“Head on a platter” theology

Posted on May 27, 2007
Filed Under A Geek's Guide to the Scriptures, Some slightly auto-biographical stuff | 2 Comments

 

While going through John 1 today, it occurred to me that I should get more background on John the Baptist. Studying his life, I found myself wrestling with two conflicting facts:

Fact 1: John was declared by Jesus to be the greatest man born of a woman.

I admit that I don’t quite know why Jesus put it that way, but I get the point: John was a regular guy, just like me. Yet he was greater than anyone else before him. That means he was greater than:

· Adam or Eve (yeah, they blew it, but don’t over look all the other great aspects of their lives).

· John was greater than Job (that’s pretty stink’n great).

· John was greater than Abraham. That’s almost too hard to believe. Abraham, the man of faith, the founder of our faith, and the father of the nation of Israel.

· John was even greater than Moses. Right about now Jesus’ listeners–if they were connecting all the dots–should have been getting a little uncomfortable: Greater than Moses, the giver of TORAH, the one who spoke directly with God on several occasions?? Yup. Greater than Moses.

· John was greater than David, the man after God’s own heart.

· He was greater than Samuel, and greater than all of the prophets.

Fact 2: John’s “movement” ended in utter failure when his enemies literally put his head on a platter.

Wait a minute!

I need to take a deeper look at that. For I don’t appreciate how difficult it was for John. My problem is that I already know how John’s “failure” fits into the big picture of God’s plans. Therefore his demise doesn’t stir up much conflict in me, for just like in the movies, I know that everything turns out OK in the end. He still made a huge difference in the Kingdom, he still inspired people for generations to come, he still got his “well done” from God.

But John didn’t seem to feel that way. For him, this wasn’t a movie. For him the situation became so confusing that he began to doubt, doubt if Jesus really was the Messiah, doubt if his entire life was one big mistake.

Where is God in all of this?

Why doesn’t he deliver me from this? he may very well have asked. Have you ever had an ‘enemy’ put your head on a platter? Have you ever experienced that gnawing, nagging, wrenching anxious feeling that you should have done something to overcome them, that God should have delivered you, that evil should not be triumphant like this?

I imagine dispassionate by-standers commenting on John’s fate. I bet they said “tisk, tisk, he met his match in Herod, didn’t he. Fool that he was, he actually thought that his god would protect him. He was a reckless neophyte who got what he deserved. Nice try John, but if you want to run with the Big Dogs you’re going to have to do better than that!”

Even his followers and supporters may have gotten in on the act. How could he have been a man of God if God let this happen to him? He must have sinned that it would come to this. He should have been a more hard working employee (hard working employee??? …. ah, sorry, I’ll explain later). Like Job’s friends, they may have placed the blame at John’s feet.

Head on a platter.

You know it’s coming. Perhaps the worst part is not so much the waiting, but anticipating how others will react.

I know that feeling. I am experiencing it now. An old adversary has returned to my work life. When I first had to contend with him, rightly or wrongly I took that tact of “weather the storm.” Unlike others on my team I didn’t exactly confront his Machiavellian ways, but I did survive. When he moved on to bigger and better things, my life went on. I can humbly say that my career excelled after he was no longer a factor to contend with.

But that respite has ended. He is back. He has not returned as my manager or anything like that. Oh, no, he is a much bigger Dog now but that doesn’t stop him from messing with me–and anyone else that he can get his tentacles around (you should see what he is doing to a peer of his–ouch!). Thanks to him I have been told to “transition off” of some projects that I was managing.

He is doing all that he possibly can to take control of the projects for himself, for they have the attention of top leadership. In order to take control, he has to get rid of me. To get rid of me, he feels he has to make me look as bad as he possibly can. Other leaders don’t want to lose me, but they act as if they can’t (or won’t) do anything about it. He’s is putting my head on a platter, politically, and there is nothing I can do about it.

Where is God in all of this?!?!

Where was God with John? What was it that John did while in jail, when his imminent doom was already in full progress? Through his disciples he did the most amazing thing: he turned to Jesus and asked,”Are you the Christ, or should we be looking for someone else?”

WHOA! What an incredible move! I’m sorry to “shout” like that, but after all of these years of reading John’s story, just today that question leaped out at me! This guy was destined since before he left the womb to be the “banner” for the Messiah, the one who would prepare the way for Him, the one who said, “I saw the Spirit descend on Him like a dove.” John, the man who boldly declared, “Behold! the Lamb of God!” John, who Jesus said was the greatest person amongst the normal people just like you and me–that John– had doubts, serious doubts.

I think that John was doubting more than who Jesus is. By sending his question to Jesus, I think that John was looking for reassurance that his entire life’s work was not one gigantic waste. He must have still had enormous trust in Jesus, or else why turn to Him with his question? He not only trusted Jesus for an answer, but he did not fear being shamed or reprimanded, or getting one of those “I’m disappointed in you” looks that doubters/strugglers can get from the ’spiritually strong’ amongst us.

What did Jesus say? He pointed to historical events, things that John knew about, maybe even witnessed. Things that happened that John could hold on to, things that only the Messiah could do.

John’s enemy triumphed over him. My enemy is triumphing over me. John ‘failed’ to show the mighty power of God by conquering his adversary. I feel as if I failed in the same way.

John’s “failure” was mainly political. So was mine. Someone found an opportunity to climb higher by stepping on me and he seized that opportunity–no hard feelings old boy, all’s fair in love and business you know. (Mind you, I’m hardly the only person he messes with. He simply does whatever it takes to expand his political power).

I don’t know what will become of my current challenges or how in the world God’s kingdom could possibly be advanced through them, but I think that John the Baptist didn’t see the big picture for his life either. Never the less, when he saw that executioner enter his cell, I’ll bet that, scared as he might have been, he determined to hold on to Jesus’ last words for him–and he believed.

I believe too.                    Romans 8:28

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