Day 12. Death of John the Baptist

Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ

---

"And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison." Matthew 14:10

This seems a sad end for this holy man's life. After a few months of faithful preaching, he was cast into a dungeon, where he lay for a year, and where he was beheaded as a felon. To us it is very mysterious. Why did God permit such a fate to come upon so faithful and noble a servant? Our Lord Himself said that no greater man ever lived, than John. Why then was his life allowed to go out in such darkness?

We know, first, that it was no accident. There are no accidents, in this world over which our loving Father presides. John would not have chosen such a life-plan for himself — so brief, with such a tragic ending; few of us would choose just the life we live in this world. Yet there are no chances, no accidents. "Our ways are those of the Lord's choosing — ways . . .
sadder, perhaps — but safer; 
rougher, perhaps — but surer;
narrower, perhaps — but better than those of our own dreaming."

John finished his work. If there had been anything further for him to do he would not have been left to die so ignominiously, to gratify the revenge of a wicked woman. His work was done, when Christ began to preach. Then when he died, it was for faithfulness to the truth.

It is not long years which make a complete life. A life is complete, whether long or short, which fulfils the purpose of its creation. And the longest life is incomplete and a failure — if it does not do the work for which it was made. It is better to die in youth with a life unspotted — than to live on to old age in sin and crime. It was a thousand times better every way to die as John died — than to live on as Herod and Herodias lived.

---

Back to Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ