Dear Friends,
We hope this week's devotional will encourage you in your spiritual walk. You are welcome to share this and include it in your church newsletters if you wish; we just ask that you please give credit to NTC and the author. Thank you!
MARK 6:14-29
14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’s name had become known. Some were saying, “John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”
17 For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod had married her. 18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it.” 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 The king was deeply grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
REFLECTION
We live in a culture and society that worships success and power. Bigger and more is better, and principles of the market economy rule the world. The Greek words oikos and nomos, from which we get our economy, means the rule or law of the household with its multifarious activities. In our day economy has been reduced in meaning to the production and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money.
In the ancient world success was not always and only a measure of status and wealth. In the Greek world philosophers played a special role in challenging the assumptions of their society, a role that would see Socrates poisoned for his trouble. In the Jewish world, prophets played a special role in calling out injustice and challenging ungodly rule and actions. In today’s reading from the Gospel of Mark we are reminded that John the Baptist was beheaded for his prophetic conviction.
While most contemporary philosophers and prophets are not successful in the way most in the western world measure success, our reading reminds us of the importance and need of truth tellers. This is more important than ever in a post-truth world, where truth is no longer determined within robust knowledge communities or traditions, but instead, has floated free and is now determined by powerful individuals and interest groups. We only have to look at the current state of affairs in the USA to see that this is indeed the case.
In our post-truth era the world needs prophetic voices more than ever, both inside and outside the church. However, let us be in no doubt that the end result of such prophetic truth telling, while not necessarily beheading or persecution, will, like in the case of Herod and Herodias, most likely be rejected. Further, the integrity of the prophet will be called into question.
Just as important as the prophetic voices are the ears to hear what the spirit is saying to the Churches. If we are not called and gifted for prophetic ministry then let us pray to have our spiritual hearing sensitized to the working of the spirit in the lives of our contemporary prophets. Those who have ears to hear…..
PRAYER
Lord, we are on every side bombarded by truth claims, but many in places and positions of power rarely, it would seem, are open to the Truth. We ask that you continue to call and commission those truth tellers who will speak your Truth in love, and help us, and those in power, to have ears that will not only hear but will act on that truth. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Major Dean Smith, PhD - Director of Learning and Teaching, and Senior Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy