Why was John the Baptist beheaded?

Answer

According to Matthew 14:1–12 and Mark 6:14–29, Herodias, the wife of King Herod Antipas, was responsible for persuading her husband to behead John the Baptist.

On multiple occasions, John the Baptist had rebuked King Herod for divorcing his wife and marrying his niece Herodias, who had been his brother Philip’s wife. Philip was still alive, and both Philip and Antipas were uncles to Herodias—thus, Herod’s marriage to Herodias violated God’s law (Leviticus 18:16; Leviticus 20:21). Herodias was filled with anger towards John the Baptist for speaking out, and, to please his wife, Herod had the prophet imprisoned. Despite being a powerful Roman ruler who could have ordered John the Baptist’s execution, Herod respected John as a righteous man who spoke the truth and chose not to kill him. Herod found John intriguing and enjoyed listening to him. In contrast, Herodias despised John and desired his death (Mark 6:17-20).

Ultimately, Herodias’s deep-seated animosity towards John the Baptist led to his beheading. Mark 6:19 states, “So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him.” The implication in the original Greek language is that Herodias actively sought John’s death. Waiting for the right moment, Herodias bided her time to act.

Taking advantage of Herod’s birthday celebration, Herodias executed her plan to have John the Baptist killed. During the feast, Herodias’s daughter, traditionally known as Salome, performed a seductive dance intended to stir up lust among the audience. The daughter’s performance greatly pleased the king and his guests. Herod said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you like and I will give it to you . . . up to half my kingdom!” (Mark 6:22-23; NLT). With these words, King Herod boasted of his generosity and greatness before his guests, but soon he would deeply regret this vow.

Herodias’s daughter went and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Queen Herodias replied, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!” «And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. », (Mark 6:24, NLT). Without hesitation, the girl hurried back to Herod and said, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter” (verse 25). Evidently, her cruelty matched her mother’s.

Unable to retract his hastily uttered oath, the king granted the girl’s wish. He dispatched his executioner to the prison where John the Baptist was beheaded. The soldier returned to the banquet with John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who, in turn, gave it to her mother (Mark 6:26-28). Later, John’s followers retrieved his body and buried it (verse 29).

John the Baptist was beheaded to satisfy Herodias’s bloodthirsty hatred. Just as Elijah was hated by Queen Jezebel, so the one who came in the power and spirit of Elijah was hated by Queen Herodias. Employing cunning powers of manipulation and degrading her own daughter, she got what she wanted from her husband, inciting his lust and using his desire to please his guests. She succeeded in silencing her critic, at least outwardly. Later, King Herod was troubled by his guilty conscience, and, when he heard of Jesus Christ’s miracles, he worried that Jesus was actually John the Baptist risen from the dead (Mark 6:14-16)!