26 NIV). Salome, the unjust, took John’s head and served it to her mother on a platter. What a nightmare!

6. Why is it important to learn about these two women’s lives?

While we can always learn from our mistakes and successes, we can also learn from other people. When we read the Bible about both women named Salome, we see that one of them is a Christian.

Even with her faith, life is stressful and painful. During those turbulent times, Salome follows God and spreads His message. She is a firm believer. Even after Jesus’ death, she goes to the tomb with Mary, Jesus’ mother, to anoint His body.

The other Salome, who isn’t named in the Bible, is self-centered and wants to please others. We don’t learn about her faith in God. The other Salome, who isn’t named in the Bible, is self-centered and wants to please everyone else.

We don’t learn about her faith in God. According to Scripture, she danced for guests at a festival at the request of Herod. Did she have genuine moments? Did she long to believe in God?

The Bible does not tell us. Reading paints a picture of a woman who has no morals and only cares about her own needs and the needs of her mother.

7. What can be gathered about the scripture

Salome brengt Herodias het hoofd van Johannes de DoperVerhalen uit het Oude Testament (serietitel) Photo by: Rijksmuseum- Wikimedia.

Academics are hesitant to accept the gospel accounts without a few qualifications. (Do you want to indent the following points — the caveats — to show that they are subpoints of the bulleted statement above?)

One possibility is that Salome was a child at the time of the banquet. If she had been of marriageable age, her behavior would have ruined her chances of finding a husband.

Second, she was a princess of royalty and would have kept a proper demeanor. As a result, scholars believe she may have performed acrobatics rather than dancing.

Third, Herodias had to have meticulously planned the entire scenario. Nothing happened by accident. 

Despite these reservations, Salome will be remembered as a seductress who danced erotically in front of Herod and demanded the death of John the Baptist.

8. Brief description of Salome

Frescos, Basilica di Santa Maria Salome, Veroli, Lazio, Italy Photo by: Mattis- Wikimedia.

The wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John (Matthew 27:56), and most likely the sister of Mary, our Lord’s mother (John 19:25). She requested positions of honor for her sons in Christ’s kingdom (Matthew 20:20, 21; comp. 19:28). She witnessed the crucifixion (Mark 15:40) and was present at the tomb with the other women (Matthew 27:56).

9. Mentioned on the Old and New Testament 

Both the Salomes’ are mentioned in the Bible more than once in both the Old and New Testament. They are both quite popular in the Bible and are in countless stories. 

10. Oscar Wilde’s play ‘Salome’ is based on a biblical story

Portrait of a Lady (Tullia d’Aragona) as Salome photo by: Moretto da Brescia- Wikimedia.

Oscar Wilde wrote the one-act play Salome. The story is loosely based on the New Testament books Mark 6:15-29 and Matthew 14:1-12, though the character of Salome is not named in the Bible.

The play is set in biblical times and takes place in Judea, a historical region of the Middle East near what is now Palestine and Israel.

 It tells the tragic story of King Herod’s stepdaughter Salome. This lesson will teach you more about the plot of “Salome.”