In the Face of Rejection - Mark 6:14-29

This week I received a phone call from an individual in response to our door hangers that we passed out eight days ago. After I answered the phone the person said this:

“Hello. I would just like to say that the Lord doesn’t want you soliciting Christianity”

and then she hung up before I had any opportunity to interact further.

This is not the first time that I’ve gotten responses like that. In previous years I’ve gotten cussed out over the phone, been threatened with legal action, despite not doing anything untoward or illegal.

Last week as we learned from the passage about Jesus sending out his disciples to preach repentance and faith, Jesus instructed them about the potential for rejection and how they should that.

So we saw this text last week

Mark 6:11 ESV

11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

We made application from that text last week that not everyone would be receptive to ministry and that there would be those who reject the truth that we offer.

And we’re essentially told, hey. Shake it off. Move on.

Just because you are to expect resistance doesn’t mean we clam up. We go with the authority of Christ and speak the truth in love where ever we go.

We noted that the world heavily discourages evangelism, proselytization, and outreach. We can an should expect to hear from those who don’t appreciate the ministry.

We should not be discouraged by that, nor should we try to bend over backwards to try to make those people like us. We don’t need to go out of our way to offend, but we don’t need to capitulate.

As we come to our text today, we are going to find Mark do an odd thing with the text. He is going to break chronology and take us into a flashback on something that has previously happened chronologically back in chapter 1.

We find in Mark 1:14

Mark 1:14 ESV

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

What we are about to read is going to take us back to come time in between Mark 1:11 and Mark 1:14. Furthermore, this story is going to seemingly interupt the disciples mission as Jesus has sent them out and when we get to verse 30 we find a resumption of the story with the disciples as they report back to Jesus on their ministry.

So we have to ask the question. What’s going on here. Why this story, and why here?

Though the chronology is confusing to us, thematically I believe it makes perfect sense.

Jesus has been teaching his disciples about what it looks like to follow him. He been instructing them and now he send them out, but does so with a warning: you can expect rejection. And then Mark tells this story to illustrate one of the potential outcomes of that rejection.

Something I do no remind us often enough is the reality of the audience to which Mark is writing. Persecuted believers in Rome. It’s almost as if Mark writes here “you wanna be a follower of Jesus. Well, here’s what to expect. You need to be prepared for severe hardship, persecution, and even death at the hands of those who hate the truth.”

Mark wants his readers to be fully prepared. Last week we talked about living life on Mission. Well, Mark wants his audience to embrace the mission, even if it costs them their very lives.

So in today’s text we are going to see this illustrated. What does it look like to stare into the face of rejection. We know that not every who rejects will have one of these reaction in this text, but we need to be prepared for the possible reality that may await those who live a life on mission.

Let’s read our text.

Mark 6:14–29 ESV

14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter 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 to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

First a few details about this text, historically. There are several Herods mentioned in Scripture. There was what is called the Herodian dynasty that extend backward to before Jesus was born and extends forward to the end of Acts where Paul stands trial prior to being sent to Rome.

Herod the Great had 10 wives, and they bore children who all ended up ruling over various regions during the time of Jesus. The one in our text is Herod Antipas

As we see in the text, Herod Antipas had a brother called Phillip who had a wife named Herodias, who had a daughter whose name was Salome. There was a divorce as some point, and then Herodias ended up with Herod Antipas. We aren’t told all the details of that in our text, but those are the facts of history.

From extra biblical resources that give us information about this royal family, the Herodian family try was incredibly complex with multiple incestuous relationships. As I was reading this week I came across a chart breaking down the family tree, and then this remarkable sentence:

“Salome, Herodias’s daughter by her first marriage, was at the same time Herod Antipas’s niece (the daughter of his half brother Philips), his grandniece (since Herodias, his wife, was also his half brother Aristobolus’s daughter), and his stepdaughter (his new wife Herodias’s daughter).”

It reminds me of that old song “I’m my own Grandpa”.

It is to this family that John the baptist speaks. And that got him into some hot water.

At the opening of this passage we learn that Jesus ministry was a cause of fear for Herod, because John the Baptist's ministry was a cause for fear in the life of Herod.

This is the first hostile response we see from the text. Those who are faithful in proclamation of the Gospel, some will fear you for the truth that your proclaim.

Some will fear you for the truth

in Verse 14 Herod hears about Jesus, and the text says that people were responding to Jesus’ ministry in different ways. Some say he John raised from the dead, and that’s why there are miracles. John himself didn’t do miracles, but if he was resurrected, that would explain the miracles, because now he has ghost powers.

Other say Jesus is Elijah, because Malachi prophesies that the Elijah was to come before the Day of the Lord.

Others say he’s a prophet like the other of old, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.

What does Herod think?

Verse 16. “John, whom I beheaded has been raised”

This is the conclusion of a guilty man who lives in fear because of his sinful actions. If you skip down to verse 20, we see that Herod feared John. Why? Verse 20. knowing that he was a righteous and holy man.

Herod fears John. He knows he is a man of God. He know that He speaks truth. and Verse 20 even says that Herod used to listen to John gladly.

But when he beheaded him, and he hears of Jesus ministry, his old fears are revived that John the baptist is back to haunt him.

Why is Herod afraid?

He’s guilty and he knows it. He messed up. He has acted sinfully. He is knows the knows the truth and doesn’t want to own up to it, repent from it, or do anything else about it. So that puts him into a place of fear.

Scripture speaks of a godly, healthy fear of the Lord. That is not this here. This is a guilty man who fears the truth.

It would have been better for Herod to have a healthier fear of the Lord rather than man. Ultimately it is pressure from his wife, step-daughter, and the keeping up appearances from the other noblemen that lead Herod do arrest and then behead John.

Fear makes us do strange things. When people fear the truth, they may take it out on you in ways we might not expect. I can recall even in my own life, when I was fearful because of my own guilt, I would say and do some of the strangest things in order to avoid being caught. Whenever someone would say “Kenn, I need to talk to you about something” my heart would race because I thought this was it. I’ve been had.

Proverbs says that the wicked run when no one is chasing. Someone hears sirens and their first instinct is to run as if they assume its for them. Guilt and fear lead to many foolish decisions.

Herod is fearful, but in a way he is not fearful enough. Next we see the response of his wife.

Some will oppose you for the truth

In verse 17 we read that Herod had imprisoned John for the sake of his wife because they were married and John the Baptist was boldly declaring that this was wrong.

Verse 19 says “Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not for Herod feared John”

Herodias opposed John. She hated that John would speak to what many would say is her personal life. She did not have the power to destroy John, as much as she wanted to, so she opposed him and got Herod to imprison him. Opposition because of the truth.

John was speaking directly to the immorality of the governing authorities. You know, some might today that John was being too political with his message. John, that’s politics, he’s a governing authority, that isn’t our job.

It seems that there is a biblical place for calling out and addressing the sins of those who would serve as civil magistrates. When Scripture speaks to things going on in the world of politics, we don’t get to just ignore it because hey, that’s politics, and we don’t go there. No. We need to speak truth. Even if it lands us in hot water with that government.

Well, in the midst of this situation John has spoken courageously and directly to the sins of the civil magistrate, and it lands him in jail because of it.

We are living in a time when it is becoming increasingly costly to stand for truth and speak truth to others. People face the prospect of losing their jobs, their positions of influence, and in some cases their families. There is opposition to the truth and the David would love nothing more than to see the church shut up and sit down and just let whatever be will be.

Often opposition comes in the form of intimidation, threats, attempts to silence, etc. When that doesn’t work, things will escalate, as it does in our text.

For a time there was a period of protection upon John because of the fear of John that was present, but eventually that was to give way fear of mankind.

Some will oppose. Some will seek your destruction.

Some will seek your destruction for the truth

In verse 21 we find that an opportunity arose. Herodias wanted John dead, but didn’t have the power, but an opportunity arose and she jumped at it.

Herod hosts a banquet. His step-daughter/niece performs what was likely an inappropriate dance. The King, pleased with her, says he’ll gift her essentially whatever it is that she wants in the whole kingdom.

It was a foolish pledge. Herod has not shown himself to be a man of wisdom, restraint, and courage.

The daughter asks her mom and is instructed to ask for the head of John, and so she does just that.

Look at verse 26. Mark 6:26-29 “26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.”

Herod was sad. But he is a coward. Rather than stand for what’s right, he fears the nobles and his wife more than God so he caves. He gives in.

Because John spoke truth, he was opposed, and ultimately, at least from a human perspective, destroyed.

We face different levels of opposition and destruction today than John did, though the days may be coming when it is a closer reality than we’d like to consider.

Currently, there are those who hate the truth, hate the word of God, and hate anyone who proclaims it. Some of these people may not have direct influence and power, but those who do fear those who hate us more than they fear God.

Just this last week, there was a baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays who shared a video on social media from another creator who was arguing that it was biblical for Christian to support and participate in the boycotting of companies like Bud Light and Target over their support of the LGBTQ agenda. I have not seen the video in question. I attempted to look it up and was unsuccessful.

Anthony Bass was faced with harsh criticism and backlash, was placed in front of the media to apologize for his actions, and then two days ago was unceremoniously cut from the team.

At first the team tried to distance themselves from the player without cutting him stating that “the views of individual players don’t necessarily reflect the views of the organization” but that wan’t enough. So eventually Herod caved and cut off the head, proverbially speaking. It will be interesting to see if another team signs him.

That was a public case of opposition, and then public career destruction of a player who has been a quality player in recent years.

There will be some to seek your destruction because of the truth.

What is the point to all this? We don’t want to develop a persecution complex that freaks out any time we feel like we are being treated unfairly. As Peter notes, it is better to suffer for righteousness sake.

The point is that we need to be prepared for what awaits us if we are going to be truth speakers in a world that values the lie over and against the truth.

There will be opposition. There will be attempts at destruction. But that doesn’t change our mission.

I’d like to make just a couple more notes. We are a church who believes in a pretribulational rapture, and the premillennial return of Christ to earth.

Some who seek to criticize our theology claim that it is a theology of escape. That because we are looking for the blessed hope of the return of Christ, that we will have a tendency to just hunker down and not engage the world, because hey, Jesus Christ could come back any minute, so why bother trying to accomplish anything in the world.

Others have criticized our theology because they believe it leads to a mentality that says that the church won’t have to suffer many things, because we will be raptured. Yes, there will tribulation on the earth, but that’s not for us, we’ll be caught up, and thus we get complacent and get caught off guard by persecution and suffering.

Sadly I believe that there are some who make those legitimate criticisms. There are some who hold to our theological distinctives that have disengaged from the world because hey, it’s all going to burn anyway, and we won’t be here for that, to why bother? There are some who have almost bought into a prosperity mentality that they won’t have to endure suffering because that’s not for the church.

I don’t believe those responses are biblical applications of the true doctrines of the pretribulational rapture of the church.

The immanency of the rapture of the church should drive us to zeal in proclamation because it just might be today that Jesus returns. Immanency does mean that Jesus could return at any moment, and any moment also includes two hundred years from now. So what can we do to benefit future generations who may still be on this earth long after we are gone. I don’t know who said it, but I think it is true. Live like this may be your last day. Plan as though you were going to live forever.

As far as tribulation goes, we do believe that the church will be spared from the worst of the worst when it comes to tribulation on this earth, but we must not mistake that to mean that we will not endure any suffering whatsoever. Jesus spoke often of the hardship that believers would endure. Paul said that all who live a godly life in Jesus will suffer persecution. Peter wrote to suffering believers to comfort them by telling them that it is better to suffer for righteousness sake than for evil, so patiently endure.

Let’s not get our theology twisted into bad applications of sound doctrine.

We have been commissioned for a task. Some will respond in faith to the message! Praise God for that! Some will reject.

Some will fear because of the truth.

Some will oppose.

Some will seek to destroy.

We are already seeing this in action. Be prepared. Do let it discourage you. Rather may it be a cause of rejoicing so that we can say with the apostles in Acts 5:41-42

Acts 5:41–42 ESV

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

If the Lord would bring such persecutions into our lives, may our lives reflect that boldness.