Thoughts for the Day

The Death of John the Baptist

Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, ‘I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.’ The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

I can remember the desperation in my son's voice as he asked what on earth he should do? As a parish 'Children's and Family Worker', he had been left by the Vicar (who was off to the cathedral for an Ordination Service) to lead the huge Family Service full of babies, toddlers, children and parents. He'd done this before, but this time the readings were the problem. There was a gruesome Old Testament story, and the account of the beheading of John the Baptist in the New Testament! I 'chickened' and suggested he used Luke 11.1 as a way into John and his life and work as a great prophet.

Because of our reverence for Jesus, it's difficult to appreciate how much John the Baptist was revered by people. But John had gathered thousands and baptized them in the Jordan as a sign of their repentance, which was a strange thing since only gentiles who embraced Judaism were normally baptised. Jesus, was a relatively new phenomena at this time, so people wondered if John had come back to life, after Herod had had him executed.

If this seems odd, it barely begins to explain Herod the Great's family, who married five women, and had seven children, three of whom he murdered. While Herodias the daughter of his half-brother, first married Herod Philip (and had a daughter, Salome) and second Herod Antipas, while Salome married another son of Herod the Great, Philip the Tetrarch. These men held their positions at the will of the Roman Emperor, and their job was to keep the peace and return taxes to Rome!

So we have the dreadful end of John the Baptist, a man greater than anyone on earth according to Jesus, and a man who knew that he came to prepare the way for the Messiah (see John 3.27-30), and lastly a man who broke a 400+ year silence. For God had once again appointed a prophet to speak to His people.

Heavenly Father,
we thank you for John the Baptist,
for his faithfulness in listening to You,
and his courage in taking Your message
to the world.
May we 'tune in to You' each day,
learning not just to ask for something
but to listen to Your voice as it whispers wisdom to us,
and may we have the courage to respond.
Amen.