“Head on a Platter”

Opening Prayer (Thanksgiving & Petition)

As we reflect on the life and death of John the Baptist, we are reminded of his unwavering commitment to his purpose. He lived with an intensity that few can match, proclaiming truth in the face of danger. His eventual martyrdom reminds us how standing for what is right can come at a great cost. Let us consider how we respond to our calling, even when it requires personal sacrifice. In John's story, we see both the beauty and the burden of faith.

Turn with me to the Mark 6:17-29

Mark 6:17–29 LSB

17 For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, 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 Now Herodias was holding a grudge against him and was wanting to put him to death and was not able; 20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he was keeping him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening to him. 21 And a strategic day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his great men and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee; 22 and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And immediately she came in a hurry 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 although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And 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 And when his disciples heard this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

KEY Idea: There is a cost to discipleship and proclaiming the truth.

Power and foolishness together lead to suffering. (v. 17-20)

John confronted the lewd and godless behavior of the ruler, which then creates a reaction of guilt leading to cowardice and hate.

Leviticus 18:16–17 “16 ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. 17 ‘You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and of her daughter, nor shall you take her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; they are blood relatives. It is lewdness.”

Deuteronomy 25:5–6 “5 “If brothers live together and one of them dies and has no son, then the wife of the one who died shall not be married outside the family to a strange man. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her to himself as wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. 6 “And it will be that the firstborn whom she bears shall assume the name of his dead brother, so that his name will not be blotted out from Israel.”

Antipas, a ruler with a complex displays the real issue with power and foolishness residing in the same headspace. On the other hand, we see Herodias, whose response is cold, calculated hate for the truth and its harbinger.

Proverbs 5:1–6 “1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my discernment; 2 That you may keep discretion And that your lips may guard knowledge. 3 For the lips of a strange woman drip honey And smoother than oil is her speech; 4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death, Her steps take hold of Sheol, 6 Lest she watch the path of life; Her tracks are unstable, she does not know it.”

Notice the issue here is not just action, but the contemplation leading to action. Antipas, being so close and yet so far from God’s Word acts as a child whose “secret” actions warrant punishment, though he knows better. We also see that evil uses weak men to play out into the affairs of the world.

Pride, lust, and careless oaths point to a bigger problem. (v. 21-26)

Satan does not have the power of creation or sustaining anything. He must act in opportune moments when he can access the broken nature of humanity and its affairs.

Antipas in his pride and lust, pretending to be a “king” over the people acts as a foolish king. He invites people as his subjects, and entertains them to muster favor and loyalty. Then he does something unthinkable in displaying his wife’s daughter is something akin to a striptease before the important men of the region.

When the king is taken in by the loathsome display by Salome, here then the intended “generosity” is now abused by Herodias, whose counsel leads to the request for the Baptizer’s head. Notice how the careless words, and the callous hearts lead to demise when wicked attitudes are rebelling against God’s word.

Numbers 30:2 “2 “If a man makes a vow to Yahweh or swears an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”

Matthew 23:20–22 “20 “Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. 21 “And whoever swears by the sanctuary, swears both by the sanctuary and by Him who dwells within it. 22 “And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.”

Where weak men dwell, evil has the place to thrive. This is not the strength of our own volition; it is the weakness of men and women whose lives and wills are not surrendered to the LORD of Life.

There is a quiet assurance in the face of persecution and death. (v. 27-29)

We see the evil of Antipas’ lack of spiritual conviction, Herodias’ hate, and Salome’s abuse of her person as a beautiful young girl come to a head on the pain John’s death causes those around him.

The text displays the swiftness of those who love evil and are filled with hate to display the consequences of their heinous acts of selfish pride.

Do you see the response by those who followed John’s ministry and his teaching? Quietly; Reverently; Those men and women comes to lay the forerunner to rest now that his mission has been accomplished.

Philippians 3:12–14 “12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself as having laid hold of it yet, but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

KEY Idea: There is a cost to discipleship and proclaiming the truth, and there is an eternal prize waiting for His faithful ones.

May we walk in bold humility knowing that hopeful refrain:

Philippians 1:21 “21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Closing Prayer (Thanksgiving and Intercession)