#26 John is Imprisoned

#26 John is Imprisoned

Please first read: Matthew 14:3-5; Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19-20

As the scriptures indicate, the events leading up to the imprisonment of John are a bit complicated.

Jesus and John are both preaching and baptizing in the same general area, now governed by Herod Antipas, one of the sons of former King Herod the Great. Antipas is married to a daughter of Aretas, Emir of Arabia. There are two other sons of Herod the Great… Aristobulus and Herod Philip.

A daughter of Aristobulus, Herodias, marries her uncle, Herod Philip. On a visit to Rome, Antipas becomes involved with Herodias, his brother Philips wife and she leaves him to marry Antipas; there is no divorce. Herod Antipas has now married to his sister-in-law who is also his niece. There is adultery, incest, and illegal marriage involved in these actions.

We can only imagine, given the strong character and personality of John the Baptist, how he would confront, accuse, and criticize Herod Antipas as well as the others … visually and vocally for these sins … and he did so, as well as also condemning Antipas for his other evil doings. The time would come when Antipas would put John in prison to silence him, and possibly in part for John’s own protection.

Apostle James E. Talmage:

“Even before Jesus had returned to Galilee after His baptism and the forty days of solitude in the wilderness, John the Baptist had been imprisoned by order of Herod Antipas, tetrarch (governor) of Galilee and Perea. During the subsequent months of our Lord’s activities, in preaching the gospel, teaching the true significance of the kingdom, reproving sin, healing the afflicted, rebuking evil spirits and raising the dead to life, His forerunner, the God-fearing, valiant John, had lain a prisoner in the dungeons of Machaerus, one of the strongest of Herod’s citadels. The tetrarch had some regard for John, having found him to be a holy man; and many things had Herod done on the direct advice of the Baptist or because of the influence of the latter’s general teaching. Indeed, Herod had listened to John gladly, and had imprisoned him through a reluctant yielding to the importunities of Herodias, whom Herod claimed as a wife under coverage of an illegal marriage. Herodias had been and legally was still the wife of Herod’s brother, Philip, from whom she had never been lawfully divorced; and her pretended marriage to Herod Antipas was both adulterous and incestuous under Jewish law.

The Baptist had fearlessly denounced this sinful association; to Herod he had said: ‘It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.’ Though Herod might possibly have ignored this stern rebuke, or at least might have allowed it to pass without punishment, Herodias would not condone. It was she, not the Tetrarch, who most hated John; she ‘had a quarrel against him,’and succeeded in inducing Herod to have the Baptist seized and incarcerated as a step toward the consummation of her vengeful plan of having him put to death. Moreover, Herod feared an uprising of the people in the event of John being slain by his order.

In the course of his long imprisonment John had heard much of the marvelous preaching and works of Christ; these things must have been reported to him by some of his disciples and friends who were allowed to visit him. Particularly was he informed of the miraculous raising of the young man in Nain.”

Comment: Later, Herod is tricked by Herodias into ordering the death of John.

Continuing from Talmage:

“Herod was sorely troubled over the murder he had ordered; and when, later, the marvels wrought by Jesus were reported to him, he was afraid, and said: ‘That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.’ To those who dissented, the terrified king replied: ‘It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen form the dead.’”

Glenn R. McGettigan.        

August 2014

References:

“Companion Study Guide for the New Testament.” Ludlow

“Our Lord of the Gospels.”  Clark, Jr.

“The Mortal Messiah.”  Volume 2. McConkie

“Doctrinal New Testament Commentary.” Volume 1. McConkie

“Jesus the Christ.” Talmage

“Gospel of Matthew.” Albright and Mann

“Gospel of Mark.” Mann

“Gospel According to Luke.” I-I. Fitzmyer