Mark 6:14-29
John the Baptist Beheaded
14King 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."
15Others said, "He is Elijah."
And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."
16But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"
17For 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. 18For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because 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.
21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22When 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." 23And he promised her with an oath, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom."
24She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?"
"The head of John the Baptist," she answered.
25At 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."
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29On hearing of this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
King Herod was uncomfortable around and with John the Baptist...Herod feared John, because he felt John was right in what he taught...If seems, Herod continued to fear and remain uncomfortable with the Baptist even after his death...
John the Baptist was arrested by Herod, because John told him and others that marrying his brother's wife, Herodias, was a sin...Herodias, nursed a grudge, ever since her marriage with Herod...She wanted John killed...Herod first had John arrested...Then later Herod on a bet with his stepdaughter, he gets trapped...The bet was during a large banquet in front of all his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee... When his stepdaughter danced at his banquet, she danced well and the dance pleased Herod and his guests...Herod told her to ask for anything you want and I will give it to you...And then he promised her with an oath...He said whatever you want ask, and I will give you, up to half of my kingdom...The dancing daughter went to her mother and ask what shall I ask for?...Herodias said, "The head of John the Baptist."...Herod was greatly distressed, that he had given his oath, in front of much of his kingdom...So the order was given, John the Baptist was beheaded and brought in on a platter...The executioner gave the head to the girl, who gave it to her mother...
On hearing this, John's disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb...
A man had a prophet killed over a dance, a pleasure he enjoyed...The daughter, went to her mother, and they ask for a death, a beheading...What a family of rulers this was...Here there was no truth, no justice...
In verse twenty we know that Herod feared John, protected John, and knew him to be a righteous man, and a holy man...Herod was puzzled with John, but he listened to him...Herod knew what John was preaching was right...John practiced truth and justice...We are faced with choices everyday...Some get us closer to God...Some take us further from God...When it came to a sin ( of Herod's), in marrying his brother's wife, the king had to make a another choice (his first choice was to marry his brother's wife) about slaying John...In the end he chooses his wife's decision over the righteousness of John...Herod, it seems, worried and was fearful about John rising from the dead or the prophet Elijah coming back...Herod's conscience, after John's death, is haunted about John...Is John still living?...
We are everyday faced with choices on faith and reason...Narrow is the road to righteousness, and wide is the path to destruction...While we are on earth, we can make wrong decisions based on our emotions and sometimes are greatly influenced by others...Sometimes we make bad decisions...Herod certainly made a very, very bad mistake...When we learn the truth we must follow it...The Truth is difficult and narrow, and hard to always follow...
In reference to treatment of others, our respect, fear, protecting, and knowing one is righteous and holy is not enough...Herod did all these...The confrontation with John the Baptist and Herod started when Herod sinned and married his brother's wife...Had Herod not married Herodias, he and John may have been friends...But sometimes we side with our sins...We continue to sin and do not pay attention to what is the truth and what is right...We do not repent or turn to Jesus...Our feelings can take over in our decision making...John was an inconvenience for Herod...John reminded Herod of his sin, every time he saw him or thought of John...
We must try harder than Herod, when it comes to sinning and being inconvenienced...Herod found some truth in John the Baptist, but did not follow it...This, I think, when James writes in his Book of James in chapter two is related...St. James writes about faith and deeds (James 2:14-26)...James tells us that there are two kinds of faith...One faith is faith by reading, studying, and following God without any actions...The second kind of faith is a more genuine faith...This genuine faith, embraces action and has mercy on others and helps others...Faith without deeds, or faith that never shows love, faith, mercy, or help toward others is not much of a faith, according to James...
We must look for the truth and follow it...Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life...When we sin, we must repent...We must look to truth and pray to Him, for any help we need...Faith helps us follow the Truth...