Proper 10: July 11, 2021
The Seventh Sunday After Pentecost
Year B: 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19; Psalm 24; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:14-29
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In today’s scripture readings, actually more generally throughout the Bible – speaking truth to power, especially unjust power, is no laughing matter. It is deadly serious, and it can be downright dangerous.
In today’s gospel we see what happens when a prophet speaks truth to power. The prophet in question in our Gospel reading today is John the Baptist. Well, actually it refers back to John the Baptist, but it starts out by talking about Jesus, at a point sometime after John had been killed. We read, “King Herod heard of it,”[1] that is, Herod heard of the ministry that Jesus was doing, preaching and teaching and calling people to repentance and casting out demons and healing the sick. Herod’s response is “John, whom I beheaded has been raised.”[2]
Let’s be honest: Today’s passage from Mark is brutal. There’s not much good to say about anyone except John and the disciples who come to bury his body. Even though Herod was “deeply grieved”, he did not want to be seen as being weak in front of his guests.
Like many gospel stories, this is a story of power, the struggle between the forces of good and evil. Mark opens today’s passage with Herod recognizing the increasing popularity of Jesus, and he’s beginning to feel threatened by that popularity. It’s a feeling he’s felt before, and he begins to remember back when John the Baptist was his prisoner.
Perhaps that’s why Mark placed this story in this particular part of his gospel. Last week we heard the passage right before this one. Jesus was not welcomed home or recognized as a great healer, teacher or prophet in his hometown. We also heard how Jesus sent out his disciples to begin their ministry of spreading the Good News of God’s Word. Mark tells us that, “…they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.”[3]
That seems a reasonable enough part of discipleship. A group of people, filled and consumed with the power of God, walking down the road, two-by-two, all involved with this adventure of ministry. And Jesus offers them words of encouragement. If you become discouraged, just shake the dust from your feet. Encouraging words even if we know it’s hard.
What today’s gospel does is give us a much harsher dose of reality. Following Jesus is not only hard, it’s extremely dangerous. Following Jesus makes you an outsider, a threat to those whom the world considers powerful. Mark shows us how the very lurid whims and carelessly ill-considered words of those corrupted by power can lead to horrific results. The beheading of John the Baptist and, later, the ugly death of Jesus on the cross are both results of corrupt and weak leadership.
This is a dark story and a sober reminder of the costs of discipleship, and the evils of corruption and greed. And yet, there’s something else happening here. It’s almost happening behind the scene. It’s very subtle, but very, very powerful.
In the middle of this dark horror, two sentences stand out. “…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.”[4] Herod was in awe of John. He liked to listen to him, but John’s conversation left Herod “greatly perplexed.”[5]
In Herod, we have the image of a man born to privilege and some power, who definitely wants more of both, but is afraid of losing them both. The sort of person who is often in charge of things in our country.
You can see it in the kind of games he plays with his friends and his use of the young woman, a young woman identified as his daughter: there is a feeling of entitlement that is heightened by fear of losing his privilege.
But there was something about John, something about John’s beliefs, something about John’s life of faith that was so powerful that John was able to stir the conscience, to of the great Herod. Herod, who provides extravagant banquets for the powerful military chiefs and the wealthy civic leaders of Galilee. Crazy John, the guy who wears animal skins and eats bugs is now, somehow, able to reach the psyche and the spirit of the great Herod. What is it about John that would so impress Herod? John is just another prisoner. What power does John have?
John, even though a prisoner is still able to claim power, power that is able to shake and affect even this most powerful ruler. Because John has the power of truth, We hear of the power of truth in our psalm and in our epistle today. The word truth is never spoken in the Gospel, but it is all about speaking power to truth.
John also has the power of faith in God. Because of this faith, John also has the power of hope.
John’s hope is not that he will be freed from prison, or that Herod will see the error of his ways and start helping the poor. We hear that Herod doesn’t learn the error of his ways. No. John’s hope, John’s faith, is in his own acceptance of the ultimate truth of God’s glory, God’s love and forgiveness. No matter what cruel treatment or threat John receives, his hope and his faith in God’s truth will sustain him.
These very qualities of John, his faith, hope and truth, are what Herod found so incredible, so fascinating, and so disturbing. In spite of all his riches and worldly power, Herod did not have these gifts of John. Indeed, it’s probable Herod used his wealth and worldly power as substitutes for faith, hope and truth. Maybe the realization that John’s peace, which came from his faith and hope, was something Herod knew he could never possess through his wealth and power.
A real challenge in today’s world is identifying what is truth. It shouldn’t be so hard. The world should be dictated by logic and in the case of us who proclaim ourselves as Christian by the love of Jesus Christ. But, it often isn’t.
In Jesus Christ, however, we have access to the truth, access to faith, access to hope. If we claim these powers, and use them to live our lives, there’s no telling what can happen.
John was only one person, yet he was able to arouse the conscience of a king. Imagine if we live in faith like John, what we could accomplish?
Imagine, just imagine if each of us would encourage another by our faith and hope, how our world would change.
John, who we know as John the Baptist, spent his life reminding people of the truth: the God of love is the center of all, not anyone else, not any person, no matter how powerful. John called people to repentance, and he pointed out things; things that were uncomfortable, because they were true. In the Gospel of John, we hear this passage: “Let not your hearts be troubled”. Live a life of faith. Live a life of hope. Live a life filled with truth. Live a life filled with the truth of God’s love.
[1] Mark 6:14, New Revised Standard Version, NRSV
[2] Mark 6:16, NRSV
[3] Mark 6:13, NRSV
[4] Mark 6:20, NRSV
[5] Ibid.
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