The Fox
In March 2012, an organization approached a t-shirt company in Lexington, KY, asking for a bid on some t-shirts for them. The t-shirt company is called “Hands On Originals: Christian Outfitters.” The t-shirt company gave the organization the most competitive bid and was selected to print the t-shirts. But in the meanwhile, Hands On Originals either discovered or realized that the organization was promoting a Gay-Pride parade in Lexington. Hands On, being a “Christian” organization, decided that they could not do the job. They found another company that would do the job for the price they quoted and pulled out.
But the organization was not content with that. They decided to sue Hands On Originals and force them to print these t-shirts – in essence, to violate their conscience.
That is how Satan is working today in this anti-Christian environment. Intimidation. That is how King Herod tried to silence Jesus, too. Satain is being sly, conniving and, ultimately, destructive – like a fox.
That’s how Jesus described the political leader of His day – a fox – Luke 13:32. We’ll get to that point in just a moment. We want to study Mark 6:14-29.
Herod Antipas had married the daughter of Aretas, king of Nabatea. But, as he was traveling, he stayed with his half-brother, Philip. There he met Philip’s wife, Herodias. She decides, for whatever reason, that she wants to be married to Antipas. So, Antipas divorces his wife and Herodias divorces Philip and the two get married. This was in clear violation of the Law of the Jews (Lev. 18:13, 16; 20:21).
JOHN IS A MAN OF CONVICTION – 6:17-18:
John “had been saying” (imperfect tense) shows that this was a consistent and frequent message of John to King Antipas. John was holding the king to the standard of moral behavior that God had set out in His word some 1400 years before. You see, God’s word does not grow old and stale and irrelevant. It is still living and active, alive with the Spirit of God Himself.
HEROD WAS NOT A MAN OF CONVICTION – 6:19-20:
The impetus behind John’s death was Herodias, not Herod. Herodias was “bearing a grudge (ill will)” (imperfect tense) against John. But she was not able to put him to death because of her husband. Verse 20 tells us how Herod felt about John but Herod was not a man of conviction. He was not a man of integrity. He did not do what he knew to be right.
THE BIRTHDAY BASH – 6:21-23:
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The day is called “strategic” because Herodias had a plan up her sleeve. King Herod makes a vow, a promise, and then follows it up with an oath. “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you” (vs 22). Then he “swore” – “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to half of my kingdom!” (vs 23).
HEROD REGRETS HIS OATH – 6:24-26:
Salome – a 12-14 year old girl – whose strings are being pulled by her mom, asks for the head of John the baptizer on a dinner plate – “at once.”
It is not the measure of a man whether he makes a mistake. We all sin and fall short of God’s expectations. But it is the mark of maturity to admit when you have made a mistake and work at correcting it. That’s why Herod was not a man of conviction.
THE FOX – 6:27-29:
The head was brought back to King Herod, who gave it to the teenage girl, who delivered it to her mom. They shut up the prophet but their judgment was still alive. You can shut up the messenger but it does not silence the message because God still speaks from heaven.
Let us fast forward briefly in the ministry of Jesus to Luke 13:31-33… On His way to Jerusalem, passing through Herod’s territory, the Pharisees come to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave here; for Herod wants to kill you” (Luke 13:31).
But observe Jesus’ response: “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I reach my goal.’” (verse 32). Jesus would not be intimidated. Jesus – the ultimate “Man of Conviction” – rises from the dead and goes to heaven. King Herod Antipas – the fox – dies in exile in southern France about seven years later, no doubt in torments even as we speak.
In the middle of an anti-Christian world, stand on your convictions. Stand with Jesus.
–Paul Holland
