Introduction
Meanwhile, as the disciples are wandering the countryside having the adventure of a lifetime, something else very exciting was happening in Israel. It was the birthday of King Herod and he was throwing a party for himself that would last for days, if not weeks. At this party something would happen that would launch the movement to a new level at a deep personal cost to Jesus Himself. Read this sad story very carefully.
Reading [You can read as much as you can, depending on your availability]
Matthew 14:1-14
(or)
Mark 6:14-34
(or)
Luke 9:7-11
Meditating [Use these questions to start your thinking]
- What do these passages tell us about Herod?
- What is Herod thinking and feeling? What does he end up doing?
- How does Jesus respond to the death of His best friend (Matt. 14:13)?
- What emotions must Jesus be experiencing?
- What other questions do you still have?
Sharing: Text ONE of your answers to the questions above to your team. Each team should post a sharing from a team member in the comments below.
When we last saw John the Baptist, he was sitting on a cold prison floor awaiting his fate and receiving the hidden message from Jesus in response to his doubts. In this account, we discover why John is in prison (Mark 6:17-18). John had publicly spoken out against King Herod for taking and marrying his brother Philip’s wife while Philip was still alive. For this, he had been thrown in prison but not killed. Herod seemingly knew that John was sent from God and was a true prophet. Because of this, he was deathly afraid of John. Mark also notes that Herod liked listening to John (Mark 6:20).
King Herod threw a banquet and invited all the military commanders and upper-class people of Galilee to his palace. They all arrived and were enjoying the party when his brother’s daughter danced before him. He opened his big mouth in front of all these important people and made a really stupid promise. He tells this girl that she can have whatever she wants. Not knowing what to choose, she runs over to her mum and asks the wicked woman what she should ask for. Her mother seizes the opportunity to take her vengeance on John and tells her to return and ask for the head of John on a platter. Can you imagine what type of woman would do such a thing? This is one angry woman to request that her daughter ask for the head of a man. Herod, stuck between a rock and a hard place, gives in because of his pride, so he sends for John to be beheaded in the prison and the head to be returned before the party ends. John is now dead. His disciples gathered, took his headless body and laid it in a tomb. They ran to Jesus to report what had happened.
As they make their way to Jesus, word is also making its way to Herod that something very strange is happening all over Israel. People are being healed, the gospel is being preached and people are being freed from demonic oppression. Herod is stunned and thinks that John has risen from the dead — his worst nightmare. In reality, it was God at work through the twelve Apostles.
The disciples return from their mission trip, full of stories of the Father’s provision for them each step of the way (Luke 9:10). I imagine there were stories of success, funny things that happened, supernatural God-sightings and the persecution they encountered along the way. They may have been driven out of some cities and even stoned as they brought the message of salvation to their own people of Israel. As they share God-sightings all night long, John’s disciples arrive with the news of John’s incredibly brutal death (Matt. 14:12). Upon hearing the news, Jesus is grief-stricken and gets into a boat all by himself to withdraw from the crowds to be alone (Matt. 14:13). His disciples watch and wonder what Jesus will do, since they remember that this is the guy they had recently seen still the storm (Luke 8:22-25), raise people from the dead (Luke 7:11-17) and display incredible powers. He is the same man who had been teaching about forgiveness, teaching them to love their enemies by forgiving them. What will He do? The answer comes in tomorrow’s reading!
As you lead your disciples, you will not only lead out of joyful times of strength, but you will still need to lead out of your times of anguish and grief over things happening in your personal life. How you react to those times will be guided by your relationship with God in the good times. Do you bring him into every part of your life, talking with him and listening to him? It is these habits of loving, trusting, and walking with God that will enable you to maintain your walk with him in the tough times, and to continue to lead while walking through personal pain.
How does Jesus respond to the death of His best friend (Matt. 14:13)?
Jesus withdrew to a solitary by boat, which better allowed Him to be in solitude as if He were to be out walking, the crowds would’ve much easier followed and overwhelmed Him. While He does spend time with His disciples in solitude, upon reaching land and seeing the crowds, He had compassion on the people and continued on with His own mission to heal and save them. I’m reminded of the importance of timing here – when I am able to have solitude that I should use it to reconnect with God and decompress from my baggage, but when I’m with others and there are opportunities to love, that I should be present
What emotions must Jesus be experiencing?
– I think we see lastly in this passage, Jesus Christ’s readiness to receive all who come to Him. We are told, that when the multitude followed Him into the desert, where He had retired, “he received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.” Even as they may have come paraded on his privacy, he responded so kindly. I feel he’s always more ready to give instruction than people were to ask it, and more willing to teach than people were to be taught.
Herod doesn’t really think like a ruler here. He’s living in fear and cares way too much about what others think of him. The entire story of him beheading John the Baptist was because he gave in to pressure. And so obviously he’d go see what the fuss around Jesus was about. Like Thomas said it’s probably a mix of jealousy and fear that’s motivating him now. It’s kinda funny though how Jesus hears of this and wants to mourn, but he still can’t catch a break from the crowds. His cousin(iirc) was killed and people are still basically demanding he work. And it’s weird because both Jesus and Herod are giving in to pressure, but the outcomes are very different.
What a sad passage to read through. Similarly to what the girls were sharing, it is difficult to imagine how Jesus must’ve felt. It frustrated me to know that John was beheaded for such a petty reason. Jesus and John were good friends and were even family. As I reflected on John, I am reminded of how good of a leader he was and how he lived such a purposeful life staying true to his identity and not letting temptation steer him from falling with the ways of the world. Even before he was ordered to be beheaded, what stuck out to me was when he confronted Herod for his wrong actions of being unlawful. Knowing the risk he was making, he didn’t let that get in the way of being holy and righteous. He stayed true to his beliefs and I admire his courage.