Sunday July 16th, "A Nasty Way to Live"
Mark 6:14-29 “A Nasty Way to Live”.
Grandpa was always going on about the good old days, and the lower cost of living, in particular. "When I was a kid, my mom could send me to the store, and I'd get a salami, two pints of milk, 6 oranges, 2 loaves o' bread, a magazine, and some new blue jeans -- all for a dollar!"
Then Grandpa said sadly, "You can't do that anymore -- now they got those video cameras everywhere you look."It has been said that a thread will tie an honest man better than a rope will tie a thief.
Point- trying to get away with something
Let’s Pray
Mark 6:14-29
[Context: Jesus had sent his disciples out to do ministry. Jesus and His ministry was becoming well known. It is during this time of early ministry growth that John the Baptizer was executed. And as Jesus’ movement continues to grow, it causes Herod to fear that the powerful prophet that he executed had come back from the dead. We know about this Herod, Herod Antipas- not just from the Bible but also from other historical sources, such as the Jewish historian Josephus. The picture history paints of Herod is not a pretty one. Josephus also confirms that Herod held J-Bap as a prisoner. Just a brief note- Herod was not king. He was a Tetrarch, a ruler of a specific area- but he had superiors. Mark is being ironic. Let’s read the text...]
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, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"
17 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.
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 [her name is Salome] 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." [This a ridiculous promise that he did not have the authority to utter- it was the promise of a drunk man.]
24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall 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."
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.
Main Points:
A Nasty Way to Live:
Foundation of Selfishness
Who’s selfish in this story?
Salome
- Likely an adolescent 12-14 years of age. Any way you slice it, this story is not a healthy one. We don’t know if this girl was forced to dance for Herod and his buddies- but Mark does not tell us that. She is all too willing to take advantage of Herod’s ridiculous offer.
- using your sexuality to manipulate others is not healthy-
- She knew she had Herod trapped. Now- let’s think about it- if she was an unselfish person looking to do something good for her mother, she could have said, “Herod give my mom a nice necklace- or a new horse” or something like that. But she wanted to take this favor to her mother, a classic adolescent move of favoring one parent over the other- and in this case making the step-father look foolish
- Then she asks not just for the head, but for it immediately and on a platter- likely to impress Herod’s military guests- maybe she was scouting for a husband and thought that her brutal demand might be appealing to some of them.
Herodias
- Herodias was liking eating in a different room (keener) as Herod’s palace had separate rooms for men and women
- not correcting your child’s misbehavior- and indeed benefitting from it- is unhealthy-
- she was a willing party in this relationship and conspiracy. She despised John. He said things that irked her. Things that gave her a guilty conscience- she believed that her life was more valuable than his life- that her not having to hear any more of her speeches was worth killing another human being- one of God’s children. Extreme selfishness does not tolerate correction.
Herod
- Herod had married his brother’s wife- and was now “pleased” by who his niece who is also his stepdaughter
- being controlled by your sexuality is not healthy- Herod
- being controlled by a need to impress others is not healthy. These party goers were likely officials from Rome and people of influence- though Herod was “afraid of the people” and didn’t at first execute John, he was more afraid of being embarassed in front of his powerful party goers.
the good news- is there is another way to live.
A good way to live- on a foundation of selflessness
Who’s being selfless in this story?
John the Baptizer
How was Jbap looking out for others by calling Herod and Herodias on their sin? He wanted Herod to be a good leader and focus his energy on governing fairly and justly- his personal life was a hindrance to his leadership role. Jbap believed the tunic thing- Luke 3:11
"The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." The church has since taught that if you have much and someone has little, and you don’t share- you are guilty of stealing from that person. John was radically selfless.
John’s Disciples
v. 29 Tells us that John’s disciples recovered his body and put it in tomb. This was likely risky. They placed the honor of the teacher over the risk involved- possible arrest and jail time. They were doing the right thing despite the consequences the world’s power might lay on them.
This story can be applied to our own families, community, nation even churches. If you have some of the nastiness in your self, your family, work- whatever= you are not doomed to that. If we as a nation are manipulative, violent and controlling- we are not doomed to that. Start working on it. If you manipulate others, power plays, so on- there is another way to get things done in relationships- and it has to do with speaking the truth.
- Herod was a poor leader- he ended up in exile
- Though Herod is a ruler, he is not a king- he is a sham. Who is the real king in this story?
- We should follow JUST laws- and always speak out against injustice
- I am afraid of a church that is 1. Unable to look at the injustice in the world, like the party goers who probably know something bad is happening- but they don’t want to rock the boat and upset the party atmosphere. and 2. A church who looks at it and dismisses it, because like Herod, though they might find the speaker or topic interesting- changing the situation would adversely effect their lifestyle.
- God wants a church- that does the right thing, no matter the consequences
- Families have problems- BUT- the point with a story like this is not to go, boy I am glad I am not like Herod’s family- NO- the point is to see how does my family have situations where we do unhealthy things to each other- what part am I in my family system. How do I perpetuate a negative family trait- or how do I let it continue
A good way to live is to follow the true king- the humble, servant king Jesus Christ- a king who does not kill evil doers- but loves us and forgives us- not a king who kills, Jesus who loved each one of us so much- he died for us. What a king of Glory. What a savior.
Grandpa was always going on about the good old days, and the lower cost of living, in particular. "When I was a kid, my mom could send me to the store, and I'd get a salami, two pints of milk, 6 oranges, 2 loaves o' bread, a magazine, and some new blue jeans -- all for a dollar!"
Then Grandpa said sadly, "You can't do that anymore -- now they got those video cameras everywhere you look."It has been said that a thread will tie an honest man better than a rope will tie a thief.
Point- trying to get away with something
Let’s Pray
Mark 6:14-29
[Context: Jesus had sent his disciples out to do ministry. Jesus and His ministry was becoming well known. It is during this time of early ministry growth that John the Baptizer was executed. And as Jesus’ movement continues to grow, it causes Herod to fear that the powerful prophet that he executed had come back from the dead. We know about this Herod, Herod Antipas- not just from the Bible but also from other historical sources, such as the Jewish historian Josephus. The picture history paints of Herod is not a pretty one. Josephus also confirms that Herod held J-Bap as a prisoner. Just a brief note- Herod was not king. He was a Tetrarch, a ruler of a specific area- but he had superiors. Mark is being ironic. Let’s read the text...]
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, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"
17 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.
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 [her name is Salome] 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." [This a ridiculous promise that he did not have the authority to utter- it was the promise of a drunk man.]
24 She went out and said to her mother, "What shall 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."
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.
Main Points:
A Nasty Way to Live:
Foundation of Selfishness
Who’s selfish in this story?
Salome
- Likely an adolescent 12-14 years of age. Any way you slice it, this story is not a healthy one. We don’t know if this girl was forced to dance for Herod and his buddies- but Mark does not tell us that. She is all too willing to take advantage of Herod’s ridiculous offer.
- using your sexuality to manipulate others is not healthy-
- She knew she had Herod trapped. Now- let’s think about it- if she was an unselfish person looking to do something good for her mother, she could have said, “Herod give my mom a nice necklace- or a new horse” or something like that. But she wanted to take this favor to her mother, a classic adolescent move of favoring one parent over the other- and in this case making the step-father look foolish
- Then she asks not just for the head, but for it immediately and on a platter- likely to impress Herod’s military guests- maybe she was scouting for a husband and thought that her brutal demand might be appealing to some of them.
Herodias
- Herodias was liking eating in a different room (keener) as Herod’s palace had separate rooms for men and women
- not correcting your child’s misbehavior- and indeed benefitting from it- is unhealthy-
- she was a willing party in this relationship and conspiracy. She despised John. He said things that irked her. Things that gave her a guilty conscience- she believed that her life was more valuable than his life- that her not having to hear any more of her speeches was worth killing another human being- one of God’s children. Extreme selfishness does not tolerate correction.
Herod
- Herod had married his brother’s wife- and was now “pleased” by who his niece who is also his stepdaughter
- being controlled by your sexuality is not healthy- Herod
- being controlled by a need to impress others is not healthy. These party goers were likely officials from Rome and people of influence- though Herod was “afraid of the people” and didn’t at first execute John, he was more afraid of being embarassed in front of his powerful party goers.
the good news- is there is another way to live.
A good way to live- on a foundation of selflessness
Who’s being selfless in this story?
John the Baptizer
How was Jbap looking out for others by calling Herod and Herodias on their sin? He wanted Herod to be a good leader and focus his energy on governing fairly and justly- his personal life was a hindrance to his leadership role. Jbap believed the tunic thing- Luke 3:11
"The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." The church has since taught that if you have much and someone has little, and you don’t share- you are guilty of stealing from that person. John was radically selfless.
John’s Disciples
v. 29 Tells us that John’s disciples recovered his body and put it in tomb. This was likely risky. They placed the honor of the teacher over the risk involved- possible arrest and jail time. They were doing the right thing despite the consequences the world’s power might lay on them.
This story can be applied to our own families, community, nation even churches. If you have some of the nastiness in your self, your family, work- whatever= you are not doomed to that. If we as a nation are manipulative, violent and controlling- we are not doomed to that. Start working on it. If you manipulate others, power plays, so on- there is another way to get things done in relationships- and it has to do with speaking the truth.
- Herod was a poor leader- he ended up in exile
- Though Herod is a ruler, he is not a king- he is a sham. Who is the real king in this story?
- We should follow JUST laws- and always speak out against injustice
- I am afraid of a church that is 1. Unable to look at the injustice in the world, like the party goers who probably know something bad is happening- but they don’t want to rock the boat and upset the party atmosphere. and 2. A church who looks at it and dismisses it, because like Herod, though they might find the speaker or topic interesting- changing the situation would adversely effect their lifestyle.
- God wants a church- that does the right thing, no matter the consequences
- Families have problems- BUT- the point with a story like this is not to go, boy I am glad I am not like Herod’s family- NO- the point is to see how does my family have situations where we do unhealthy things to each other- what part am I in my family system. How do I perpetuate a negative family trait- or how do I let it continue
A good way to live is to follow the true king- the humble, servant king Jesus Christ- a king who does not kill evil doers- but loves us and forgives us- not a king who kills, Jesus who loved each one of us so much- he died for us. What a king of Glory. What a savior.
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 3:50 PM
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