Smoodock's Blog

In my previous study I pointed out that Herod had to send troops to arrest John, implying someone told him that John had accused him of living an adulterous affair with Herodias. In other words, John hadn’t literally accused Herod to his face, which implies John was questioned by someone or a group of folks about Herod and Herodias, and John acknowledged his position on the interpretation of the Law. Moreover, that someone or group of folks went and told Herod what John said, vis-à-vis it was a conspiracy against John, because his ministry offended powerful people.

Consider this, when we are told that the Jewish authorities wanted to get rid of Jesus, they took counsel with the Herodians concerning how they might have him destroyed (Mark 3:6). Similarly, when Jesus understood that the Pharisee realized he baptized more people than John, he left Judea for Galilee (John 4:1-3). However, he did so surreptitiously, because his life was in danger. We know this for two reasons. First, Jesus departed for Galilee by going through Samaria, and the text says he had to do so. Why? The normal route between Galilee and Judea was around Samaria, because Jews believed the Samaritans were unclean, and they had no dealings with them (cp. John 4:9). Secondly, Jesus left Judea, so quickly, that he didn’t bother to buy supplies for the journey (John 4:8).

Therefore, it isn’t difficult to see that Jesus left Judea in a hurry, and he made his journey to Galilee through the most unlikely route, in the event that he might be followed and arrested, as John was. Consider also that Jesus left for Galilee not only after hearing John was arrested (Matthew 4:12), but because he understood that the Pharisee had learned that Jesus baptized more disciples than John. Taken together, it appears that the Pharisees might have been responsible for John’s arrest, and we know they consulted with the Herodians on more than one occasion in an effort to get rid of Jesus.

Therefore, it seems likely that the Herodians, vis-à-vis the supporters of Herod, were the ones who told Herod that John accused him of adultery. However, John probably admitted to Herod’s adultery, because he was asked directly by someone seeking to destroy him, rather than Herod hearing that John went around the country accusing him of adultery. John, remember, was commissioned to prepare the way for the Messiah, not to accuse the authorities of their sins. He took issue with them only when they, vis-à-vis the authorities, came to him in an effort to control his ministry (cp. Matthew 3:7).

It seems to be a truism, that, whenever evil men find an honest man moving into what they claim as their territory or realm of interest, they seek to either control or destroy the new movement. Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. He was the new authority figure, and he wasn’t showing any signs of submitting to the interest of the current movers and shaker of Jewish society. Therefore, he was held in suspicion, and the Jewish authorities sought to get rid of him on more than one occasion. This also seems to be so, as it pertains to John’s ministry. Originally, the Jewish authorities sought to infiltrate and gain control of John’s ministry (Matthew 3:7), but, when that failed, they sought other means.

The Gospel of John tells us that, just prior to the Baptist’s imprisonment, there arose a problem over his baptism (John 3:25). The texts before and afterward mention Jesus’ disciples baptizing. What seems to have occurred is the Jewish authorities sought to create a dispute between Jesus and John (John 3:26), but John wasn’t about to allow that to happen, for he said that he rejoiced that Jesus’ ministry was growing larger than John’s (John 3:27-30). Therefore, since they couldn’t control John’s ministry (Matthew 3:7), and they couldn’t destroy both Jesus and John by having them quarrel with one another, they probably trapped John into testifying in the presence of the Herodians that Herod and Herodias were involved in an adulterous relationship. Afterward, when Herod and Herodias were told by the Herodians what John had said, Herod arrested him and cast him into prison (Matthew 4:12).