Mark 6:17-29 – A dead conscience

John the Baptist was born to a barren woman who was well passed her child bearing age. His parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in the commandments and requirements of the Lord. Zacharias, though a pious man, could not believe the angel who came to bear the news of John’s impending conception and birth. Hence he was struck dumb. However, we know that John was destined for greatness. He came to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. In Mark 1:14 we learned that his ministry was stopped when he was taken into custody. We were not told then what happened to him.  From 6:17-29, we see his arrest, imprisonment and martyrdom.

John was a no-nonsense preacher of holiness. He blatantly told Herod (Antipas 1) that it was unlawful for him to marry Herodias, the wife of his half-brother, Philip. In a sense this Herodias was his sister-in-law. So blatantly honest was he with this couple that he incurred their wrath. Herod had him imprisoned on account of Herodias. While Herodias harbored a grudge against him and had the intention to put him to death. However, aware that he was a righteous and holy man, Herod was afraid of him, so he did what he could to preserve him. To Herod, John’s preaching were both amazing and perplexing, so he enjoyed listening to him.

However, an opportune time came and Herodias felt that the day was strategic so she schemed to get rid of John. It was on Herod’s birthday and he had invited all the high ranking officials, military commanders and leading men of Galilee for a banquet. During the banquet, Salome, Herodias daughter, likely to be at the behest of her mother, gave a dance performance to the probably all half-drunk audience. Herod was so pleased with her performance that he offered her an extra-ordinary reward. She was offered anything, even up to half of Herod’s kingdom. Salome quickly stopped everything, consulted Herodias, her mother, who asked her to request for the head of John the Baptist. So Salome asked Herod for the Baptist’s head on a platter.

Herod gave the promise before all his leading men and he was not ready to lay down his pride and rescind from his foolish offer. So he sent the executioner to have John beheaded and so his head was placed on a platter and given to Salome who gave it to her mother. When the disciples of John got the news, they came and took the headless body of John and buried it in a tomb.

In verse 26, we are told that Herod felt sorry when Salome requested for John’s head. At that point he could still rescind and make amend for the silly thoughtless offer to Salome. But pride would not let him. He did not listen to his conscience.

For us Christians, our conscience can become increasingly desensitized when we refuse to heed the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  With every quenching of the Spirit, a person would make himself less and less sensitive to the Spirit’s promptings. With time the conscience may become dead and totally insensitive to the voice of truth and conscience. Let’s maintain a yielded spirit and a pliable heart before God daily!