Note: This series is written as a first-person narrative in order to present Jesus in the context he walked with the unknown disciple that narrates presenting my thoughts and sparking more thoughts with his questions. Enjoy.
While walking from one town to the next, we came across a couple of familiar faces. John the Baptist’s disciples. Noticing their red-rimmed eyes, I asked what was wrong.
“John is dead.”
“What?” I answered. I knew he was in prison. John had told King Herod Antipas that “It is not lawful for you to have her” after he began having an affair with his brother’s wife.
Their dad was crazy, and apparently, they were too. It began to cause a lot of political embarrassment. However, John was popular so he couldn’t be killed, or so I thought, and couldn’t be allowed to keep speaking.
“How did it happen?” my colleague asked.
“On Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. We came and took his body and buried it. We’re on our way to tell Jesus.”
“We were about to go back to him. We’ve been spreading the word about his coming to the towns around us. Let’s go.”
Matthew 14:1-13
A Ronin's Journey 