John’s Imprisonment

Luke 3:19-20

Modern events are often set up by a promoter who rents the facility, arranges for the necessary staff and services, sells tickets and does the advertising. The speaker, or music group, or teams can devote their entire effort to preparing for and performing. If the event goes well, the promoter will hardly be remembered. John recognized that his responsibility was as promoter of Jesus ministry. Once Christ took the stage, John’s ministry would largely end. John describes his position in John 3:27-31.

“John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

Not long after Jesus began his ministry, John was imprisoned, and later beheaded because of his teaching about divorce and remarriage. Herod had an affair with his brother’s wife and she left Philip to marry Herod. John insisted that by marrying her, Herod would be sinning, and the woman, Herodias, was angry about it. Luke describes the bare essentials.

“But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.” (Luke 3:19-20)

Both Matthew and Mark refer to the events, but Mark gives greater detail in Mark 6:17-20. “For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”

Herodias hated John and demanded his death because of her sin. Herod, on the other hand, refused to kill him because he still had a respect for God despite his wickedness. As a result, he was curious about John’s teaching. In addition, though he was appointed by Rome, he was still swayed by public opinion to a degree. Executing John could well cause a rebellion. Matthew 14:5 tells us, “And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.”

To silence John’s condemnation and appease Herodias, Herod had him imprisoned, but John was able to continue his ministry on a limited scale for a time. Becoming discouraged, he would later contact Jesus for reassurance. Jesus himself said There had never been a greater prophet than John, in Luke 7:28. "For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:” Even such a great prophet and man of God had moments of doubt, as we see from Luke 7:19. “And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?” Occasional moments of doubt are normal in trials, but they will not be prolonged if the Holy Spirit is allowed to work freely.