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Chapter 22—The Imprisonment and Death of John
This chapter is based on
Matthew 11:1-11
;
14:1-11
;
Mark 6:17-28
;
Luke 7:19-28
.
John the Baptist had been first in heralding Christ’s kingdom,
and he was first also in suffering. From the free air of the wilderness,
he was now shut in by the walls of a dungeon, a prisoner in the
fortress of Herod Antipas. Herod himself had listened to the Baptist
and trembled under the call to repentance. “Herod feared John,
knowing that he was a just man and an holy.” John denounced his
iniquitous alliance with Herodias, his brother’s wife. For a time
Herod feebly sought to break the chain of lust that bound him; but
Herodias fastened him more firmly in her toils and found revenge
on the Baptist by inducing Herod to cast him into prison.
The gloom and inaction of his prison life weighed heavily on
John. As week after week passed, bringing no change, despondency
and doubt crept over him. His disciples brought him tidings of the
works of Jesus and how the people were flocking to Him. But why,
if this new teacher was the Messiah, did He do nothing to effect the
release of John? Doubts which otherwise would never have arisen
were suggested to John. Satan rejoiced to see how the words of these
disciples bruised the soul of the Lord’s messenger. How often the
friends of a good man prove to be his most dangerous enemies!
John the Baptist expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and
as time passed, and the Saviour made no claim to kingly authority,
John became perplexed. He had looked for the high places of human
pride and power to be cast down. The Messiah would thoroughly
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purge His floor, gather the wheat into His garner, and burn up the
chaff with unquenchable fire. See
Isaiah 40
;
Matthew 3
. Like Elijah,
he looked for the Lord to reveal Himself as a God who would answer
by fire.
The Baptist had stood as a fearless reprover of iniquity in high
places and low. He had dared to face king Herod with the plain
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