The Beheading of John the Baptist
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
1. John was great in his separation unto Christ. He lived apart from the people In a vow of separation unto God. Here is a part of the annunciation of the angel Gabriel of John's birth. "He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink." This was a part of his separation from the world.
Does not our God call us all to a similar separation? Here is His call, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord." Here it is again, "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach."
2. John was great in His Spirit-filling. He was filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb. Let us never think of John as some eccentric person, given to either fads or fancies. He was a man filled with the Spirit. Are we so filled?
God, the Holy Ghost, was both in him and upon him. How else could he be great? Are we not great in the sight of the Lord only to the extent that we are so filled? It is written, "Be filled with the Spirit"; therefore we thus judge that not all saints are so filled. It is, however, the privilege of all.
3. John was great in His testimony. Christ said of him, "There is another that heareth witness of Me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of Me is true." There was no half-heartedness or half-truth in what John said of Christ. He sounded forth statement after statement that crowned Christ with Deity, with saving power, and with glory. To John, Christ was "The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." To John, Christ was "He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me."
John bore witness of Christ, saying, "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world."
John bore record of Christ, saying, "I indeed baptize you with water; but * * He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." John also said, "Whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose."
Perhaps the greatest thing John ever said of Christ was, "I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God."
4. John was great in his humility. He not only said he was unworthy to loosen the latchet of Christ's shoes; he also said, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord."
It is strange, is it not, that the man whom Christ said was the greatest born of women, should say, "I am not Elijah; I am not that Prophet; I am but a voice crying"? It is still true that the great are not self-centered, boastful men. They are not the men who seek great things for themselves.
John said "He must increase, but I must decrease." Here again he proved his true humility, because he spoke without bewailing his own lot.
5. John was great in his fidelity to the faith. He never wavered when the truth cut to the heart. He preached what God laid upon him, without fear or seeking for favor. He was thoroughly sincere. He demanded of the people that they bring forth fruit worthy of repentance.
He told Herod of his sins, but never courted his plaudits. There was something about John so genuine, so true, so faithful to the last, that we all admire him both as preacher and as man.
6. John, in prison, perhaps, at the first, wavered somewhat. Why should Christ be doing so many wonders, while he, John, languished in prison? He sent some of his followers to inquire of Him if He was indeed the One who should come, or, "do we look for another?" The Lord sent back: "Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me."
From that hour John no doubt was satisfied, and waited the hour of his deliverance.
I. SIN, AND A TROUBLED CONSCIENCE (Mark 6:14-16)
1. The mighty works of Christ. The things which Christ wrought were not done in a corner. The whole country knew of His miracles and of His teachings. His power was discussed in the Sanhedrin by priests, and scribes and Pharisees. He was also discussed in the palace of Herod, and among the Roman authorities.
2. What men said of Him. Some said He was Elias; others said He was a Prophet, or one of the Prophets. We are reminded of the time when Christ said to His disciples, "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" They well knew the public chatter, and they replied, "Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the Prophets." Such words did not satisfy the Lord, and He said, "But whom say ye that I am?" Quickly Simon Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
3. What Herod said of Him. The discussions reached the ears of Herod. He was sure that Christ was John the Baptist, whom he had beheaded. Herod even went so far as to say that John had risen from the dead, therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him.
Do you wonder that Herod said these things? He said them in all seriousness, and in all inner fear. He felt that his sins were finding him out.
It is said that Louis XIV, the slaughterer of the Huguenots, when on his deathbed, cried out: "I see the bodies of the Huguenots! They drip with blood! Would that I had spared at least the infants on their mother's breasts!"
Herod he must have lived and died with the sight of John's head, which Salome displayed at the feast, ever before him.
II. DOING EVIL UNDER CONSTRAINT (Mark 6:17)
The Scripture looks behind all actions and discovers the cause for them. Here is the way this Scripture reads: "For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her."
1. John had reproved Herod for marrying his brother Philip's wife. For this, Herodias was furious. To be sure John was right, but that bore no weight with Herodias. Herod was the supposed head of his family, but that made no difference to Herodias. Herod, as king, was supposed to be a leader in law enforcement; and the fact that he had broken the law he was imposed to enforce, made no difference to Herodias. She was intent on the undoing of John.
John was the greatest of those born of women, but that mattered nothing to Herodias. John was the heralder of truth and righteousness, but that made no difference unto Herodias. John was a man sent from God, but Herodias did not care who sent him, nor why he was sent. John had done Herod a world of good, but that only angered Herodias the more.
2. Herod had yielded to his sense of unjustice and had imprisoned John. He knew that John was right, and he was wrong; yet he imprisoned John. He knew that John was worthy of all respect and protection, and that his words were worthy of obedience; yet he imprisoned John. He did the wrong knowing that it was wrong; he shut his eyes and stopped his ears to every appear of his own heart, and doggedly imprisoned John.
3. Herod yielded for Herodias' sake. He was influenced from without himself, and he knew it; yet he bowed the head. He knew his own mind, yet he yielded to the mind of Herodias. He was a puppet of another's will. He was king, but a king without force of character to do the right. He was ruler, yet was ruled.
Before we condemn him, however, let us be sure that we are not doing wrong because we are begged. Many a man knows he should receive Christ, and yet He crucifies Him, for fear of others.
III. A QUARREL AGAINST A PREACHER (Mark 6:19)
1. If any man live godly he shall suffer. The fact that Herodias had a quarrel against John did not mean that John was wrong. We have a deep feeling that to be popular with the wicked does not speak well of a saint, or of a minister.
Some would have all the preachers preach a smooth, ineffective message. To the contrary, God tells us to reprove, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. Certainly we should not be vindictive or impatient in reproof of sin, but we should be plain and positive.
2. The venom of an unregenerate heart. She "would have killed him; but she could not." This is the story of the ages. Ever since Cain rose up and slew his brother, there has been the spilling of the blood of men and women who stand true to God.
"The world hateth you," was the word of the Master. How can we, then, expect anything less than that? For Christ also said, "Me it hateth."
If Satan goeth about seeking whom he may devour, will not Satan-energized men do the same? If it had not been for two things, the day of persecution would not be passed, even in America. Here are the two things:
(1) The devil has learned that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. History has proved that where one martyr dies, two stalwart converts to Christ seem to arise.
(2) The saints of this age have been inveigled into a namby-pamby, milk and water way of preaching, that calms the storms of disapproval.
Nevertheless we still have many Johns, and we still have many Herodiases.
IV. ALMOST CANNOT AVAIL (Mark 6:20)
1. Herod was near the door, and the door stood wide. There is no doubt of this: Here are the things stated concerning John:
1. Herod feared John.
2. Herod observed John.
3. Herod heard John gladly.
4. Herod did many things.
Look over the four things above, and examine them deeply. Was Herod not one of the many who have been almost saved, and lost? Was Herod not near the door? Was the door not open wide? God was willing and ready, and Herod came near the door. Alas, that men should know the way of life, and then, having known it, turn away from it.
2. We wonder why Herod turned back from the truth. For our part we are sure that John saw perfectly well the "why." Here it is: "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife." That was it. Both Herod and Herodias knew John was right: that made it hurt them the more.
Herod did many things; he was willing to straighten out along some lines. There was one thing that he would not do. He would not give up Herodias.
Is this not often the case? Christ died to save us from our sins. If we are not willing to give them up, He cannot save us. Giving up sins and not accepting Christ does not, cannot, save. Neither can a faith that does not leave sin at the Cross save us.
Stop and consider, O lost soul. Perhaps there is something some cherished sin which stands between you and God. If so, forsake it now and take Christ as your Saviour from sin.
V. THE BIG FEAST (Mark 6:21-22)
1. The danger of wild and luxurious parties.
We have never attended a big social affair. We have been guests at hotels where we were forced to be under the same roof where pleasures ran riot. The dancing and feasting were on different floors from ours. However, late in the night, with the lights out in the parlors, the rooms were swarming with dissolute youths of both sexes, drunken, debauched, noisily reveling in even deeper sins.
In such a concourse, Herod found himself celebrating his birthday. He himself was the center of attraction. Every eye was on the king. To what extent he had drunken we know not; we do know that he was, beyond doubt, intoxicated with the gayety and brilliance of the hour.
Herodias' chance had come. The whole affair had been planned by the hand of a wicked, shrewd woman in order to wreak out her wrath on a holy man of God.
The lords of the kingdom, with the chief captains and high estates were all there.
2. The evil die is cast. At the appropriate moment, the climactic moment, Salome, being before instructed of her mother, came in. This was an unprecedented event. Who ever heard of the king's daughter, even though a foster daughter, dancing the light fantastic before so many lustful eyes? The effect was just what Herodias anticipated. The lords and the ladies, the chief captains, and the high estates broke loose with tumultuous applause.
Salome swiftly made her way to the king's presence, and with curtsy paused before his august presence. Herod must do something, and something big. Were not all eyes now centered on him and his next move? Graciously he sold himself out, and staked half his kingdom as his response to such a popular idol as his own foster daughter.
Here are his words: "Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee. * * Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom."
And hers were, "The head of John the Baptist."
VI. A GRUESOME SIGHT (Mark 6:24-28)
1. The wavering daughter. Wicked as she was; instructed by her mother as she had been; even Salome could not at once muster up her courage. The sin seemed so great, the justice of it all, so warped, the details of her request so revolting, that Salome hesitated long enough to dance forth to her mother. The woman was ready for her daughter's hesitancy, and pressed her on. Thus, straightway she hurried back to the king. The eyes of all were centered upon her: every nerve was taut, as Salome said her fatal word: "I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist."
2. Herod saw himself entrapped. He paled, perhaps, for a moment; and then for his oath's sake, and for the sake of them who sat with him at the feast, he sent for his executioner and commanded that John's head should be brought.
We do not care to even attempt a description of that awful sight. We do want to show what sin will do. Satan is an adept at laying snares. The beheading of John had only its climax at the birthday feast of King Herod. The foundation of such a deed was laid in Herod's first refusal to go all the way with God.
The boy, the youth, slowly drifting into the ways of pleasure and of sin, surely will not go too far. He cannot become the murderer at the bar at least none of his friends so think.
Yet, step by step, on and on he goes, until all is gone, and he is a derelict lost on the shores of sinful lusts. Even so it was with Herod.
VII. THE BURIAL OF THE GREATEST MAN BORN OF WOMAN (Mark 6:29)
1. John the Baptist's funeral failed to attract the men of high estate. To those who had been at Herod's feast, the death of John meant nothing worthy of note. No action was taken against the king for his ferocious act. No one thought of impeaching him.
Oh, the injustices of the world of sin against the saints of God! Here in India we see it. A poor man who had been struck down, and was bleeding, came two days past to our door. He had been attacked in the night for his harvest of grain. In the darkness, as he lay, he saw the approaching figure, the shadow of one coming to steal. However, or ever he was aware, the blow was struck and he lay unconscious while the robber took his goods.
He was a Christian and naturally came to our compound. We took him to the hospital. The police were informed. The head police told him, "We can do nothing. You have no proof." No effort on their part was made to locate his assailant. He, like many a Christian in India, and many another "low caste," or, "unapproachable," as they are called, is left unpitied and unaided to battle on.
Even so God's great man died, as afterward died his Lord died as one despised, forsaken, forlorn.
2. The disciples of John took his body and buried it. They stood by the side of the bier of a true, brave man who knew God and preached a glorious Gospel. It was an hour of sadness, no doubt; however, they did not weep as those who have no hope.
John the Baptist was not dead. He passed the bounds of mortal life only to live the more. The forerunner of Christ had done his duty well; he had served his day. God allowed his martyrdom only to increase His eternal glory.
A glorious hour awaits the time when John shall reign with Christ in His Kingdom. Beloved, let us serve on, even to death, if need be.
AN ILLUSTRATION
"Bernard Palissy lived in the latter part of the 15th century, and in his experiments to recover the lost art of porcelain enamel he and his family were reduced to the greatest distress. He was convinced, although the world laughed at his efforts, that he had found the right quantities at last of a combination, and wanted only a piece of gold to mix with the other ingredients. Gold, however, he had none, and could procure none. It was at this moment that his wife came forward and by a beautiful act of love and loyalty showed that she believed in him. Taking off her wedding ring, we see her drop it into the crucible. This act of faith, it is good to know, was not in vain. The gold which the ring possessed was all that was needed to reach a perfect success. There are many women like Madame Palissy in the world, and they are its true aristocracy." B.
The illustration can also be used to show how the gold of sacrifice is that which is needed to perfect life. Christ asks us to sacrifice if need be our very lives for Him, as did John the Baptist.