Martyrdom of John the Baptist
- Dates
- 30 AD
John the Baptist speaks out against the adulterous relationship of Herod the tetrarch and his brother's wife, Herodias. She devises a plan to get Herod to destroy John, who is beheaded.
In detail
The extensive labors of the Twelve during the course of the Third Galilean Tour were evidently sufficient to call widespread attention to Jesus and His work, and to stir the fear of Herod that Jesus was John risen from the dead. Whereas on the two previous evangelistic expeditions there had been but one group going from village to village, now there were seven. Evidently the reports coming to Herod, from all quarters, revealed a rapid extension of the gospel. Whereas in the past Jesus may have appeared to the authorities to be no more than a solitary itinerant preacher accompanied by a motley group of followers, it was now evident that He represented a far larger movement. Herod could no longer help hearing of him. He wondered if Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead. It seems to have been superstition combined with a guilty conscience that led Herod to this conclusion.
John had spoken against Herod's sin of taking Philip's wife, Herodias, and marrying her. For his part, Herod had divorced the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia. Thus Herod and Herodias each had a living spouse. As a result of Herod's divorcing his former wife, her father, Aretas, made war on Herod and defeated him. This defeat was looked upon by the Jews as a divine judgment upon Herod because of his indefensible alliance with Herodias (Josephus Antiquities xviii. 5. 1, 2).
Undoubtedly Herod had personally listened to the preaching of John, and for a time it seemed that he would yield to the call to repentance. The law of Moses strictly prohibited a marriage such as that between Herod and Herodias (Lev. 18:16 20:21), and, according to Josephus, the Jews thoroughly disapproved of the union (Antiquities xviii. 5. 4). Herodias hated John and bided her time to kill him. Knowing of the influence that John had exercised over the mind of Herod Antipas (see on v. 20), Herodias probably feared that the tetrarch might divorce her as John had advised. Her wicked devisings finally came to fruition when Herod held a banquet at which Herodias' daughter, Salome, danced. He rashly promised her anything she wanted. When she asked her mother, she said to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Thus ended the life of the greatest of the prophets.
Bible passages
- Matthew 14:1-12
1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. …
- Mark 6:14-29
14 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him. 15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. …
- Luke 9:7-9
7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead; 8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. 9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
Text of the King James Version.
Images
