A 40-DAY JOURNEY WITH THE KING: Lenten reflections from Mark’s Gospel (16)

 

“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.”  But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”  But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” (Mk. 6.14-16)

     After a string of victories for Jesus on either side of the Sea of Galilee following the scandalous “Beelzebul incident” (cf. 3.20-30), the tone of Mark’s narrative once again becomes ominous as we are reminded of the fate that is reserved for prophets (cf. 12.1-12).  Following the raising of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus and his disciples leave Capernaum and head southwest to Nazareth, where Jesus had grown up.  As per his custom, Jesus goes into the synagogue on the sabbath and begins to teach (6.2).  Jesus’ reputation has reached the town-folk (6.2b) and Jesus’ former neighbours are scandalized by his ability.  They had never taken “the carpenter” (6.3) for a teacher, let alone a healer!  Jesus then utters the famous words “Prophets are not without honour, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house” (cf. 3.20-21, 31-35).  Interestingly enough, Jesus here identifies himself as a “prophet”.  It is now Jesus’ turn to be “amazed” (6.6) at the lack of faith of the Nazarenes.  This is in direct contrast to the faith of the woman with the hemorrhage and that of Jairus in the previous chapter.  Such is the unbelief of the people of Nazareth that Jesus “could do no deed of power there” (6.5).  This episode is a “mirror” of the scene in the Capernaum synagogue when the people had been amazed at Jesus’ authority (cf. 1.21-28).

     Jesus then leaves Nazareth and once again tours the villages of Galilee, teaching as he goes (6.6; cf. 1.39).  He sends out the twelve 2-by-2, with authority to cast out demons (6.7; cf. 3.14-15).  The apostles proclaim the message preached by John – repentance (6.12; cf. 1.4, 14-15).  They perform many exorcisms and healings (6.13).  In fact, the twelve do so well that word comes to the ears of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee.  Jesus’ reputation has now made its way into the halls of power, as news of his “deeds of power” is spreading far and wide (6.14; cf. 6.2, 5).  The rumours about Jesus include the claim that he is John the Baptist redivivus, or Elijah, or perhaps one of the other prophets of old (6.14-15; cf. 8.27-28).  Mark has already told us that Jesus did not begin his public activity until after John had been arrested (cf. 1.14), but now he informs us of what happened to John following his arrest.

     The account of John’s death is hauntingly reminiscent of that of Jesus, which is of course, still to come.  In Mark’s narrative, those who have the power of life and death over John and Jesus have no desire to see them killed, but rather allow themselves to be manipulated by those who hate these two prophets into issuing the order to have them executed.  In John’s case, he had castigated Herod for marrying his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, in an “unlawful” manner (6.17-18).  Herod seems to have arrested John out of a desire to contain his politically disadvantageous speech about him; ironically, Mark tells us that Herod “feared” John, protected him from Herodias’ murderous schemes and enjoyed listening to him (6.19-20).  However, Herodias bided her time and sure enough, an opportunity for her to give free reign to her hatred presented itself on the occasion of Herod’s birthday banquet (6.21).  When his stepdaughter pleased him with a dance, he imprudently promised to give her whatever she wanted as a reward.  The girl asks her mother what she should request of the king.  Herodias instructs her to demand the head of John.  Herod instantly regrets his rash promise, but unwilling to lose face in front of his guests, orders the immediate execution of John.  A soldier is dispatched to carry out the order, beheads John, brings his head into the banquet chamber on a platter and gives it to the girl, who gives it to her mother (6.22-28).  When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came and buried his body (6.29; cf. 15.46).  Herod is now haunted by what he has done and believes that Jesus is John back from the grave (6.16).  Neither the villagers of Nazareth nor the tetrarch of Galilee know what to think about Jesus…  The kingdom of God continues to be proclaimed as the kingdoms of the world stumble stupidly along.  How often does resentment and/or embarrassment prevent us from repenting and embracing the good news spoken directly to us?