John the Baptist Raised from the Dead Mark 6:14-29

 

14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[b] “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, whom 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[c]; 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[d] Herodias 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.”

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.

This is somewhat of a non sequitur and self contained little story in the narrative of Jesus' biography.  Why is this important to the Jesus story to the gospel's community, and why place the story at this point?  

At the very beginning of the Gospel, John the Baptist was introduced as a character who endorses and legitimizes the figure of Jesus where the writer has John testify to Jesus' superiority and casts John in the role of messenger or herald.  We looked at how this endorsement suggested that John was a much more well known figure of the times and had a reputation for holiness and as a Prophet.  This is borne out by the fact that only the Gospels and Epistles mention Jesus while there is no trace him in any of the official historical records of the time unlike John the Baptist who is recorded by the Jewish Historian Flavius in this time period.  

This story again works to legitimize Jesus by comparisons with John the Baptist.  The writer has King Herod testify that Jesus must be John the Baptist "raised from the dead".  In fact this section of the story begins with testimonies from "others" about Jesus' standing as a religious figure, that "He is Elijah", and "a prophet".  It is at this point the testimony of Herod is repeated with, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead".  The rest of the section seems to be an explanation about the circumstances of the beheading that Herod references, and as I said almost seems to be an aside and divergence from the main story.

However, rather than strictly an aside, I believe this story had a purpose in its inclusion. It think this story meant to foreshadow and legitimize the later story of Jesus' conflict with the authorities and cast it as being indicative of a prophet.  The references to Jesus being Elijah could serve the same purpose as this prophet was also known for his conflict with authority.

Another piece of foreshadowing and statement on Jesus' exceptional nature is the part of the story about Jesus being mistaken for John the Baptist, "raised from the dead".  It serves to underline that John, although recognized by the people as a prophet, was never raised from the dead, alluding to Jesus superiority as a spiritual figure through his resurrection.

Sending out the Twelve Mark 6:7-13

 

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

What I find significant in this passage is that it shows that the community of Mark did not see Jesus' way as exclusive to him, but something that those who followed him could perform with the same authority and results.  This reminds me of the Gospel of Thomas, the twin, with the theme that we can become a twin of Jesus and partake in his enlightenment.

I also notice that this passage contains a distillation of Jesus 'Way', his teaching and 'way of seeing the world' which he commissions others to spread.  I would list this summary of Jesus Way as follows:

• Authority over impure spirts
• Jesus' Way primary involves the authority to welcome/facilitate those who are marginalized, considered "impure" or "unclean", into community, removing the barriers and performance factors the culture requires.  To drive out "impure spirits" is to remove conditions that keeps people from fellowship with God and community.  
• Healing the sick
• The Way of Jesus brings people into wholeness.  Metaphorically Jesus teaching is  seen dualistically as health rather than sickness.  Again this is an example of enabling everyone to be part of the community since the sick were also marginalized and excluded from Temple worship.
• Lack of concern of material needs
• Anti materialism is central to Jesus' teaching.  The world view of Jesus is one of abundance where needs will be provided and the Universe is profoundly generous. One needs not dwell on one's survival or fear scarcity, but can focus on what is more important.
• The inherent generosity of humanity
• Along with seeing the universe as generous and carrying, Jesus sees much of humanity as in the same light.  He has no fear that the twelve will find those who will welcome them, take them in, and supply for all their needs.  
• Those who are not welcoming and generous to the disciples are seen as who are truly "impure".  The disciples are told to "shake the dust off" their feet, a practice by Pious 1st-century Jews traveling home from Gentile lands.  They would shake off the dust of those foreign nations to avoid bringing foreign, "unclean" dirt into the holy land.  
• A message of repentance as a return to the social contract as given by the Prophets.
• Jesus in the last passage identifies himself as a Prophet and the Prophet's were spokespeople for God telling the people to return, not to worship, not to greater adherence to purity laws and rituals, but to social justice in terms of caring for each other, providing for the poor and widowed, justice, mercy, and humility. 
• Repentance is defined by John the Baptist in the third chapter of Luke as fulfilling social justice, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”