This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!

 

 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. 

Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known.  And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  Others said, "It is Elijah."  And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."  But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"  For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him.  And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.  Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.  And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."  He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."  So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"  And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"  Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought.  And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb. 

 

- Mark 6:13–29 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went from Capernaum and came to His own country of Nazareth, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.  And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

 

 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.  This last verse from yesterday's reading is also included with today's reading.  It reminds us that the apostles have just been sent out on their first mission, going out into the world invested with the power of Christ which He has shared with them.  It is a reminder of what has begun to actively happen in the world, and sets the stage for Herod's awareness of -- and unease with -- the ministry of Jesus.

Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known.  And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  This King Herod is the son of the Herod who slew the infants in Bethlehem of Judea (Matthew 2:16).  He is also known as Herod Antipas and rules Galilee as a governor, or "tetrarch" for Rome, but is commonly called a king.  He knows that John the Baptist worked no miracles while he was living, but now suspects that John was raised from the dead, and that powers are at work in him.  Therefore, my study bible says, he fears John more dead than alive.

Others said, "It is Elijah."  And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."  My study bible says that Elijah was expected to return and work signs before the second coming of the Lord, in a popular understanding of the prophecy in Malachi 4:5.  The Prophet, some say, is a reference to the Messiah, the One foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15.  Others understand this to mean just that a new prophet had arisen.

But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"  For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him.  And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.  My study bible notes here that Herod feared John.  The remarkable fact that Herod -- with all his wealth and power and soldiers at his command -- feared John, who lived in such radical poverty and humility that he was clothed in camel's hair (Mark 1:6), is a testament to the power of personal holiness and integrity, says my study bible.  It's also an acknowledgement of the people's understanding of John, for he was held in the highest esteem (Mark 11:32).  

Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.  And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."  He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."  So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"  And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"  Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."   And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought.  And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.  The story of the death of John the Baptist is given parenthetically.   That is, it is given to us in an explanation of just why Herod Antipas fears Jesus, and that he is afraid Jesus is John raised from the dead.  After this flashback, the text will pick up the story of Christ from where the first verse left off.  (That will continue in tomorrow's lectionary reading).  My study bible explains that in the theology of the Church, John's martyrdom fit within God's plan for salvation.  It allowed the coming of the Messiah to be announced by John to the souls in Hades, as John was the forerunner of Christ both on earth and to the souls dwelling there who had passed.  

Let us examine Herod's fears about John.  First of all, I think it's essential to take at face value that his fear that John has risen from the dead, and is a kind of ghostly presence causing extraordinary phenomena, isn't so strange in terms of popular beliefs of the time.  On another level, it reflects Herod's own understanding that John was a just and holy man, and Herod's unconscious guilt over what he had done by accepting John's beheading through of a rash oath made in front his guests.  It is a strange picture, indeed, as my study bible points out, that Herod fears John.  He rules with the absolute power of Rome, and yet he could not say no to the girl, Herodias' daughter, in front of the important people at his birthday party.  This gives rise to another kind of understanding of Herod:  his immaturity.  It would seem that his own sense of "honor" leads him to do something that betrays his soul, and carries him far away from any understanding of religious faith or right relationship to God.  His faith, instead, is in the human power he cherishes, and the rest of his life will sadly reflect this.   If we think of John the Baptist as a possibly hopeful sign in Herod's life (regardless of why he is there), we will come to understand this better.  John was a prophet, and even Herod knew he was a just and holy man, as the text says.  And although John was held against his will and imprisoned, he nevertheless remains a prophetic figure even in prison and in the palace of Herod.  He does not lose this function and power.  If we want to see a kind of parallel reality in the Gospel, we can look at the tradition of the Church, which tells us that John the Baptist, as Christ's Forerunner, also preached the advent of the Messiah in Hades.  One may picture John held in prison in the palace of Herod as akin to being in Hades.  While Herod still has time to come to some faithful understanding, he may listen to John and learn -- even as we're told he already recognizes John as a holy man, and he protected John.  We're told of Herod response to John that "when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly."   Regardless of the appearance of circumstances, God's power in the world works this way, that it is a chance for Herod, and still works as part of the prophetic work of John the Baptist.  Just think what might have been possible had Herod actually paid attention to the Baptist, had repented,  and not remained allied to his (living) brother's wife, Herodias, and thus complying with Jewish Law.  This horrific story might have had a very different outcome.  But as it is, this reading gives us a powerful tale of what it is to reject prophetic witness.  If it is true that "by their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:18-20), then we have only to look at the  gruesome and bloodthirsty fruits in this story to affirm that for Herod to do so -- to reject John's holiness and teaching -- is to go from bad to worse.  It is, in this sense that might be hard to catch, another testament to the power of the holy.  Herod himself, through complications of alliances and political intrigue concerning his marriage, as well as Herodias' ambition and greed, would come to a bad end of defeat and exile.  (See the latter portion of this article).  What we can conclude is that God's power, working through the prophet, has its effect; and whether the word of God comes through the prophets, or through Christ, or the saints, it retains its power -- even in response to rejection.   this leads us to think more deeply about Christ's admonition to the twelve on their first apostolic mission that they should shake the dust off their feet as testimony against those who would not receive them.  For there is power in such a testimony, albeit one seemingly without force or effect to worldly eyes.  We need look only at Christ's words in yesterday's reading (above) as to consequences of refusal:  "Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  For Herod Antipas, it is the beginning of a long slide into deeper corruption.  (See also Luke 23:7-12).  Let us take these stories to heart, and not see them as stories of a bygone age, one of absolute power and ruthless ambition.  If we think God's power is not at work in the world, perhaps we're just not looking with the right perspective.   We still have all the seeds of the terrible ends, and prophetic warnings -- even under any circumstance -- with us today.  The worldly view won't can't it, but God's power remains working in and through the world, and even our intimate lives, should we choose to hear and respond (Luke 11:28), and even if it is rejected.