Mark 6: John’s Death

Today’s reading is Mark 6.

We’ve reached an incredibly sad moment in Mark’s record of the gospel. John, the forerunner of Jesus, dies. He doesn’t just die. He is executed. In a miserable, offhanded, senseless way, John’s work ended in a Herodian prison to settle a petty grudge held against him by brutal and vindictive Herodias.

On the one hand, John’s death foreshadows what is coming for Jesus. John was sent to prepare the way for Jesus. If the herald and forerunner gets executed, what will happen to the one whose way is being prepared. This death happens even as the one who ordered his execution had “heard him gladly.” The people have been hearing Jesus gladly. But how fickle people can be when you teach against their pet sins.

John did not die in glorious battle for his king. He was simply seized, carted off to a prison, then unceremoniously dispatched without fanfare where no one but a guard and executioner witnessed. It is not fantastic, romantic, or glorious in any sense of any of those words. He dies because of the petty revenge of a woman who could not stand being affronted. He dies because a man’s fleshly pleasures cause him to run his mouth before he engages his brain.

And John just dies. No escape attempts. No hero sweeps in to rescue him at the last minute. No honors or accolades for the fallen hero. His disciples simply bury his headless body in a tomb.

This sad story gives us insight into the good news in a stark and even uncomfortable way. The good news is not long life. It is not health and wealth. The good news is not well-off retirement. It is not accolades, awards, and recognition of men. The good news is there is more to life than what we experience here. Mark doesn’t explicitly tell us what comes next for John. But in context of the gospel pictures and New Testament story, we recognize John’s story doesn’t have as sad an ending as this account might lead us to believe. Even the people believed there was more to John’s life than an ungracious death. When Jesus works miracles, they thought perhaps John had been raised from the dead. Even the man who had him killed thought that might be the case. Everyone, including Herod, expected there was more to John’s life than his death.

Of course, that is only true because of what happens with Jesus’s death. Because Jesus was raised, we know John will be raised. But in John’s life we see the choice we have to make. We can either put our eggs in the earthly life basket or we can put them in the resurrection basket. Granted, not everyone who serves the Lord will be martyred, but John’s death shows us the choice we have to make in a blunt and discomfiting way. John’s death only makes sense through Jesus’s resurrection. But Jesus’s resurrection should help us be willing to face John’s death.

And in John’s death, we see in extremis what it means to be willing to lose our lives in order to save them. John could have apologized, recanted, ingratiated himself to Herod and Herodias. But He didn’t. He stands as an example of one of those “refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life” (Hebrews 11:35, ESV).

Praise the Lord for such an example. Certainly, none of us long to face what John did. But may we all long to be willing to do so. And if it ever comes to it, may God graciously strengthen us to lose our lives in order to save them.

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 6.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Mark 6 prompt or improve your trust in God?

A Hard Lesson from the Life and Death of John the Baptist

Today’s reading is Matthew 14.

We love stories like Daniel in the lions’ den; David and Goliath; Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and the fiery furnace. We love them because they show people stepping out in faith against tremendous odds. They took a chance on God, and He proved their faith right by delivering them from certain death.

No doubt those are great stories. Indeed, that is how it sometimes works when we step out in faith. However, that isn’t always how it works. At least, not on the surface. We learn that lesson from John the Baptist. John stepped out in faith. He taught the gospel of the kingdom. He called people to repentance no matter how opposed they were. He even called Herod to repentance for his unlawful relationship with Herodias. Even while imprisoned he hung on to his faith. He trusted God.

Jesus had called John the greatest man born to woman. Yet, how did this story end? Herod and Herodias, the adulterers, survive and remain in power. John is beheaded. There is no sudden turning of the tables. Herod isn’t killed by his own sword. Herodias isn’t hung on her own gallows. Salome doesn’t get tossed into her own lions’ den. They all survive. There is no last minute pardon for John. There is no early morning deliverance. There is just beheading. John’s disciples gather up his body and bury it.

In Hebrews 11, we read what many call the “Hall of Faith.” We read of several who stepped out in faith and had great victories even in this life. However, there is a shift in Hebrews 11:35. Before that, some stopped lions’ mouths, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, put foreign armies to flight. However, in vs 35 and beyond, others were simply tortured, mocked, flogged, chained, and imprisoned. Still others were stoned, sawn in two, and killed with the sword. All of these also acted in faith. They put their trust in God, but like John the Baptist they died at the hands of their enemies.

What is that about? The key is at the end of vs 35: “refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life” (ESV). And that is exactly where we find John. He refused to accept release because the real victory wasn’t escaping death. The real victory is resurrection.

This teaches us a hard, but important lesson. Daniel, David, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn’t put their faith in God because they knew God would grant them escape from death. They put their faith in God because they knew He wouldn’t. Eventually, we all die. Daniel, David, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have all died. Even if God delivers us from death in a particular moment, death is still coming. Even if God delivers us from certain death with a miraculous deliverance, death is still coming. We won’t escape death. That is why we need God.

We need God because death is not actually the end of the story. After death comes judgment (see Hebrews 9:27). That is where the real victory and defeat are found. John will be raised to life. Herod and Herodias to condemnation. It only looks like John was defeated in Matthew 14. Actually, because Jesus died and then was resurrected on the third day, we can all look forward to resurrection. This is the ultimate victory. It allows us to face death even at the hands of enemies and persecutors. We know whether God delivers us from death in that moment or lets us die, we are still victorious.

Hang on to your faith in God just like John because death is not the bitter end, it is only the bitter middle. What comes after death is why we have faith. For those who hang on to Jesus, what comes after death is glorious victory.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 14.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. What fears do you have when you consider potential persecution?
3. How can we increase our faith to prepare for any potential persecution?
4. How can we help each other prepare for and endure any potential persecution?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?