John the Baptist Beheaded
For telling a king the truth about his marriage, John the Baptist was beheaded at a birthday feast.
John the Baptist had boldly told Herod the tetrarch that it was not lawful for him to have Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for this Herod bound John and put him in prison. Herod wanted to put him to death but feared the multitude, who counted John as a prophet. At Herod's birthday feast the daughter of Herodias danced and pleased him so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask. Instructed by her mother, she asked for John Baptist's head in a charger, and though the king was sorry, for his oath's sake and for his guests he had John beheaded in the prison. John's disciples took up the body, buried it, and went and told Jesus, who then withdrew by ship into a desert place. When Herod later heard of the fame of Jesus, his conscience told him that John had risen from the dead.
Did You Know?
Herodias had been the wife of Herod's brother Philip, which is why John declared the marriage unlawful.
Josephus also records John's execution and names the fortress of Machaerus, east of the Dead Sea, as the place he was held.
When Jesus heard the news He withdrew into a desert place, where the feeding of the five thousand followed.
Jesus said that among those born of women 'there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.'
Key Passage
John the Baptist Beheaded
Matthew 14:1-12
1t that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
Meanwhile in the World
The Roman Empire is at its peak under Augustus and Tiberius (Pax Romana). Rome controls the entire Mediterranean world. Roads, common language (Greek), and peace make travel and communication easy - the 'fullness of time.' Herod the Great rules Judea as a client king.
