The gospel lectionary reading for Trinity 7 in this Year B is Mark 6.14–29. This odd reading includes the detailed story of the gruesome beheading of John the Baptist, concluded with the return of the disciples from mission.
How do we make sense of the story in Mark’s gospel? What is Mark doing in retelling it in this way? Should we treat it as a morality tale, focussing on the characters in the story—or focus on what God is doing, and what it tells us about Jesus’ ministry and the cost of discipleship?
Come and join Ian and James as they explore the text and the issues it raises.
Full written commentary behind the discussion will be posted in the following article.
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Helpful as always.
It is not strictly accurate to say that the Baptist movement died with John. We have his followers in Acts 19 and the Mandaean community would claim him as their inspiration till this day. I argued in my MPhil thesis that they were also represented among the Seceders in 1John.
Dear Ray—thanks, that is a very useful observation. But of course they did eventually die out, and even in Acts 19 are a small force compared with how Josephus described them.
Great to see you at Tyndale…
Another connection between this narrative and that of Jesus’ crucifixion is made through Luke 23:6-12. Herod shows a fascination with Jesus (v8) but also contempt (v11).
The key player in this story is obviously Herodias,
if not for her this event might never have happened
The parallels with Elijah are stark,
Jesebel was a key player in his story.
Jesebel has come to be known as an archetype of the wicked woman.
Most of the prophets of Yahweh were killed at her command.
These cruel and despotic actions provoked
the righteous wrath of Elijah; according to 1 Kings 17,
he accurately prophesied the onset of a severe drought as divine retribution.
She is the first great instigator of persecution against the saints of God.
Guided by no principle, restrained by no fear of either God or man,
Since many pagan cultures across history had malicious matriarchal figures
(mother goddesses with bloody and sexual associations,
priestesses who combined temple prostitution and human sacrifices, etc.)
it’s possible that Jezebel was raised with a particularly violent idea of what female rulers were supposed to do.
Pilates’ wife because of a dream urged caution on her vacillating husband.
And the church spoken to by Jesus warned the Thyretians of the Jesebel [spirit?] at work in the Church.
REV.2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write;
These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire,
and his feet are like fine brass;
2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith,
and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee,
because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants
to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication;
and she repented not.
2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed,
and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation,
except they repent of their deeds.
2:23 And I will kill her children with death;
and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth
the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
The Jezebel spirit has always confronted righteousness and preached fornication
As it has always been so it seems it ever will be. We are warned, beware the wrath of God.
Post Script
The just vengeance of God burned against all
who were concerned in this crime.
Herod was defeated by Aretas.
Afterwards he was banished with Herodias to Lyons,
and deprived of his tetrarchy and everything by Caligula,
at the instigation of Agrippa, the brother of Herodias,
as Josephus relates (xvii. 10).
Moreover, the head of the dancing daughter was cut off by means of ice.
Hear what Nicephorus says, of Salome
“As she was journeying once in the winter-time,
and a frozen river had to be crossed on foot,
the ice broke beneath her, not without the providence of God.
Straightway she sank down up to her neck.
This made her dance and wriggle about with all the lower parts of her body,
not on land, but in the water.
Her wicked head was glazed with ice,
and at length severed from her body by the sharp edges,
not of iron, but of the frozen water.
Thus in the very ice she displayed the dance of death,
and furnished a spectacle to all who beheld it,
which brought to mind what she had done.”
Hear also L. Dexter (in Chron. A. C. 34),
“Herod Antipas, with Herodias his incestuous mistress,
was banished first to Gaul, and afterwards to Ilerda in Spain.
Herodias dancing upon the river Sicoris when it was frozen,
fell through the ice, and perished miserably.”6
Did this occur because of their sin?
It is possible since we are warned in Galatians 6:7,
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;
for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.
Galatians 6:7 (NASB)
Alan – Elijah didn’t just accurately predict – he earnestly prayed. ‘Elijah was a man, just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.’
Yes Jock, perhaps we need more positive people praying like Elijah.
Otherwize our Nation and church will go to the dogs instead of the
workers of iniquity that are intent on destroying our children.