King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.
Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
I once heard a preacher say:“They killed Jesus, they are gonna kill you”.
We all sat there, smiling and nodding our heads in agreement.
Then I thought, “Is anyone listening?!”
This is not anything new. Look at this section in Mark’s Gospel.
- It is easy to focus on the text in front of us.
- We can dig into the details of this episode of John the Baptist’s execution.
This account is right after Jesus sent out the disciples.
- They come back excited
- They drove out many demons
- Anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
And then Mark tells this story about John the Baptist.
As I read church history and recent church events in the world, I think that the arc of discipleship looks more like John the Baptist’s life. I wonder if Mark wants us to notice this too.
Let’s be clear.
Reaching the world for Jesus is always opposed.
I think in places like Canada and the USA, we have this idea that opposition to the kingdom message will somehow abate. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Mark, by putting side by side the disciple’s success in the previous passage, alongside John the Baptist’s terrible death, is spelling out for us the reality of discipleship.
It is a battle with the ruler of this world.
It will cost us something; maybe even our lives.
Let’s look specifically at some of the text.
What is it that gets Herod’s attention?
- It is that Jesus’ name has become known!
- It is Jesus: his teaching, his power, his person, his name, which has grabbed Herod’s attention.
- Herod goes on to speculate about John the Baptist being raised, which then opens the window into how John died.
- The point is Jesus.
- Jesus was the point for John the Baptist.
- Jesus is the point for all who claim to follow him.
Let me ask: Will I die for Jesus?
- That’s a strong question.
- We know death is final from an earthly perspective.
Let me ask the question from a different angle: Will you stop living for Jesus?
- We can still be breathing, but we can stop living for Jesus.
- In an age which offers the façade of tolerance, one of the ways that is often used for those who are not to be tolerated is to name them.
Today, especially on social media, civil [I'm not sure that "civil" can describe what is said in the comments on social media] discourse looks more like a knife fight than a competition of ideas. Being labelled as Christian brings any number of reactions. The word evangelical, especially in the USA-influenced context, brings so much negative pressure.
I bring up these labels, not so I can comment on those who assign them, with the goal of silencing. Rather, I ask, in order for you, for me, to consider the effect these labels have on us.
- Are they silencing us?
- Are we closet Christians?
- Do we share the hope that is within us with others?
I don't say this because we should revel in suffering. I am saying this, so we will have a clear expectation.
And, let’s keep living for Jesus.
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