Daily Lesson for January 30, 2019

Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Mark chapter 6 verses 14 through 24:

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, ‘John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.’ 15But others said, ‘It is Elijah.’ And others said, ‘It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.’ 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.’

17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.’ 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.’ 23And he solemnly swore to her, ‘Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.’ 24She went out and said to her mother, ‘What should I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the baptizer.’ 

“Yet he liked to listen to him.”

Is there a more haunting statement in all of Scripture?

Herod arrested and imprisoned John, threw him into the bowels of some fetid jail, and finally had him beheaded. 

Yet, he liked to listen to him.

I suspect Herod liked to listen to John because John had guts.  And he really could preach. And what he said could draw a crowd and really move people. 

But then it got personal. John started talking about the King, and his wife, and the sordid affair of their family. Herodias was her husband’s niece. But that wasn’t the issue. She was also his brother’s former wife, whom he stole perhaps for the sake of sex but more probably politics.  

John spoke out against the marriage and soon was imprisoned. He gone from preachin’ to meddlin’. Religion to politics — the politics not only of the bedroom, but also the nation.

Yet Herod liked to listen to John.  For Herod was a dabbler and dilettante and probably thought John was interesting and perhaps useful. John was entertaining; and he was also a kind of folk hero to the people. While he was still alive and imprisoned (the probably called it house arrest or protective custody) John was a trophy to Herod.

And then the trophy head went on the wall — perhaps next to some exotic animal head from Africa. 

Herod liked to listen to John. He liked oratory. He liked fire. He liked controversy and crowds. He liked to listen to John. 

And then later on, after the fateful events of today’s Lesson, maybe he liked to look at him even more.

Today’s Lesson is not a happy one. It’s a pretty cynical look at the world in fact. And it’s a good reminder of the old, old history between politics and religion, and a warning about the short, short distance between the enthusiast and the executioner.