Tuesday 14July09: Mark 6: 14 - 29 NIV
Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. v20
Herod was in a dilemma. On one hand, he respected John the Baptist and regarded him as an upright and holy person. He liked to listen to John's teaching. On the other hand, he was often perplexed by what he heard, particularly on obedience to the law of God.
John had been telling Herod that it was unlawful for him to have married Herodias, the wife of his brother Phillip (v18). However, Herod feared his wife Herodias, and didn't want to spoil his good reputation among the military commanders and leaders of Galilee, should he divorce her on the advice of a lowly poor man like John.
John the Baptist: a man known for spending much of his time in the wilderness, dressed in garments of camel hair and eating locusts with wild honey, a man almost unheard of among the circles of Galilean high society.
For his boldness, John was sent to prison by Herod at the behest of Herodias who was infuriated by his rebuke and, if not for Herod's intervention and protection, would have succeeded in getting John executed.
So, whilst Herod respected John the Baptist and protected his life in prison, he could not bring himself to take the step of obedience to God regarding his adulterous marriage to Herodias. He didn't want to offend his political friends. He simply had too much at stake. Herod had to choose between obedience and expedience, between what is politically advantageous and what is right and just.
It was a dilemma. As Herod continued to delay his decision, John continues to languish in prison.
Sadly, as the story in this passage goes, eventually, in a moment of carelessness, Herod was forced to order the execution of John the Baptist. At last he made a choice, although it was not entirely his choice to begin with. For the sake of maintaining his expedience with his friends in high society, the army generals, the lords and the influential leaders of Galilee, and particularly for the sake of keeping his hasty promise to Herodias' daughter, Herod had to forgo his obedience to God. He had to forsake his good friend John the Baptist. He had to have John beheaded. At last, Herodias got to carry out her grudge against John the Baptist.
At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. v25, 26
What a tragedy, of such a powerful man in Galilee who showed such weakness and cowardice in the face of choosing between obedience to God and expediency among men.
Herod chose expedience over obedience. What would you choose today?
