John the Baptist did not steal, kill anyone, or take up arms against the king. His only “crime” was preaching the word of God directly and calling people to repent of their sins. That is why he was imprisoned and, in the middle of a feast of powerful men, they asked for his head on a platter.
It is a deeply sad story, but it is also a mirror for us today. Do we only listen to the Word “gladly,” or do we let it change our lives? Do we preach what pleases people, or what the Bible says? In this study we walk through the life and death of John the Baptist, compare it with that of the prophet Jeremiah, and see what Jesus teaches us about facing sin.
WHY WAS JOHN THE BAPTIST KILLED?
The account is in the Gospel of Mark. King Herod Antipas had taken Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and John told him so openly:
“For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” Mark 6:17-18
John did not stay silent before a king’s sin. And it was not a private matter: the example a ruler sets filters down to the rest of society. When kings, politicians or presidents live in sin, lie or steal, it ends up seeping into an entire nation.
Herodias saw him as an obstacle and wanted him dead. Her chance came at Herod’s birthday feast: her daughter danced, pleased the king, and he swore to give her whatever she asked, up to half of his kingdom.
“And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.” Mark 6:25
The king was saddened, because he knew John was a righteous man, but so as not to lose face before his guests he ordered him beheaded in prison (Mark 6:26-28).
LISTENING GLADLY IS NOT ENOUGH
There is one detail in the text that hits very close to home:
“For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” Mark 6:20
Herod listened to John gladly… but he did not change. Many people have that same attitude today: they sympathize with the Gospel, listen to the Bible, even call themselves Christians; they know they are in sin and that their life is far from God, yet they do not repent. Listening is not enough. Saying “I’m a Christian” or “my parents were Christians” is not enough. The Lord wants repentance and true surrender.
“MORE THAN A PROPHET”
When Jesus spoke about John, he asked the crowd a very direct question:
“What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?” Matthew 11:7
A reed bends wherever the wind blows. So do preachers who preach according to the latest trend: one topic today, another tomorrow. John was not like that. The word of God speaks to us about sin, repentance, salvation and eternal life, and John preached that even when it was not popular. That is why Jesus said of him:
“But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Matthew 11:9
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matthew 11:11
The one saying this is Jesus Christ, who is God and knows everyone’s work. Jesus also identifies him with the Elijah who was to come (Matthew 11:14): just as Elijah denounced King Ahab and was hunted by Jezebel, John denounced Herod and was hunted by Herodias.
HEROD, HERODIAS AND HISTORY
These events are not only in the Bible. The historian Flavius Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews, confirms that Herod Antipas had been married to a Nabataean princess, daughter of King Aretas IV, in a marriage of political alliance. She eventually returned to her father, and Herodias left her husband to be with Herod, who held more power. So at the root of the problem there was a double adultery and a hunger for power. Josephus even names the fortress where John was imprisoned. John the Baptist is a real historical figure, and so is his death.
JEREMIAH: ANOTHER PERSECUTED PROPHET
About five centuries earlier, the prophet Jeremiah suffered something very similar. The people had turned away from God, and Jeremiah preached what God commanded him, even when it was hard:
“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.” Jeremiah 6:10
“They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14
The powerful did not want that kind of preaching; they preferred a soft message that said “peace, peace” when there was no peace. When we do not love the word of God, it goes in one ear and out the other, whatever our sin may be. But when we love it, it is the Word that transforms us.
Jeremiah was beaten and put in the stocks by the priest Pashur (Jeremiah 20:2). Later, the priests and prophets demanded his death:
“This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.” Jeremiah 26:11
Did he back down? No. He kept calling the people to repentance:
“Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.” Jeremiah 26:13
In the end they threw him into a muddy cistern to die there:
“And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.” Jeremiah 38:6
But God intervened: Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian from the royal household, pleaded with the king and, with thirty men, pulled him out of the cistern (Jeremiah 38:7-13). In John’s case, God allowed him to die; in Jeremiah’s, there was a miracle. In both cases the Lord was faithful: whoever leaves something behind for the sake of the Gospel receives much more in this time and, in the world to come, eternal life (Mark 10:29-30). John the Baptist is with the Lord.
WE CANNOT BE LUKEWARM
As pastors and as believers we have a moral obligation to tell society that if we live in adultery, abortion, fornication, witchcraft, theft or lies, we cannot expect God to bless us. And if we are not against sin, in some way we are supporting it. The Lord says it plainly:
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:16
OPINION, OR WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS?
John’s death was later used against Jesus. The Pharisees were looking for any excuse to arrest him, and they set a trap with a question that recalled the case of Herod and Herodias:
“The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” Matthew 19:3
If he answered that it was not lawful, he could meet the same fate as John. Jesus did not give an opinion: he answered with Scripture, quoting Genesis 2:24.
“Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Matthew 19:4-6
They could not get the better of him, because he did not give them his opinion but the word of God. That is a great lesson for us: when we are asked about divorce, sexual immorality, witchcraft or any other topic, it is not about “what I think,” but “this is what the Bible says, and this is what transformed my life.”
A BURNING AND SHINING LIGHT
Why did people listen to John? Jesus explains:
“He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.” John 5:35
John gave light because he called people to change their lives, and he did so radically. Today there is no shortage of positive sermons and prosperity messages: “come to church and everything will go well, your finances will be fixed.” Who doesn’t like hearing that? But neither John nor Jeremiah preached that way. The blessings of Deuteronomy 28 are real, but they come together with obedience to God’s commandments. The Lord cannot bless a life that has not repented.
“O GENERATION OF VIPERS”
This is how John the Baptist preached to the crowds who came to be baptized:
“O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Luke 3:7-9
Very hard words. And instead of leaving, the people asked: “What shall we do then?” John did not answer with generalities, but with concrete cases:
“He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.” Luke 3:11
To the publicans, the tax collectors who charged extra and kept the difference, he said:
“Exact no more than that which is appointed you.” Luke 3:13
And to the soldiers, who could abuse their authority to extort people:
“Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.” Luke 3:14
We often say “God loves the sinner but not the sin,” and sometimes that lets us stay vague. But sin is not something abstract: it is committed by someone with a first and last name. Each of us needs to examine our conscience, recognize our specific sins, repent, be baptized and follow Christ.
CONCLUSION
The story of John the Baptist confronts us. We can be like Herod, who listened gladly but did not change; or like Herodias, who, when someone disturbed her sin, sought to get rid of him. Many people still react this way: they persecute whoever reminds them of what God says. If you are ever persecuted for preaching the Gospel, remember that you are not alone and that the Lord rewards those who are faithful to his Word.
Let’s not wait for someone to call us a “generation of vipers” or to tell us that “the axe is laid”: it is already written. The Lord wants to do wonderful things in our lives and bless us greatly, but first we need to repent and leave our sin. And we also need to speak lovingly, but clearly, to those close to us, because a life far from God cannot go well.
If you want to take that step today, we invite you to KNOW CHRIST.
