A Conscience Disturbed Mark 6:14-29 Justin Deeter March 19, 2017 Introduction If you are new here with us, one of our core values is expository preaching. This means that the normal way we do preaching is through books of the Bible. We do some thematic series on occasion, but because we love God s word so much, we want to understand it in context so we can hear from God, not from the preacher. So as a congregation, we ve been working verse by verse through the Gospel of Mark. On Facebook last night I wrote a post reflecting on the joy and challenges of expository preaching, which is preaching passages I wouldn t ordinarily choose to preach. For me, that means today I preach on the beheading of John the Baptist from Mark 6:14-29. As we planned out the service for this week, Grant messaged me and said, where exactly are you going with this passage, I m having a hard time figuring out what songs to pick. Yet, we believe that all of the Scriptures are profitable for building up Christ's church, even passages about a hedonistic political dynasty who indulges in a decadent 1
and erotic birthday party that culminates in the decapitation of one of God's prophets. Today, we see Mark pause in the midst of his Gospel to tell us in detail about the death of John the Baptist. Now, if you ve been with us through this Gospel, it s a little strange that Mark decides to slow down here. His Gospel is constantly on the move. He s brief and to the point. Jesus is always going immediately to another location, so why does Mark choose to slow down and give us such detail about the death of John the Baptist? Well, he writes this for our encouragement. Remember, the original audience to this Gospel was in the midst of the severe and violent persecution from the Roman Emperor Nero. Mark tells the dramatic story of John the Baptist s seemingly purposeless death to encourage a persecuted church to remain faithful in the face of tyranny. As we remember last weeks passage, Jesus sends us out on mission. Yet, at times such obedience can cost us our lives. So Mark holds up John the Baptist for us as an example of boldness, courage, and conviction in the face of an unrighteous ruler. However, I d like to set our attention today primarily on Herod himself. I think his life is a tragedy. Here we witness a man who has his conscience stirred by the ministry of John the Baptist. Yet, he would violate his conscience and sentence John the Baptist to death. As the news of Jesus booming ministry 2
approached his fortress, he is overcome with guilt. Herod is a tragic example of what happens when we harden our heart against the Lord and violate our own conscience before God. So as we walk through this passage today, we will do so chronologically, begging with verse 21, then conclude with verses 17-20. 1. A Conscience Provoked (17-20) John the Baptist was a man of God. Jesus said, Among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. That s quite a statement from the son of God! John was the prophet who was to come, preparing the way for the Messiah. Set apart from birth, he devoted himself to the Lord. Eventually, he would begin wandering in the wilderness, spending deep time in prayer and growing in righteousness. When John begins his public ministry he creates quite the stir. He wore a garment of camel s hair with a leather belt wrapped around his waist. His face was dirty with unkempt hair. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. He was a strange and mysterious figure, with great devotion to the Lord that captivated people s attention. He spoke with boldness, confronting the corruption of his day. As the religious leaders began checking out the baptisms taking place, he called them out, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to 3
yourselves, We have Abraham as our father, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:7-12) John was a man of fiery conviction, preaching boldly to all a message of repentance. He had no fear of man, only a fear of the Lord. He had no problem rebuking people in power and authority. If he saw sin, he d call people to repentance. Indeed, that was his God given call, to prepare the way for the Messiah by calling the nation to repentance. However, John s faithfulness would get him into trouble when he rebuked the wrong family. That family would be the Herodians. The family history here is a bit complicated, but is vital in understanding the conflict that leads to John s death. A generation before, most of the middle eastern region was ruled by Herod the Great. At his death, he divided the kingdom into four and gave it to his sons. One such son was Herod Antipas, the man in our passage today. He ruled 4
underneath the authority of the Roman Empire over the region. On a journey to Rome, Herod Antipas met Herodias. Herodias was the daughter of his halfbrother Aristobulus, thus Herodias was Herod s niece. Herodias married another brother-in-law of Herod named Phillip, therefore she was also his sister-in-law. While in Rome, Herod seduced her, or Herodias seduced Herod. Thus, their scandalous relationship began. So Herod Antipas, the Herod in our passage today married his niece and sister-in-law, Herodias. This was a corrupt family, corrupt with power and filled with sexual sin, incest, and drunkenness. John the Baptist, the fiery voice in the wilderness, did not hesitate to rebuke Herod of his illegitimate relationship, clearly against the Law of God. Leviticus 18:16 states, You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother s wife; it is your brother s nakedness. John the Baptist said to Herod that, It is not lawful for you to have your brother s wife. Obviously, this didn t go over well. John was thrown in prison at Herod s palace, the Fortress of Machaerus, a hilltop fortress at the mouth of the Jordan river, on the eastern side of the Dead Sea. You can still see the ruins today. Built underneath that fortress was a dungeon, where John the Baptist hung in chains. Herodias, the wife, was angry against John and wanted him dead. After all, this man was making her look bad. Already insecure about her marriage to Herod, now John was creating a public relations scandal. However, Herod feared John. 5
He knew that John was a righteous and holy man. He dare not kill a man of God. In some strange way, he was moved by John. In verse 20, we are told that he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard John gladly. Though he didn t like John s rebuke of his marriage, his conscience was stirred by this righteous man. Herod was rich and powerful. John was poor and humble. Herod was cloaked in the finest robe. John was clothed in camel skin. Herod was well manicured in royalty. John was a disheveled, hairy, prisoner. Herod was unrighteous. John was righteous. The contrast between these two couldn t be further apart, yet Herod couldn t help but respect this man of God, and refused to put him to death. Certainly, he feared what his subjects would say. John was incredibly popular, and executing him would earn the ire of the people. Herod s conscience was provoked by this man. The unrighteous tend to squirm in the presence of the righteous. They get antsy and uncomfortable, as the become bitterly aware of their own sin and unrighteousness. Yet, such righteousness is appealing. In a strange sort of way, they desire to be as far away from the righteous as possible, but mysteriously can t help but draw near in admiration. We need more Christians like John the Baptist, men and women of God who both simultaneously repel the world and attract the world. The world needs 6
more Christians who unabashedly stand firm upon the truth, even to the point of offense, but who also are so dripping in holiness that the world can t help but lean in close and listen. Righteousness tends to elicit both effects. One the one hand, they will look at you with scorn and disgust. On the other hand, they long to be like you. Holiness will always be polarizing, and in some mysterious ways a single individual can experience the contradiction of both revulsion and attraction simultaneously. In our Christian lives, may we aspire to this sort of level of holiness and righteousness that confounds the world. Let us, through our conviction, earn both the derision and the admiration of the world around us. John the Baptist provoked the conscience of this ruler Herod. Gospel truth always provokes. When the words of truth are spoken from a life of godliness, the consciences of those around you will be aggravated. Like Herod, they will be greatly perplexed, but yet here you gladly. As the narrative progresses, secondly, we see a conscience violated. 2. A Conscience Violated (21-29) Herodias, who wanted John dead, constructed a devious scheme to orchestrate the man s death. The opportunity came as Herod s birthday banquet. In those days, the Jews considered birthday parties pagan 7
celebrations. Yet, here is Herod throwing himself a birthday party, and he invites the elite nobles and military commanders to this celebration. Herod, whose family was known for their hedonistic lifestyle, spared no pleasure at this party. Amidst this respected company they feasted. Before long everyone was gorged and drunk, and these intoxicated men craved adult entertainment. So these brutish, old men enjoyed the seductive dancing of prostitutes. Akin to the rowdiness of our much of our bachelor parties today, was Herod s birthday party, as the drunken, randy old men watched teenage girls take off their clothes. Humanity hasn t changed. We may think we ve progressed in the 21st century but we haven t. The same lewdness and filth that took place at Herod s birthday party takes place around us today. However, Herodias, intent on the execution of John the Baptist, used her daughter as a pawn to manipulate Herod. Much to the surprise of these men, Herodias s daughter came out and began dancing. It was outlandish for a woman of such nobility and class to degrade herself through such an act. We learn from other historical records that this young woman s name was Salome. So Herod, in the company of his guests, watches his step-daughter and niece dance in a promiscuous strip-tease. The men were pleased by the dance, particularly Herod. 8
In his enthusiasm, he gives the girl an invitation, Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you. He goes on and makes a vow, Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom. The young woman goes to her mother to consult on this once in a lifetime offer. The mother responds, The head of John the Baptist. Immediately the daughter told Herod, and added her own sadistic little twist, I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Like a final course to a luxurious meal, she wants John s head upon a platter. As soon as Herod heard the request, he knew he was trapped. The text tells us he was exceedingly sorry. What would he do? This was the moment of decision for him. In his conscience, he knew that John did not deserve to die. As annoying as the man was to his family, he knew he was a righteous man. Yet, here this young girl, through the manipulation of his wife, had put him on the spot. Would he look like a chicken in front of all his friends? After all, the distinguished party guests would spread the news of his cowardice throughout all the Roman Empire! In his delight, he made a foolish oath, and he could not back down now. So immediately, the king sent the executioner with order to bring John s head. At the girls request, John s head was brought to her on a platter. John s disciples, distraught, took the decapitated body of their teacher for burial. 9
Like Herod, we too will one day come to a crisis of conscience. Will we do what we know is to be right? Or, in fear, will we capitulate to the pressure of our peers? Herod s conscience was provoked by John. He knew that John was a righteous man, and was perplexed yet delighted by the prophet. In some strange way, John s message was resonating with Herod. Yet, at his birthday party was the hour of decision. Would he listen to his conscience or would he harden his heart just to protect his own reputation? Would he choose the respect of his colleagues, or would he be called a fool for refusing this girls barbaric request? There are defining moments like this that come to all of our lives. Depending on how we respond, the trajectory of our lives could drastically alter. If your a young person here today who has grown up in the church, there will be a moment of conscience for you. Will you believe in this Gospel, and live for Jesus Christ as your Lord regardless of what others say? Or, will you abandon him leaving behind the faith of your child hood? If you ve been following Jesus for a while, that moment of conscience will come. Will I be faithful to my Lord in my workplace, though it means mockery from my coworkers? If your not a Christian today, that moment of conscience is coming for you too. Though your conscience may be provoked by God s word and 10
by the Gospel message, the moment of decision will come. Will I trust Jesus as my savior and Lord, or will I reject him? Regardless of what your future crisis of conscience moment may be, I pray that you would obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. May you have a good conscience before the Lord, and may you never violate it. Tragically, Herod is an example of one who violates his own conscience. Perhaps, through the message of John he s experienced conviction. Perhaps he s listened intently to his message of repentance. Even though he hated John, he respected him and admired him. Though John provoked his conscience, Herod himself would violate his conscience as he sentences John to death. So a conscience violated becomes, thirdly, a conscience decimated. 3. A Conscience Decimated (14-18) Herod s violated conscience lead to a decimated conscience. Now we turn to the opening of our passage today. As Jesus is expanding his ministry, Herod begins to here about him. As Herod listens to the gossip of the day, he heard various prospectives on Jesus identity. Some said he was Elijah, others said he was like one of the prophets of old. Yet, one opinion terrified Herod, that he was John the Baptist raised from the dead! This was the opinion Herod believe. So convicted by the evil he had done, he lived in paranoia. This pagan and 11
superstitious ruler believed Jesus to be John the Baptist raised. Herod said, John, whom I beheaded, has been raised. Instead of belief in the Lord and a true repentance of sin, Herod resorts to pagan superstition. He is haunted by the idea of John the Baptist and what he had done. Herod is tortured by his conscience like lady Macbeth who howls in frustration over the stain of blood she can t get off her hands. John the Baptist came to prepare the way for Christ. John s provocative message of repentance provoked Herod s conscience. Yet, he violated that conscience when he executed him. Now, here comes Jesus. John had prepared the way, yet Herod s conscience is so decimated that he cannot see the identity of Jesus. Instead of the life-giving turn of repentance, he is haunted by a soulsucking and superstitious guilt. Turn with me over to Luke 23. Here at Jesus arrest, he appears before this Herod. Let s read together what happens. When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief 12
priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. (Luke 23:6 11, ESV) Herod finally had the opportunity to meet Jesus at the end of his life. He was eager to meet him, because he had heard so much about him. He was hoping to see him perform some sort of miracle or sign to delight his insatiable delight for entertainment. Just like Herodias daughter, Herod only wants a show. Yet, the Lord was silent before his shearers. Like a lamb led to the slaughter, he did not open his mouth. Herod did his best to get Jesus to open up, talk, and hopefully convince him to perform a sign. Jesus, calm and collected, made no answer. Herod, in frustration, commanded his soldiers to treat Jesus with contempt and mockery. Here, we see the decimated conscience of this man remains in disarray. If anything, his heart has only grown harder since John s execution. His superstitions of John the Baptist back from the dead appear long gone. He shows no reverence for Jesus as a prophet or as as man of God. His sole focus is on the frivolity of his own pleasure. Woe to those who harden their heart against the Spirit of God. 13
Final Thoughts To those of you who are not Christians this morning, I warn you not to impinge upon your conscience. Here, Herod serves as a tragic example for us. When you Harden your heart against God s work, you not only receive further guilt, but your heart is further hardened. Having resisted what God has revealed, your eyes grow dim and your senses dull. Those who violate their conscience will soon find that their conscience is decimated. As Paul told his protege Titus the same is true for people like Herod, To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled (Titus 1:15). Today, here the good news about Jesus. He was not John the Baptist resurrected. He wasn t Elijah, and he was no ordinary prophet. Jesus is the Christ, the messiah who has come into the world to save us from our sin. Through the death of Jesus he absorbs our punishment, and makes us children of God. For those who repent and believe upon him in good conscience, do so in faith. Take heart, though your conscience might be violated this morning, Christ can restore it once again. As you feel the prick of the Holy Spirit upon your heart to believe, do not suppress it. Do not leave this place again violating your conscience. No matter the strange looks from others, repent and believe in Jesus. 14
As Paul said to Timothy, The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Tim 1:5). As Christians, may we be sensitive to the subjective promptings of the Holy Spirit who leads us and guides us into all truth. When he impresses upon your conscience do not ignore him or reject him, but obey him. 15