Beheading Of John The Baptist In Scripture
The beheading of John the Baptist is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, detailing his execution at the command of Herod Antipas [1, 4]. This method of execution, beheading, was practiced in ancient times by various cultures, including the Egyptians and Hebrews [1].
John the Baptist, a figure of priestly lineage through both parents, Zacharias and Elisabeth, was born six months before Jesus and was prophesied to prepare the way for the Lord [2, 3]. His ministry involved dwelling in the wilderness and preaching repentance [2]. The circumstances leading to his death began with his condemnation of Herod Antipas's marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, which John declared unlawful [5]. This public rebuke led to John's imprisonment [5].
Herodias harbored a grudge against John and sought his death [7]. An opportunity arose during Herod's birthday celebration when Herodias's daughter danced, pleasing Herod so much that he promised her anything she desired, up to half his kingdom [4]. Prompted by her mother, the daughter requested John the Baptist's head on a platter [4]. Though Herod was distressed, he felt compelled by his oath and the presence of his guests to grant the request [4, 7]. A soldier was immediately dispatched to the prison to behead John [4].
After the execution, John's head was brought to the girl, who then gave it to her mother [4]. John's disciples subsequently took his body and buried it [4]. The Jewish historian Josephus indicates that John was martyred at Herod Antipas's fortress at Machaerus, east of the Jordan River [5].
Herod's subsequent reaction to Jesus's ministry suggests a troubled conscience, with some accounts stating he believed Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead [6, 8, 9]. Augustine notes that while John was slain by a wicked king, his death was not directly for confessing Christ, though he bore witness to Christ [10]. The narrative of Herodias's role in John's murder has been compared to that of Jezebel in the Old Testament [7].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Behead — A method of taking away life practised among the Egyptians (Gen. 40:17-19). There are instances of this mode of punishment also among the Hebrews (2 Sam. 4:8; 20:21, 22; 2 Kings 10:6-8). It is also mentioned in the New Testament (Matt. 14:8-12; Acts 12:2).”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: John The Baptist — was of the priestly race by both parents, for his father, Zacharias, was himself a priest of the course of Abia or Abijah, (1 Chronicles 24:10) and Elisabeth was of the daughters of Aaron. (Luke 1:5) His birth was foretold by an angel sent from God, and is related at length in Luke 1. The birth of John preceded by six months that of our Lord. John was ordained to be a Nazarite from his birth. (Luke 1:15) Dwelling by himself in the wild and thinly-peopled region westward of the Dead Sea, he prepared himself for the wonderful office to which he had be”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: John the Baptist — The "forerunner of our Lord." We have but fragmentary and imperfect accounts of him in the Gospels. He was of priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of Abia (1 Chr. 24:10), and his mother, Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5). The mission of John was the subject of prophecy (Matt. 3:3; Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1). His birth, which took place six months before that of Jesus, was foretold by an angel. Zacharias, deprived of the power of speech as a token of God's truth and a reproof of his own incredulity with ref”
- Mark “Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison, -- Mark 6:27”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 10:1: 10:1-2 The Pharisees’ question about divorce was much debated in Judaism, but it had a hostile purpose as they tried to trap Jesus (see 2:16, 18, 24; 7:5; 8:11; 12:13). John the Baptist was beheaded over his teaching that Herod Antipas’s divorce and remarriage was unlawful (6:18-19), and according to the Jewish historian Josephus, John was martyred close to Jesus’ current location east of the Jordan River, at Herod Antipas’s fortress at Machaerus (see 6:28; Josephus, Antiquities 18.5.2). If Jesus answered in agreement with John the Baptist, the Pharisees could indic”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — SECTION XVIII. (part 1): 18 1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, and all the things which came to pass at his hand; and he marvelled, for he had obtained excellent 2 information concerning him.(5) And same men said that John the Baptist was risen 3 from among the dead; and(6) others said that Elijah had appeared; and others, Jere- 4 miah; and others, that a prophet of the old prophets was risen; and others said that he 5 was a prophet like one of the prophets. Herod said to his servants, This is John the ”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 6:19: 6:19-28 Herodias’s role in the murder of John the Baptist recalls the story of Jezebel (1 Kgs 19:1-2). Herod succumbed to pressure (Mark 6:26-28), which foreshadows the later story of Pontius Pilate, who put Jesus to death against his better judgment (cp. 6:20, 25-28 with 15:6-15).”
- Mark (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Mark 6:16: But when Herod heard thereof,.... Either of Christ, or rather of the different opinions about him, he said, it is John, whom I have beheaded: the thought stuck close to him, and continued with him; he could not get rid of it, nor persuade himself to the contrary; nor could any of his servants get him off of it, but he affirmed it with the greatest assurance imaginable. These different sentiments of the people concerning Jesus, greatly perplexed the mind of Herod, as appears from Luk 9:7, for it was first given out by others, and not by Herod, that John the Baptist was”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — 20. DIFFERENT CONCEPTIONS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. (part 1): "At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus and said unto his own servants, This is John the Baptist."(4) In Mark(5) it is the same, and also in Luke.(6) The Jews had different opinions, some false, such as the Sadducees held about the resurrection of the dead, that they do not rise, and in regard to angels that they do not exist, but that those things which were written about them were only to be interpreted figuratively, but had no reality in poin”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM CXLI.(9) (part 10): John, who was slain just before Him, being given by a wicked king to a dancing woman, was not put to death because he confessed Christ. Of course he might have been put to death for this, and that by many. If for another reason he was put to death by one man, how much more might he have been put to death by those very men, who put Christ to death? For John gave testimony to Christ. They who heard Christ, wished to slay Him; the man who gave testimony to Him they slew not. ... He is not slain by the Jews who gave free tes”