Dangerous questions

The interlude is over- the lens focuses back in on Jesus and the returning disciples. So why put a sandwich here?- its obviously quite intentional on Mark's part. It shows the news of Jesus filtering through all stratas of society, it shows people guessing about who he might be (I think both Jesus and Mark – (and I would think Peter too) encourage such an approach). The questions 'Who do people say that I am? ... But who do you say that I am?” on Jesus part, and the disciples, “Who then is this?” Are open invitations- and also, in a way, pegs for Mark's account.
Here we have had the secular ruler of the region asking this question- and then Mark goes on to tell us a back story about the great man John- who illustrates that it can be a dangerous question. John stakes his all in the end, on Jesus being the messiah- more powerful than him- worthy of great honour- who would baptise with the Holy Spirit rather than water. In view of his coming, he told people to repent- an appropriate response to this coming is to get your morality as sorted out as you can- And in the cells of Herod's palace that got him killed.
Antipas's father- the Herod from who the other Herod's took their name (as well as many of their morals) attempted to kill Jesus when he heard about him – a king that astrologers from far east came to honour. He was paranoid about potential rivals- so he killed all the infants of Bethlehem born around that time frame just to make sure. And though they're not really getting the right end of the stick and their knowledge was small- if it were greater, I imagine the response would be the same. Because it was a threat. It was subversive. A different kind of rule that went on to topple the Roman Empire (albeit a conquest where much of the previous culture existed beside the new and also influenced it).
A world (or rule) away from the intrigues of the Herod household.