The Greek noun genesia (γενέσια) refers to a birthday celebration or birthday feast. It appears twice in the New Testament, both in the account of Herod's birthday banquet at which Herodias's daughter danced and John the Baptist was subsequently beheaded. In ancient Greek usage, it could also refer to a commemoration of a deceased person's birthday.
The genesia — Herod's birthday feast — becomes in the Gospels a setting for tragedy and injustice. The lavish celebration of human birth becomes the occasion for the death of the greatest prophet. This contrast illuminates the moral bankruptcy of Herod's court: a party celebrating life ended in murder. The account challenges us to consider what our celebrations reveal about our values. John's death at a genesia also points forward to Jesus — whose birth was celebrated while Herod tried to kill Him, and whose death brought true life.