1. T HE B EHEADING Mark 6: 14-29

2. T HE B EHEADING Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Mark 6: 14-29 The Beheading of John the Baptist

3. T HE B EHEADING I. The Reason for the Arrest vv. 17-20 II. The Beheading vv. 21-29 III. The Promise of Hope

4. T HE B EHEADING Mark 6:13 “They (Disciples) went out and preached that people should repent……” Mark 14-29 “John the Baptist Beheaded” Mark 6:30 “The Apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught” FLASHBACK

5. T HE R EASON FOR THE A RREST Mark 6:14-16 14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

6. I. T HE R EASON F OR THE A RREST Verses 17-20 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, 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.

7. I. T HE R EASON F OR THE A RREST John the Baptist accused Herod of engaging in an adulterous and incestuous relationship with Herodias ‘It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” v.18 “Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife; that would dishonor your brother” Lev. 18:16

8. I. T HE R EASON F OR THE A RREST Herod: Prominent family of nobility Idumean origin, converted to Judaism Puppet government to rule over Galilee Herod the Great Birth of Jesus Herod Antipas Murdered John the Baptist Herod Philip Half brother Herod Agrippa Apostle Paul’s time.

9. I. T HE R EASON F OR THE A RREST 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, 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

10. II. T HE B EHEADING 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. 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.”

11. II. T HE B EHEADING 24 “She went out and said to her mother, ‘what should 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.”

12. II T HE B EHEADING 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. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

13. II T HE B EHEADING Jesus had encounters with Herod Antipas and Herod also wanted to kill Jesus Luke 13:31-32 “At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him ‘leave this place and go to somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you. He replied, go tell that fox….”

14. II. T HE B EHEADING Luke 23:6-11 “On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man (Jesus) was a Galilean. When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had wanted to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. ….Then Herod and his solders ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.”

15. III. T HE P ROMISE OF H OPE I Peter 4: 12-14 (Apostle Peter: Crucified upside down according to church tradition.) “ Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you”

16. III. T HE P ROMISE OF H OPE Matthew 10:28, 32-33 (Jesus Christ: crucified on the cross by Rome. Matthew was martyred) “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell…… Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven”

17. III. T HE P ROMISE OF H OPE Romans 8: 35-39 ( Apostle Paul beheaded by Rome) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long, we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

18. III. T HE P ROMISE OF H OPE “More than Conquerors” ”Revelation 2:10 “Do not be afraid of how you are about to suffer. I tell you the Devil will put some of you in prison to test you,….. Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life,” Jesus