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

 

 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 6:14–29 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus 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.   

 

 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."   My study Bible explains that this King Herod (also known as Herod Antipas) was the son of the one who slew the infants in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).  Although he was technically a governor of Rome, he was popularly called king.  He knows that John the Baptist had worked no miracles while living, my study Bible explains, but he now believes that John was raised from the dead, and so powers are at work in him.  Hence, 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."  According to a prophecy of Malachi, Elijah was expected to return and to work signs before the second coming of the Lord (Malachi 4:5).  The Prophet, my study Bible says, is interpreted by some to be a reference to the Messiah, the One who was foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).  Others interpret it as simply meaning 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!"    My study Bible comments on the fact that Herod, with his wealth and soldiers, feared John -- a man who lived in poverty and was clothed in camel's hair (Mark 1:6).  It notes that Herod's fear is a testament both to the power of personal holiness and integrity, and also to the people's perception of John, as they held him in the highest esteem (Mark 11:32).  

 

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.   This story of the arrest and beheading of John the Baptist comes as a parenthetical account, so that we understand why Herod would think that John had risen from the dead.    

My study Bible (and the text) emphasizes the fear that Herod has of Jesus, because Herod fears that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead.  This is the way that Herod explains to himself the power that is revealed in Christ's ministry of miraculous healings and casting out of demons.  What it teaches to us, remarkably, is Herod's lack of understanding of spiritual matters.  Indeed, this understanding on the part of listeners is quite important.  Herod Antipas knew that John the Baptist was a holy man; John was widely revered as a holy figure in his own time, and many of Christ's disciples were first those of John the Baptist, John having directed them to Jesus (John 1:35-51).   Despite the depravity of Herod's family (his father, Herod the Great, was known for his ruthlessness even in a time of ruthless rulers), the text tells us that "Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him."  In this location and elsewhere we're told of a kind of fascination that Herod Antipas has for the holy.  It is almost as if he views John here as a kind of unusual treasure which he can marvel at; we're told that when Herod heard [John the Baptist], he did many things, and heard him gladly.  We can see a similar pattern with Jesus, in the passage in which we read that Pilate sent Jesus to Herod when Pilate found that Jesus was from Galilee (Luke 23:6-12).  There, we're told that "when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing."  Herod, disappointed, sends Jesus back to Pilate -- but not before "Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe."  We can see a kind of a pattern.  In today's reading the story is not about a contemptuous punishment for failure to cooperatively amuse, but the treatment of the holy virtually amounts to the same thing -- as a kind of testimony of what blindness and darkness does.  John's Gospel tells us that "the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:5), and this pattern is upheld in these stories.  In the darkness of the court of Herod, both John the Baptist and Jesus shine as the light of holiness, of God's truth and presence.  But in Herod we see a lack of comprehension, as he seems to see both as objects for his acquisition and privileged pleasure.  The merciless acquisitiveness of this environment is clear in the story:  Herod's scheming wife, Herodias, simply wants John put to death so she can get rid of his troublesome voice opposing their marriage in the name of Jewish law.  This again, is a picture of darkness, as it is similar in motivation and content to the "rulers of this age" as mentioned by St. Paul, who could not understand what was being done in crucifying Christ (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).  The "rulers of this age" in this case refers to the demonic powers behind such acts attacking and opposing holiness, and seeking to exterminate God's influence from the world; they cannot understand their condemnation that results, let alone the power of holiness that transfigures the death of Christ into the greatest weapon against death itself (the final enemy) that ever was or will be.  Herodias similarly believes she will get what she wants, but neither she nor Herod would truly benefit from her deadly political scheming in the long run, and both would die out of power and in exile.  The lasciviousness of this court -- allowing a daughter to dance before men gathered under such circumstances -- would have been scandalous to Jewish readers of the time.  This is in addition to the king's childish and rash behavior, swearing such an oath, and unable to back down from it because of his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men.  This is a picture of extravagance in every wrong direction (even the gruesome) and through every passion, and we see its effects.  What Herod wishes to do in his interactions with the Baptist, and later on with Christ, is use them for his amusement.  This is what one does with a possession, a captive -- or perhaps with some form of treasure, a bauble purchased for delight.  And here we come to a sense of how not to approach the holy, the treasures of faith, and Christ Himself.  For God offers us a gift, and if we cannot recognize the Giver, then we don't understand the gift nor its real value for us.  For this is a gift to transform who we are into something transcendent of our start, which leads us into deeper beauty in freedom, not ownership.  God's power asks us not for our ways to use it, but for our hearts and minds so that we grow in what it offers, and discard the things to which we cling which are not part of its beauty and truth.  Herod can only understand holy power in terms of demons and ghosts, not the redemptive power of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit freely given to all who can accept.