21

The Murder of the Greatest Prophet
(Mark 6:14–29)

And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!” For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him. A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee; and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb. (6:14–29)

Even a brief survey of the Old Testament evidences the tragic way that God’s people repeatedly rejected and mistreated His prophets. Early in Israel’s history, prophets like Moses (cf. Deut. 34:10) and Samuel (cf. 1 Sam. 3:20) faced repeated criticism and grumbling from the people (cf. Ex. 15:24; 1 Sam. 8:4–6; 10:18–19; Acts 7:39). Later, during the period of the divided monarchy, many prophets endured even more intense forms of persecution. In the days of Elijah, evil Queen Jezebel killed many true prophets of the Lord (cf. 1 Kings 18:4). Though Elijah survived, he was constantly threatened by Jezebel and her husband, Ahab (cf. 1 Kings 18:17; 19:1–3). The prophet Micaiah was imprisoned (1 Kings 22:27); Elisha was mocked (2 Kings 2:23); Isaiah was likely sawn in half (cf. Heb. 11:37); Uriah was killed by the sword (Jer. 26:20–23); and Zechariah the son of Jehoiada was stoned to death in the court of the temple (2 Chron. 24:20–21). Other examples of mistreatment, persecution, and rejection could easily be multiplied. As the author of Hebrews recounts of the prophets, “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground” (Heb. 11:37–38; cf. Acts 7:52). Perhaps no Old Testament figure better illustrates the constant persecution the prophets faced than Jeremiah, the weeping prophet (Jer. 9:1; 13:17; 14:17). During his prophetic ministry, he was threatened with death (11:18–23), beaten and put in stocks (20:2), arrested (26:7–24), imprisoned (37:15–16), placed in a pit to die (38:6–7), bound in chains (40:1), and publicly called a liar (43:2).

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day claimed that if they had been alive in earlier generations, they would never have persecuted the prophets like their forefathers did. The obvious hypocrisy of that claim was seen in their rejection of both the Messiah (to whom all of the Old Testament prophets pointed) and His forerunner, John the Baptist. Jesus did not hesitate to expose their duplicity:

The nation had been guilty of reviling and mistreating God’s spokesmen throughout its entire history (cf. Acts 7:51–53). As Jesus’ words indicate, the religious leaders of the first century would continue the hard-hearted legacy of their forefathers, by rejecting Him and persecuting the apostles and prophets whom He sent. He told a parable about a vinedresser to dramatically illustrate this malignant reality of rejection (Mark 12:1–11; cf. Matt. 21:33–44; Luke 20:9–18).

This section (Mark 6:14–29) recounts the execution of John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah, the last Old Testament prophet, and the one of whom Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!” (Matt. 11:11). (For more on the ministry of John the Baptist, see chapter 1 in this volume.) John’s preaching always pointed to Christ, whom he declared to be “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29; cf. 3:30). If the religious leaders had received John as a true prophet, they would have been compelled to receive the One of whom he spoke. Conversely, by rejecting Jesus, they rejected John as well. Given John’s biting rebukes of their hypocrisy (cf. Matt. 3:7), they were undoubtedly happy to hear he had been permanently silenced. As a martyr, John prefigured the type of persecution Jesus’ followers would face for their faithfulness to Him. The story of John’s murder is as dramatic as any story in the New Testament, perhaps exceeded only by the account of Jesus’ crucifixion. Though true, it reads like a bizarre soap opera of intrigue, heinous iniquity, and vengeful brutality.

At the center of the story is a regional monarch named Herod Antipas. His father, Herod the Great (cf. Matt. 2:1, 19), ruled the land of Israel under Rome for thirty-six years, during which he greatly enlarged the temple. Herod the Great was not a Jew but an Idumean (a descendant of the rejected twin, Esau). As such, he had little interest in Judaism beyond whatever superficial connection was necessary for the sake of political gain. The Jewish people resented his rule, not only because he was a Gentile overlord representing Roman oppression but also on account of his gross immorality and brutality. It was Herod the Great who slaughtered the male babies of Bethlehem in an attempt to kill Jesus (cf. Matt. 2:16). He also ordered the execution of the Sanhedrin when they opposed him and even murdered two of his own sons.

When he died (in 4 B.C.), his territory was divided among several of his surviving sons—one of whom was Herod Antipas (cf. Luke 3:1). The southern territories of Judea and Samaria were given to another son, Archelaus (cf. Matt. 2:22), who proved to be inept. In A.D. 6 he was deposed by Rome and replaced with a series of governors, one of whom was Pontius Pilate (who ruled from A.D. 26 to 36). The northern regions of Ituraea and Trachonitis were given to another son, Philip the Tetrarch, who was eventually succeeded by his nephew Herod Agrippa (cf. Acts 12:1–4, 20–23). The territory that included Galilee and Perea went to Herod Antipas. Of the sons who succeeded Herod the Great, Herod Antipas survived the longest, holding his seat of power for forty-two years. The city of Tiberias, which he built, was named after Tiberius Caesar, a Roman emperor under whom he ruled.

Although the sons of Herod the Great did not inherit the level of power and prestige enjoyed by their father, they did inherit his character, so they were equally immoral and barbaric. They were not absolute monarchs but ruled as vassals of Rome. Consequently, they had little influence or power outside of the specific regions Rome let them govern. Yet, within their territories, they wielded the authority to use military force and exercise capital punishment, prerogatives they readily employed to maintain their sovereignty. As the primary antagonist, Herod Antipas plays a key role in this account. Considered from his perspective, the passage may be divided under three headings: Herod’s fascination, fear, and folly.

HEROD’S FASCINATION

And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” (6:14–15)

As the apostles traveled through the cities and villages of Galilee, preaching the gospel and performing miracles (cf. Mark 3:7–13), news of their ministry spread so that even King Herod heard of it. Herod Antipas existed in the grip of lust, luxury, and laziness. For whatever reason, he only now began to take an interest in the impact of Jesus. Perhaps he had been traveling, or perhaps he had been indifferent since his palace was located in Tiberias, and Jesus apparently never visited that city, even though it was within walking distance of both Nazareth and Capernaum. Tiberias was a place where most first-century Jews refused to go; it was considered unclean from its start because it had been built atop a cemetery.

That Jesus’ name had become well known indicates that the apostles, through their ministry, pointed the people to Him as the source of their power and the sole subject of their preaching. The explosion of miraculous power wrought through the apostles in Jesus’ name had caused the curious crowds to recognize that He was no ordinary prophet. As word about Him began to circulate, some of the people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” Given His supernatural power and growing popularity, and John’s recent execution, some people speculated that Jesus might be John the Baptist in resurrected form.

But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” They knew that before the arrival of Messiah, according to the book of Malachi (cf. Mal. 4:5; Luke 1:17), one like the prophet Elijah would come. Ironically, they failed to understand that it was John the Baptist who had already fulfilled that role (Matt. 11:13–14). And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” Some likely equated Jesus with the prophet foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15. Others identified Him as merely being in line with miracle-working Old Testament preachers, like Elijah and Elisha. Though they struggled to identify Him correctly, the people clearly understood that Jesus’ ministry was unique and supernatural.

As these reports reached Herod, he became fixated on Jesus. According to Luke 9:7–9:

Though the king desperately wanted to see Jesus, unlike the crowds who flocked to Him out of curiosity or a desire for healing, Herod’s fascination with Jesus was motivated by guilty fear.

HEROD’S FEAR

But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!” For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him. (6:16–20)

Herod was understandably alarmed when he received the news about Jesus. When Herod heard the reports of the people, thinking John may have returned from the dead, he projected his own worst apprehensions, repeatedly saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!” Herod’s inner turmoil was the result of his own evil actions toward John the Baptist. Though he knew John was a righteous man, the wicked king imprisoned him for more than a year before beheading him in barbaric fashion. Haunted by dread and superstition, Herod now sought to see Jesus in order to know for certain whether He was actually John (cf. Luke 9:9). His attitude was not one of remorse but sinister trepidation. Because he viewed a resurrected John the Baptist as a potential threat to his power, Herod would have undoubtedly tried to kill Jesus if given the opportunity (cf. Luke 13:31).

Mark relates the story in the form of a flashback, briefly reviewing the details of John’s arrest, imprisonment, and execution. That Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison indicates that Herod’s action against John was intensely personal. His anger toward the wilderness prophet was not merely motivated by political unrest, popular demand, or Roman decree; it stemmed from a deep-seated vendetta.

John had been baptizing in the Jordan River “in Aenon near Salim” (cf. John 3:22–24), where he preached a singular message of repentance in preparation for Messiah’s coming (cf. Matt. 3:2). Multitudes traveled to hear him (cf. Matt. 3:5), and many confessed their sins, publicly demonstrating their desire to live righteously by being baptized. John’s call for repentance from sin was an open indictment of the immoral, lecherous, and corrupt life of Herod Antipas. When the courageous prophet heard that the king was living in incest and adultery, on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her, John did not hesitate to confront specifically the iniquity of the adulterous monarch. Not only was Herodias his niece (being the daughter of Aristobulus, the half brother of Herod Antipas), but she was already married to another of Herod’s half brothers, Herod Philip I (or Herod II, not to be confused with Philip the Tetrarch). Moreover, Herod Antipas himself was already married to the daughter of King Aretas, who ruled Nabatean Arabia, to the southeast of the Dead Sea. Compounding his unlawful divorce with adultery and incest, Herod Antipas enticed his niece to divorce his half brother so that he could marry her. Herod’s wickedness not only angered his former father-in-law, King Aretas, who brought an army against Herod and would have defeated him if Roman troops had not intervened; it also outraged John the Baptist who publicly rebuked the regional monarch for his blatant iniquity (cf. Lev. 18:16; 20:21).

Mark does not indicate how John first confronted Herod. In all likelihood, John began publicly preaching against Herod’s actions, until the angry king responded by sending soldiers to arrest John and bring him back to the palace. Once there, John issued a scathing face-to-face rebuke, saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” That John had been saying these things indicates that he repeated this rebuke on multiple occasions, even after Herod threw him into prison. According to Matthew 4:12 and Mark 1:14, John’s imprisonment took place shortly after Christ’s baptism and subsequent temptation in the wilderness.

Over the next year or so, John was likely incarcerated in the dungeon at Herod’s palace in Machaerus, near the northeastern end of the Dead Sea. The fortress was situated on a high hilltop, offering dramatic views of the surrounding countryside. Deep in the earth below, the dank dungeon offered no natural light or fresh air, and it was there that Herod held John captive. After living his entire life in the open expanses of the Judean wilderness, John ended his days in the isolation of an intolerable dungeon. His only respite were the visits he received from his disciples (cf. Luke 7:18).

As a faithful prophet of God, John was fearless in his willingness to confront sin, even in the most powerful and threatening leaders. When the Jewish religious elite came to hear him preach, John openly rebuked their hypocrisy, comparing them to a brood of snakes (Matt. 3:7). His response to Herod was similarly characterized by holy boldness, born out of the conviction to speak for God rather than please men (cf. Acts 5:29). As a result of John’s unflinching confrontations, Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. Yet she could not do so; for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. Herod protected John from the jealous rage of his new wife, Herodias. According to Matthew 14:5, the king was motivated not only out of fear of John but also fear of the people because of John’s popularity: “Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded John as a prophet.” Herod’s wicked mind, as vividly illustrated by this story, was dominated by fright and trepidation. Initially, he was afraid to kill John. Then, after he killed him, he became terrified that John had come back from the dead and would come for him in vengeance. Standing in stark contrast to Herod’s terror over John was John’s trust in the Lord.

Ironically, though John repeatedly blasted Herod on account of his immorality, the king’s curiosity was piqued by his preaching. Consequently, when Herod heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him. John was obviously a powerful communicator. On some superficial level, Herod was intrigued by the passionate oratory of his imprisoned guest. An erratic combination of curiosity and fear restrained Herod from taking John’s life.

HEROD’S FOLLY

A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee; and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.” And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb. (6:21–29)

In spite of the king’s curiosity and fear, John’s imprisonment in Herod’s fortress came to a forced and violent end. Mark recounts how it happened: A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his lords and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. The Jews viewed birthday celebrations as pagan festivities that they generally avoided. But, for the Romans, birthday parties were excuses for uninhibited revelry, often characterized by overindulgence, gluttony, drunkenness, and sexual deviance. Such was certainly true of the orgiastic festival to which Herod invited his nobles, the political elite of Galilee. His dinner guests, limited to men only, included the most powerful people, from upper-level tax collectors to high-ranking military commanders to those whom Mark 3:6 identifies as Herodians (supporters of Herod and the Romans). The party itself was a lecherous affair as evidenced by the erotic entertainment that amused those in attendance.

The debauchery reached its low point when Herod invited his own stepdaughter, whose name according to Josephus was Salome, to dance for him and his friends. When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. Salome’s provocative dance was a highly suggestive, erotic performance, comparable to a modern striptease. In their drunken stupor, Herod and his friends were pleased (a euphemism for “sexually aroused”), causing the king to foolishly promise the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.” Herod’s magnanimous offer was nothing more than sheer braggadocio. In reality, he did not have anything to give, since he ruled his territory only as a proxy of Rome. Motivated by foolish pride and sexual perversion, Herod took an oath in the hearing of his guests and bound himself to the fancies of his stepdaughter.

Before giving an answer, the girl knew just whom to seek. She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” Like a New Testament Jezebel, Salome’s mother, Herodias, was wicked, wily, and vindictive. She resented John the Baptist for his tireless attack on her iniquitous life, which not only stung her conscience but also stirred up dissent among her husband’s subjects. From the moment of John’s arrest, she wanted him put to death. Her hatred was so bitter that she permitted her daughter to perform a lewd dance for Herod and his party guests, just so she could claim her revenge. So, when Salome asked her mother what she should ask for, Herodias did not hesitate. She said, “The head of John the Baptist.” To honor her mother’s request, Salome rushed back before her stepfather had an opportunity to sober up or change his mind. Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

Salome’s request undoubtedly caught Herod off guard, but he was stuck. He did not want to kill John the Baptist (for the reasons noted above). Having made such a bold promise in front of his friends, to maintain his pride he had no choice. Thus, although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. Herod’s motivation for keeping his promise had nothing to do with personal integrity and everything to do with keeping up appearances. In the ancient Near East, promises made with an oath were regarded as especially binding and inviolable (cf. Matt. 5:33). Having made such a promise in the presence of his dinner guests—many of whom were political supporters and military dignities —Herod could not go back on his word without losing face. Herod was very sorry, yet his fear of embarrassment precluded him from doing what he knew to be right. He was filled with regret, but his sorrow had no connection to true repentance (cf. 2 Cor. 7:10). Though he realized that he had been trapped by his wife, Herod obliged the wicked request of his stepdaughter in order to avoid personal humiliation.

So, immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. Even though he was only a petty pseudo-king who functioned as no more than a servant under Roman oversight, Herod did have the authority to exercise the death penalty within his territory. Once the command was issued, it was carried out immediately. The executioner went and had John beheaded in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. Though the setting of John’s head on a platter was a presentation fit for cannibals, such an act was not uncommon in the barbaric world of antiquity because it guaranteed that the execution had been carried out. According to the ancient Roman historian Cassius Dio, when the head of Cicero (d. 43 B.C.) was brought to Mark Antony’s wife, Fulvia, she pulled out his tongue and repeatedly stabbed it with her hairpin. Her violent assault on his tongue was intended as a poetic act of final vengeance against Cicero, because he had delivered powerful speeches that attacked Mark Antony. The fifth-century church father Jerome (d. 420) suggested that Herodias similarly mutilated the severed head of John the Baptist. Though such cannot be verified, it would certainly fit with the spiteful rage that characterized the vulgar queen.

Presumably, with one deft stroke of the executioner’s blade, John the Baptist entered into his glorious eternal rest, to receive his full reward for uncompromising faithfulness to God. He was not only the greatest and last of the Old Testament prophets, he was also the first martyr for Jesus Christ. His entire life pointed to the coming Messiah. Even in death, he remained faithful to his God-given task. (For a biographical treatment of John the Baptist, see John MacArthur, Twelve Unlikely Heroes [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012].)

When his disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb. It is difficult to imagine the heartbreak that John’s disciples must have endured as they gave his headless body a proper burial. He had been both their teacher from God and their leader. God had used John’s fiery preaching in their lives to convict their hearts of sin and bring them to a place of repentance. He had also pointed them to the Messiah (cf. John 1:35–37). It is not surprising, then, that John’s disciples came and reported what had happened to Jesus (Matt. 14:12).

As noted above, it was not until after John the Baptist was killed that Herod began to pay attention to the ministry of Christ. Fearful that John may have come back from the dead, Herod sought to see Jesus. But that meeting would not take place until just a few hours before the Lord’s crucifixion. According to Luke, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod because Pilate could find no guilt in Him:

In the end, Herod saw Jesus. The king was undoubtedly relieved that He was not John risen from the grave. He was in truth far more, but to Herod Jesus seemed like far less—nothing more than a novelty whom he ridiculed and sent back to Pilate.

In his interactions with both John the Baptist and Jesus, Herod Antipas stands like Judas as a monumentally tragic figure in history. He had the greatest man who had ever lived, the most honored prophet of God in his hands, and he locked him in a dungeon until he had him executed. More importantly, he had an audience with the King of kings, and he mocked Him and turned Him away. Such wasted opportunity was the result of his insidious love for sin, his arrogant unwillingness to believe, and his cowardly fear of the truth. Herod claimed to rule over others, but in reality he was a man controlled by the fear of man. His fear of the people initially kept him from killing John. His fear of his friends finally compelled him to authorize John’s execution. His fear of John made him anxious when he heard about Jesus. But his fear turned to scorn when he finally had an audience with the Son of God. Herod feared everyone except the Lord, and he lost his soul as a result.

Hours after that meeting with Herod, Jesus would be nailed to the cross. His death fulfilled the warning He had earlier issued to the Jewish religious leaders: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!” (Matt. 23:37–38). Having rejected the ministry of John, the religious leaders also rejected the Messiah to whom he and every other Old Testament prophet pointed. Consequently, they came under God’s severe and everlasting judgment, along with the apostate nation they represented (cf. Rom. 11:25, 28).