Day Four Mark 6:14-29
14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”
16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”
17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.
21 Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23 He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”
24 She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?”
Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”
25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”
26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. – Mark 6:14-29 (NLT)
Discover
- What message has John the Baptist preached to the king and queen (verse 18)?
- How do each of them respond to this message?
- Whose opinion clearly matters most to King Herod (verse 26)?
Respond
John the Baptist ended up a martyr – killed for not backing down from his faith in Jesus and the message he preached. Herod, on the other hand, was a man who lived only to please people. Despite respecting John and recognizing him as a good and holy man, Herod was not willing to turn from his sin. Spend some time reflecting on whose opinion you care about the most. Living in obedience to God will sometimes lead us to lose popularity, power, or as in the case of John, possibly our lives! Ask God to strengthen your faith to the point where His opinion of you is the one that matters most.
For Further Reading: Please God, Love People
*TPCC does not necessarily endorse all For Further Reading/Learning sources. They are simply meant to be a helpful tool.