Herod
Heard of It
Mark 6.14-29
I see you. I can see you out there kind of settling into your pew, waiting to see if I’m up to the challenge this morning, leaning back and saying to yourself, Let’s see what kind of a rabbit he can pull out of this hat.
Out of this hat. Out of this passage, this passage from the Gospel of Mark, this outrageous passage, the beheading of John the Baptist.
Indeed, what
have we got here?
Gross immorality is what we’ve got. Herod ended his first marriage, a politically arranged affair. He ended his first marriage to the daughter of Aretas, King of the Nabataeans. Herod divorced her in order to marry Herodias, whom Mark says is Herod’s brother’s wife. John the Baptist denounced this gross immorality, which is why he was thrown in prison, his denouncement having created quite a stir among the populace.
Gross
immorality and boiling resentment is what we’ve got. Herodias saying, How
dare he? Who is this John the Baptist to
question, to stir up the pot? Barely
able to contain her rage, Who made him my judge?
Boiling resentment and unbounded egotism. It was his birthday and Herod, the birthday
boy, threw himself a big birthday bash.
He was already so full of himself but, when his daughter danced for him,
such pleasure overcame him, he, with a grand sweep of his arm, Herod said to
her, Ask for whatever you wish, and I will give it. As though it were all his
to give.
Unbounded egotism and sheer stupidity. Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give
it. A promise, a stupid promise, which
is he is bound to keep. His daughter
whispering in her mother’s ear, For what should I ask?
Sheer
stupidity and outright treachery is what we have. Mother whispering in
daughter’s ear, Ask for the head of John the Baptizer.
Outright treachery and naked violence. I want you to give me at once the head of
John the Baptist. And I want it on a
platter. Herod was grieved, but his
pride and appearances were more important than someone’s head. In came the platter. On it, John’s severed head. She gave it to her mother. John’s followers came and took his body and
laid it in a tomb.
And you. I can see you out there saying to yourselves, Let’s see what kind of rabbit he can pull out of this hat.
Actually, this one’s a gimme. It’s an easy
putt. Sure it is. All I have to do is ask you if this is what
you want.
Is it? Is this what you want? Gross immorality and
boiling resentment. Unbounded egotism and sheer stupidity. Outright treachery and
naked violence. Is this what you
want? Do you want to be party to
this? Is this the kind of world in which
you wish to live? Is it? Is it what you want?
I dare say
that it is not, not the kind of birthday party.
Herod heard of it, it
says. The Gospel of Mark says Herod
heard of it. Of what?
A word, one simple word, being sounded from village to village, town to
town, around the countryside. One simple word.
Repent is
the sweet sounding message. Repent,
turn, are the hope-filled words being sounded in the towns, villages, out in
the countryside. Like a fresh breeze, a
springtime breeze, bearing the simple word, Repent.
The
disciples of Jesus, two-by-two, and from town to village throughout the
countryside, were casting out demons and curing the sick. And that precious word was on their lips,
that gentle message, Repent.
And Herod heard it, Herod in
his castle.
Herod
haunted, like a Macbeth haunted by Banquo’s
ghost. Herod, haunted by his birthday
party, the egotism and stupidity, the immorality, the treachery, the violence, cries
out madly, John, whom I beheaded has been raised.
And all I need to do is ask
you if this is what you want, if this is your idea of a birthday party.
Is it what
you want? Do you wish to be party to
something like that? Do you want to live
out your days in a world like that? Egotism and stupidity, immorality and resentment, treachery and
violence?
No? You would just as soon not? Then listen.
The followers of Jesus, two-by-two, from village to
village, casting out demons and curing the sick, listen to these. A sweet word is on their lips. Repent.
Repent. Turn.
Turn your back. Turn your back
and walk away. Repent.
I know. I know.
Coming from the lips of some, this simple word sounds harshly. Judgment, a do or die kind
of sound and tone.
But it is a
sweet word, a gentle message, precious.
It is a springtime word, a breeze breathing hope.
The disciples, the followers of Jesus, from village to village, all
around the countryside. Sent by him two-by-two, and
bearing his message. Repent. Turn.
Turn your back and walk away from Herod’s little kingdom. For the time is full and the
And they did. A crowd of them. It’s the very next thing we read in the
Gospel of Mark, how a great multitude came to him, some five thousand men and
that’s not counting women and children, turning and leaving Herod and his
kingdom.
And he had
compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
No. No, there was no banquet hall. He had them sit down on the green grass,
green pastures.
And no. No, they didn’t have much. Five loaves of bread and a couple of fish is all. Still, a
table is spread.
He took the
bread. He blessed it. He broke it.
And he gave it to the disciples to set before all the people.
It is said
that there were twelve baskets of crumbs left over.
Or not. Maybe not. After all, there are Herods
aplenty and afoot in this world.
If not
Herod, then maybe Pilate is the name. And the immorality of it.
And the resentment, the egotism, the stupidity.
The treachery.
Pilate asking, What do you wish me to do with
the man you call the King of the Jews?
Then came the violence.
Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and
after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
Joseph of Arimathea came and took his body and laid it in a rock-hewn
tomb.
And there are. There are Herods
and Pilates aplenty and afoot in this world.
And treachery,
stupidity, egotism . . . Oh, you get the idea.
And violence.
But again I
ask you. I ask you, is
this what you want? Do you wish to live
out your days in this kind of world?
No? You would rather not? Then listen.
Listen for that sweet word, that word of hope, that word full of
springtime.
Listen for
that word whispering on a breeze, breathing hope. The one whom God raised
from the dead whispering in your ear, Repent. Repent and believe this good news.