Reflection -- A Risky Business

A commentary says wryly that “the story of the beheading of John the Baptist is hardly a text one would spontaneously choose for a sermon.”  Goodness knows it’s been the subject of high drama, or more often melodrama, in movies and plays and florid Victorian paintings.  It’s hard sometimes to wipe all those images out of our minds, but it’s worth the effort.  This story is the only long passage in Mark’s gospel (and in Matthew’s) that is not focused on Jesus.   Something important is going on here

John’s death brings a chill to the gospel story, for it tells us early on that godly people suffer.  If this can happen to John, what is to become of Jesus?

John was the forerunner of Jesus in more ways than one.  They were born and grew up in the same era.  Both were dedicated to delivering God’s truth without much regard to whether it was popular or unpopular or whether it did or didn’t offend powerful people.  Both innocently suffered at the hands of morally weak politicians (Herod Antipas and Pontius Pilate) who saw their essential goodness, but who gave in to demands for their deaths because it was expedient. 

Mark sandwiches this story of John’s death between pieces of the story of the great success the disciples had when Jesus sent them out on their own for the first time.  The verse immediately before this story tells us that the disciples “drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.”  The verses immediately after tell us about the disciples bringing this good news back to Jesus. 

We know from history that the disciple's joy would also be followed by hard times.  Jesus warns them about that later in Mark’s gospel (Mark 13:9-11).  He also issues a warning, and a promise, to everyone who will stand with him through the ages:  “and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”  (Mark 13:13)

Sometimes we forget that discipleship is a risky business.  Truth telling isn’t always popular.  As the commentary quoted earlier notes “believers should not be too surprised when the declaration of God’s judgment and mercy is met with hostility.” 

We know that is still so.  In our own times we have the witness of people like Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who stood for God’s truth at terrible cost.  I also think of what many are now doing in confronting powerful religious organizations, and some modern politicians who cater to them, with the sin of their rejection of sexual minority people.  I pray that those valiant witnesses to the truth of God's love for all people will all someday die at home, like Abraham, “in a good old age, an old man and full of years,” but history teaches otherwise.

People like these stand together with John the Baptist as an example and, perhaps, a reproach.  Where are we?  Do we stand to the end firmly with John and Jesus for God’s truth and mercy, or do we do we stand with the Herods of this world, doing what is expedient and “going along to get along.”  It is a hard question we will have to answer someday at the judgment throne.

revclay

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Mark 6:1-13

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, the man 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.