Mark 6:14-16

Passage

Even King Herod had heard about Jesus, for His name had become well known among the people.  Some people believed that Jesus was John the Baptizer raised from the dead because the same kind of miraculous powers people saw in John they were now seeing in Jesus.  Other people called Him Elijah.  Still other people called Him a generic prophet, like they had in prior days.  When Herod heard about Jesus, he believed that it was John the Baptizer raised from the dead because Herod had John beheaded.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

People recognized the power that they saw in Jesus.  They recognized it because they had seen it in John the Baptizer.  They recognized it because it came from the same God.  When God’s Spirit is at work in and working through people, it is very recognizable to those who know for what they should be looking.

How to you recognize God’s Spirit at work in yourself?  How do you recognize God’s Spirit at work in others?  What do you do once you see God’s Spirit at work?

Second Thought:

Some people were calling Jesus by the name of Elijah.  In Judaism, it is believed that Elijah is the greatest prophet to have ever lived.  It is also believed that Elijah will come a second time in advance of the Messiah.  When Elijah comes again, it is believed that he will come again with great power and authority.

Of course, these people were so close the truth could have bitten them.  Jesus was not Elijah, but the Messiah Himself!  It is John the Baptizer who served the role of Elijah to announce the coming of the Messiah.

How do we know that Jesus was the Messiah who was to come?  How then can we see John the Baptizer as fulfilling the role of Elijah as one who comes in power and authority to prepare the way for God’s Messiah?

Third Thought:

Herod chooses to believe that Jesus is John the Baptizer come again.  Herod has a guilty conscience.  He knows what he did to John the Baptizer.  It is easy for him to see what is happening and believe that fate – or something worse – is out to get even with him.  Rather than humble Himself before God’s truth, Herod chooses to believe that the world continues to revolve around him.  Rather than consider what God may be doing for the sake of the world through Jesus, Herod believes that Jesus is there to haunt him.

How does Herod allow his ego to get in the way of seeing God’s truth?  Why do humans in general have a problem seeing truth because of their own ego and self-centered perspective on the events of the world?

Passage for Tomorrow: Mark 6:17-20