14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[b] “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15 Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
17 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. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[c]; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 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. 22 When the daughter of[d] 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.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 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.”
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Question 1
Do you ever do and say things because you care what other people will think?
Question 2
John and Herod are very different from each other – in what ways?
After Jesus sends out his disciples with the warning about people rejecting them, Mark gives us a little bit of history about one who rejected the message – King Herod.
Herod had taken his brother’s wife so that she could be his wife. Just as John had preached in the desert about the need to repent of sins, he quite clearly told Herod that what he had done was very bad in the eyes of God. Herodias was very grumpy about this and she wanted John killed. Herod knew there was something special about John, even though he didn’t really understand what John was saying.
But one day, when he had been enjoying a party, Herod did something very foolish. In front of the important people of the country he promised his daughter that he would give her anything she asked for. Herodias sees her opportunity and gets her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist.
This story is incredibly sad, and not only because John has been killed. Look at the beginning of the section again. When Herod hears about the things Jesus is doing, he immediately begins to think that John has come back to life. It was obviously on his mind and he cared about what he had done. In the story itself we feel that Herod is very close to receiving the message. But he was more concerned about what others thought about him than about the need to repent and turn to God.
Nothing changed for Herod. We hear at the end of the Gospel of Luke (23:7-11) that he wanted to see Jesus, and only to see a miracle, or a sign of some kind. When Jesus comes before him, Herod asks him questions as he used to do to John, “… but Jesus gave him no answer.” Herod had had his chance and lost it.
Question 3
Why do you think Herod likes listening to John?
Question 4
Why had John’s words upset Herodias?
Pray
that God will make you as brave as John the Baptist and honest enough to tell people what they need to hear.
