THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Mark: Jesus The Perfect Servant Of God

Part II: The Perfect Service Of Jesus, The Perfect Servant Of God, Mark 1:1-10:52

T. Encouragement Not To Compromise With The World Even Amid Great Evil Opposition

(Mark 6:7-13, 14-29)

I. Introduction

A. We learned in our first lesson in this series that Mark's Gospel presents the perfect service of God's Perfect Servant, Jesus, with Mark's focus of having rebounded unto upright Christian service from personal failure.

B. Sometimes such failure rises from being shocked by great evil opposition, what may have occurred in Mark's case when Barnabas and Saul were confronted and opposed by the sorcerer Elymas in Acts 13:7-8, 13.

C. Mark 6:7-13, 14-29 reveals that heeding the Lord in ministry instead of compromising His truth is far better than compromising with the world, and it encourages and enlightens us in our ministries (as follows):

II. Encouragement Not To Compromise With The World Even Amid Great Evil Opposition.

A. When Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea from 4 B. C. to A. D. 39 (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Mark 6:13) heard of the ministry of the twelve who represented Jesus to Israel, and since Jesus' fame had begun to spread to where Herod heard of it, he claimed that John the Baptizer had risen from the dead so that his mighty works were being shown in Jesus and His disciples, Mark 6:14.

B. Others claimed that Elijah had returned or that one of the prophets of old was involved, but Herod insisted that it was John the Baptizer whom he had beheaded, and that he had risen from the dead, Mark 6:15-16.

C. Herod was thus clearly haunted by this beheading incident, and Mark 6:17-29 explains the story behind it:

1. John had said that Herod could not lawfully have his brother's wife in marriage, Mark 6:18. To explain, we note "Herod had first married a daughter of the Arabian king, Aretas IV. Then be became enamored with his half-niece Herodias (daughter of his half-brother, Aristobulus) who was married to Herod's half-brother . . . Philip (her half-uncle) . . . They had a daughter, Salome," Ibid., Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 129. John the Baptizer's claim, if anything, was an understatement of the sinfulness in this union!

2. Herod's wife Herodias literally "'had it in for'" John (Ibid., Mark 6:17, 19a), so her new husband Herod had imprisoned John to appease Herodias. She wanted John slain, but Herod did not want to kill John out of a superstitious dread of John who was righteous and holy, so he protected him, Mark 6:19b-20. Herod was even liked John's preaching, but it left him "greatly puzzled" (not "did many things" KJV in Mark 6:20b).

3. This situation was changed by Herodias when Herod held a banquet for his officials, and Herodias sent her daughter Salome to the banquet to dance before the crowd so as to win Herod's approval, Mark 6:21-22a. Herod by his lusts became enamored by the beautiful, sensuous girl, so he made a rash promise before all that he would give her whatever she wanted, up to half of his kingdom, Mark, 6:22b-23. Salome asked her mother what she should request, and Herodias said, "The head of John the Baptist," Mark 6:24. Salome thus asked Herod that she immediately be given John's head on a charger, a large serving platter at the banquet, in mockery of John, Mark 6:25; Ibid., Ryrie, ftn. to Mark 6:25.

4. Herod was very grieved over being cornered with such a request, but with his pride on the line before his dinner guests, he honored her request and sent and had John beheaded in the prison and his head brought on a serving platter and given to Salome. She in turn gave it to her mother, Herodias, Mark 6:26-28.

5. John's disciples heard of the incident, and came and took up John's remaining corpse and honorably buried it in a tomb to offset the dishonor he had been given both in and after his martyrdom, Mark 6:29.

D. Thus, John who did not compromise Scripture in serving God was executed and had his body dishonorably mistreated, but he went to heaven and to his reward while Herod who compromised with the world had that compromise corner him into killing a great prophet that only served to haunt him, and he sealed his eternal doom in rejecting the truth as a child of hell along with the decisions of Herodias and Salome!

Lesson: Where John the Baptizer uncompromisingly held to Scripture in his ministry only to suffer martyrdom and temporary dishonor but in so doing gain eternal rest and honorable reward, Herod compromised with the world, leading to a haunted conscience and eternal doom for him and Herodias and Salome in rejecting the truth.

Application: May we serve the Lord without compromising His Word, for though the immediate cost may seem high as it was in John the Baptizer's case, God will eternally greatly reward us where compromise will only haunt us both now and in the life to come as in the case of Herod Antipas, and the wicked Herodias and Salome!