I will get to the discussion in Kirk this morning in a minute. As this is Sunday, there is double reading (if you want to do it): the daily readings and the lectionary readings for this week. Before I get to Kirk, I want to contrast that with.
21They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching – with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”
Now Jesus was not being nice here. He was condemning. He was healing. He was setting things right. This led to people talking about him, and the text for today’s sermon.
14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 15But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for 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. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” 23And he solemnly swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
Barry, our pastor, is not without courage. He chose the most difficult of the texts for today — but we used all four texts: Psalm 24 was read and a paraphrase sung, the children’s talk alluded to Michal condemning David for dancing in front of the ark, and he answered the question of the sermon from Ephesians.
For Barry asked why Mark had this detailed description — of Herodias dancing, and this leading to the death of John the Baptist — in his gospel at all. Mark is the condensed, short, gospel. It is the facts, and nothing but the facts. He explicitly referred to the final of today’s four passages.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
Barry suggested that the passage of John the Baptist is around the time when Jesus called his disciples, and that this showed to cost of discipleship. True. Looking at Ephesians, he reminded us that our hope rests completely on Christ, discussed the tests of if we are in Christ, and called for us to be in Christ. Excellent.
He then pointed out that the contrast in these passages reminds us that only in Christ can we manage to comfort ourselves when times get appalling. He referred to times of trauma, sickness, heartache and broken ness. That in Christ these can be made good.
But only in Christ.
Barry is more Godly than I am. But he pushed that far… I am going further.
That Mark has, in this passage, is one of the more nasty examples of the use of sexuality — particularly youthful sexuality — for evil. There is no question that the Herodians were not saints. Herod’s relatives had cheerfully massacred the innocents in Bethlehem.
But Herod’s wife wanted to be justified. She married or was married to her brother in law, which is not legitimate by the law of the Old Covenant. John called her on that. She did not accept correction, but instead held onto resentment against him.
It is interesting that she used her daughter to dance in front of her husband. One can speculate on the dance — the term “pleasing” is itself interesting. She would have known (as she was his wife) precisely what would please Herod. He then says she can have — up to half the kingdom.
Her mother says she wants the head of John.
In this there is a warning. The woman who will not see correction can seek revenge, in fact violent revenge. The direct consequences of John correcting this noble woman was that he died. And this is why pastors tend to not go there.
This is offensive. Women have considerable power in any church, and they do not want to buy trouble.
So we do not push the envelope. And when we do that, we lose authority.