Hindsight
Mark 6:14-29
Yesterday I mentioned that the story of John the Baptist’s death was pregnant with all sorts of implications drawn from looking back to stories found in the Old Testament (Esther and Elijah), looking forward foreshadowing Jesus’ Death, and looking down to the present context of the Disciples being sent out. God led me to preach on the perspective of looking down at where we were in Mark rather than Looking back or forward. However, I wanted to share with you the truths found in the Gospel reading by looking back to the connections it makes with the story of Esther and Elijah.
In Mark 6:7-30, Mark masterfully sets the stage for Jesus' call for disciples to consider the cost of discipleship. This passage consists of three key events: Jesus sending out his Apostles, the narrative about the beheading of John the Baptist, and the return of the Apostles reporting back to Jesus. Together, these events lead up to Jesus’ teaching that anyone who wants to follow Him must be willing to take up their cross.
The Theme of Costly Discipleship:
Mark establishes this theme by blending two Old Testament narratives: the story of Esther and the story of Elijah.
The Story of Esther:
The narrative of Esther includes two queens. The first queen, Vashti, is removed from her position, making way for Esther, who wields greater influence in the kingdom and saves her people from the evil plots of Haman.
Similarly, John the Baptist, the forerunner preparing the way for Jesus, is imprisoned and later beheaded through the schemes of an evil woman, Herodias. This removal of John from his prophetic office paves the way for Jesus, who is greater than John. Herod becomes excited and perplexed upon hearing about Jesus’ miraculous works, wondering if John has risen from the dead. However, someone more powerful and influential than John is present—Jesus. John’s removal gives full prominence to Jesus, who will save His people from the greater foes of sin and death, surpassing Herod's tyranny.
Mark calls attention to the story of Esther so that readers may see Jesus as the Jews saw Esther—someone who rises to power to save His people from death.
The Story of Elijah:
Jezebel, seeking to kill Elijah, influences King Ahab to capture him, but Elijah flees for his life.
In Mark's narrative, Herodias plays a Jezebel-like role, influencing Herod to kill John the Baptist, an Elijah-like figure. This time, the plot succeeds, and John is beheaded. The connection to Jesus, who is also referenced as an Elijah figure, suggests that He may face a similar fate.
The Prevailing of Evil and the Question of Salvation:
In the stories of Esther and Elijah, evil plots collapse, and the protagonists are delivered from death. However, in Mark's narrative, evil seems to prevail. John the Baptist is beheaded, and Jesus, foreshadowed to endure suffering, hints at a narrative where God’s agents face death rather than escape it. This reversal raises questions: Where is the salvation of the people? Where is justice against evil? Where is the escape from tyrants and Jezebels?
Mark leads us to see that evil appears to triumph in the deaths of God's agents. Unlike Esther and Elijah, whose stories end in deliverance, John's and Jesus' narratives culminate in martyrdom. Yet, this seeming victory of evil sets the stage for a profound truth: Jesus' death ultimately conquers death itself.
The Greater Deliverance:
Jesus, in His death, breaks the power of death, ensuring that all who die in Him will live forever. Thus:
Jesus is the better Esther because His salvation is eternal.
Jesus is the better Elijah because He does not flee from death but faces it head-on, enduring it to bring ultimate victory over sin and death.
In this way, Mark prepares his readers for the reality that following Jesus means embracing the possibility of suffering and death, but with the assurance that through Jesus, death is ultimately defeated, offering eternal life to all who believe.
Peace be with you!
- Pastor Bruce
