The Gospel’s John the Baptist’s execution passage this Sunday is one of the strangest especially when you think of the rest of the Gospel. Mark’s Gospel has no Jesus birth story but covers this gruesome story in detail. Mark’s Jesus baptism may be considered as his birth story. “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. “Yet, he does not speak of the two men encountering each other after the baptism. It was Matthew, and not Mark who is the first to describe John’s ministry in considerable detail, notably his fiery preaching. And Mark who is known for his terse writing gives an inordinate amount of space to John’s beheading, killed by Herod.
The beheading also was significant in where it is placed in his Gospel. Mark places this account between the commission of Jesus’ disciples and the return of the disciples. Although Jesus is not mentioned in the story it is a part of Jesus ministry.
So why did he cover the story as he did? Mark relayed the story of John and Herod as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ own death since Herod was involved in that too. The weakness of Herod as a ruler is dramatically portrayed in both cases. Herod was not out to get John. He wasn’t sure who John was. Maybe he was a prophet sent by God. Herod “protected” John (6:20) until the request came for his head He also was unable to save Jesus during Holy Week giving way the Jewish leaders.
Katharine Dabay, a professor at Valparaiso University write “Like all of the gospels, Mark wants to help us know who Jesus is. And this story helps us know who Jesus is by showing us who Jesus is not — like in school, when we made compare-and-contrast charts. Mark wants us to see who Herod is and how he rules. Mark wants us to have gut-level reactions to Herod. Mark wants us to feel the kind of king that Herod is. ”
“And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” Herod set up the gift when he could have discounted any of his daughter’s wishes eliminating from consideration.
There is blood on the hands of Herod. The beheading was obvious to an innocent man. John was also a popular man and the killing could bring the people down on Herod. Herod had earlier married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. As the Gospel relates, “John had been telling Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
The pervasive influence of sin also affects our lives. We might just be so blinded and caught up in our sin that we don’t even realize the whole scenario of what could be potentially gained or lost. Sin can drain your life or it can be directed at another person whose life is drained. Sin blinds us from thinking beyond the moment and being caught up in the moment. Ironically, Herod would offer half of his kingdom to Herodias but Jesus offers all of his kingdom to us.
In this story as Katherine Dubay writes. “They’re willing to extinguish human life just to save face. Just to hold on to a little power”. In our time we see how corporate leaders have covered up environmental threats so their reputations are not tarnished. We have seen many cases where leaders ruin careers of rival to get ahead.