Parallels between the death of John the Baptist and the Death of Jesus

Recently I read about the infancy narratives in Luke in a book about John the Baptist.  This listed the extensive parallels in Luke between the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus.  But today, reading Mark’s account of the death of John the Baptist, I thought that there are strong parallels between the death of John the Baptist and the death of Jesus.  This is an exploration of those parallels.

Mark 6:14-25 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.” 15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It 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 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. 18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for 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. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When 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.” 23 And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

 

John the Baptist Jesus Significance
  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.” Possibly v 14 is a link with the resurrection of Jesus who will be raised from the dead after his death.
  15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

 

See Mark 6:4 “A prophet is without honour in his home town.”

 

This is something which points forward to later revelations of who Jesus is.  He is a prophet like John.  John died as a prophet and Jesus will die as a prophet.
Mark 6:17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married.

18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to,

 

 

 

Mark 11:15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, … 18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.

 

Mark 12:12 Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

 

Mark 14:1 Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him.

 

Mark 14:46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him.

 

Just as Herod had John the Baptist arrested, the chief priests and teachers of the law looked to have Jesus arrested and eventually did so.

As Herod’s wife desired to kill John the Baptist, the chief priests wanted to kill Jesus.

Both were hindered in their plans.

Mark 6:20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him.

 

[Jesus had asked the Jewish authorities a question in response to their question to him.] Mark 11:32 But if we say, ‘From men’….” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)

 

Mark 12:12 Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.

 

The crowds were on the side of Jesus as Herod was in some sense on the side of John.  Both of these were rather weak in their protection of John and Jesus.  This was probably necessary, but it reflects the weakness of human beings in regard to righteousness.  Our own unrighteousness tends to overcome our desire to protect the truly righteous.
Mark 6:21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

 

Mark 14:11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him [Judas] money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

 

An opportunity finally presented itself in the life of John the Baptist for Herodias to kill him and in the life of Jesus for the priests to kill him.

 

Mark 6:22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

 

Mark 14:11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. The promise of whatever is desired (to Herodias’ daughter and to Judas) will get the result that both Herodias and the chief priests wanted.
Mark 6:24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. 25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

 

Mark 15:8 The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. 9 “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10 knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. Neither the daughter of Herodias nor the crowd actually knew what to ask for.  Others were manipulating the situation to get what they wanted.
Mark 6:26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. Mark 15:15 Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

 

The motivations of the king and of Pilate are quite similar.  Herod did not want to upset his dinner guests.  Pilate did not want to stir up the crowd.  The result is that both did what was actually against their consciences.
Mark 6:29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

 

Mark 15:45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Even in his death John the Baptist is a true forerunner of Jesus.

 

I have stuck here to the Gospel of Mark.  The parallels are evident for a person who is looking carefully at the narrative.  I believe, therefore, that Mark wrote his Gospel with the deliberate intent that the reader should see these parallels between the life of John the Baptist and the life of Jesus.  I want to suggest, then, that given the parallels between John the Baptist and Jesus, we might expect that the Gospel of Mark has given us a paradigm for the Christian life.  Let me suggest how that paradigm will play out in the Christian life:

1)      Both John the Baptist and Jesus were designated as prophet.  As such their proclamation was against the sin of individuals and the culture.  Proclaiming the gospel in its fullness will always involve speaking out against the sins of individuals and culture.  In this sense every Christian is a prophet in his or her proclamation of the gospel.

2)      The result of this prophetic ministry for both John and Jesus was that people desired to shut them up by arresting them and killing them.  For Christians in Australia who critique the culture of today and speak out against sin there will be people who desire to stop that voice.  This will lead to persecution of some kind.  This may involve vilification, possibly legal action, arrest, financial penalty etc.  In many countries arrest and execution are not uncommon for Christians who live openly as believers.

3)      Like Herod and Pilate, there will be many whose consciences make them desirous of protecting Christian people.  This, however, is a fragile protection, subject to the pressures which come upon such people from those who want to silence the Christian witness.  Eventually, that weak protection will come to an end, because the conscience of an unbeliever is not strong enough without the enabling of the Holy Spirit.

4)      As with Herod and Judas, the opportune time will come for the persecution of Christians will arise.  This may happen because those who are protecting Christians are given economic advantage or they are enticed by some other incentive which they are not strong enough to pass up.  When the opportune time comes serious persecution will come.

5)      Herod and Pilate, both men with political power wanted to satisfy the people.  Politicians are not different at heart to these men.  They desire to be liked by the masses and will therefore work against Christians if they perceive that this will gain them favour with the majority of Australians.  I doubt that Australia’s “Christian Heritage” will protect Christians when that opportune time comes.

None of this is intended to scare people, but rather to prepare people.  “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” (2 Tim 3:12).  These biblical examples are given to us to encourage us to live godly lives in obedience to the calling of the Father.  This godly life involves both the prophetic call to proclaim repentance from sin, and a willingness to suffer persecution as a result of that proclamation.  Unlike the unbelievers who have no strength when temptation comes, Christian men and women are given the anointing of the Holy Spirit in order to stand when the day of evil comes.  The strength of the Holy Spirit will be required for us to walk in this way.  Let us, then, pray for that strength to walk in obedience regardless of the personal cost.

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