John was a guy to contend with…
He didn’t fool around much. I don’t think he knew “HOW TO” fool around and have fun!
The “wilderness life” was the “only life” he had ever known. So therefore, he subsisted on a starvation diet, as did his disciples. He was lean and mean and quite serious.
Yep, he had disciples. Before Jesus did, John did.
John wore clothing that even “the homeless populations” would have turned up their noses at…
When he preached, it was always “fire and brimstone,” John knew “nothing else.”
The Kingdom was coming he cried out – and if you want to be a part of it, you had better shape up NOW! “Repent,” he cried out. Repent now! Repent today! There ain’t no time, so “drop to your knees” and repent! Getting baptized and having your sins washed away is but “one step” – in the journey.
Your only hope – is to “clean up your act” and to do it – RIGHT NOW!
Some people thought John was Elijah, others thought he was the Messiah – but he would have “none of that kind of talk.” He described himself as being the one – trying “to knock some sense into people’s heads” – before it’s too late!
John liked to call a spade, “a spade.” That’s what got him into trouble with old Herod Antipas, to begin with. It was his mouth! A lot of us can relate – it is either WHAT WE SAY that gets us into hot water – or WHAT WE FAIL TO SAY! Either way, “we’re in trouble!”
For all “the hoopla and the excitement” surrounding this guy, it’s easy to forget that he was “a real historical figure!”
Mark who is always “short on words” and even shorter “on details,” goes into “great depth and detail” describing just what happened to John! Those details are good! It is full of “political intrigue.” John the Baptizer became a pawn of the political elite. It probably would not – end well. One does not usually criticize the governing authorities and get away with it.
John initially got in to trouble because of criticizing Herodias and Herod. It seems that Herod married his brother (Philip’s wife) after divorcing his own wife.
Old Antipas should have known better. He had illicitly married his brother’s wife for political gain…and to strengthen some alliances.
The baptizer said that marriage was morally wrong. He criticized the wanna-be-King for his sinful action. He called him out repeatedly.
You cannot yell, “FOUL” where the King is concerned, even if he is only a tetrarch.
So, John found himself in a cold-damp-dark cell in a place called “the fortress of Machaerus.”
Machaerus was the easternmost of Herod’s renovated palatial fortresses. Machaerus stood out because of its location east of the River Jordan. Rising majestically above the Dead Sea the fortress could be seen from as far north as Alexandrium and as far south as Masada, and smoke signals from the citadel were visible even in the Holy City of Jerusalem, itself!
It was here, that Herod celebrated his birthday bash in his newly renovated and reconstructed palace.
Herod was obviously “taken with” Salome and the “special dance number” she had prepared for the King and his birthday guests. Offering her anything and everything up to and including half of his kingdom – was his way of showing his appreciation. His puffed up bravado in front of “the elite of the land” was not meant to be taken literally.
Herod had fallen into a trap. He was stuck between his “bravado and his oath” to give his step-daughter whatever she asked for…
So, she received the head of John on one of the same silver platters that had been set aside for serving food.
It is a strange story, rich in intricate detail…and historically correct, according to the first century historian, Josephus.
The death of John will foreshadow the death of Jesus. In both cases, political violence is rendered in order to maintain the status quo.
As the followers of Jesus take up his mission, they are to take note that such a mission could result in the same destiny that is met by their leaders.
We are told that the disciples of John came and took care of his body. And yet, when the 12 disciples are faced with a similar situation at the death of Jesus, they do not take care of his body or place it in a tomb. Instead they run away in fear and trembling.
Mark gleefully points out this was yet another failure of the twelve.
In our own day, a word to the wise is be careful what you say and what you share on Social Media. It may come back to haunt you later.