John the Baptist on remarriage after divorce

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Jesus said that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet up until His coming (Matthew 11:11). His main message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2).  He basically told the people to stop sinning and prepare for the coming of the Lord.

Most Christians know that John the Baptist was beheaded, and if you were to ask, many could tell you why.  But have you really thought about why the greatest prophet of Israel up until this time had his head served up on a platter?

For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. Because John had said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. Matthew 14:3-11

 

So John the Baptist had spoken out about the subject of divorce and remarriage, and he called it sin!  And this really offended Herodias, because he was calling her an adulteress.

There were no qualifications or exceptions for remarriage after divorce in John the Baptist’s mind.  The Bible doesn’t contradict itself.  Seeming contradictions or exceptions for divorce are passages taken of out of context.  Even in this passage, the Bible states that Herodias, though now remarried to Herod, was still “his brother Philip’s wife.”

It was a sin for Herod to marry Herodias because she was permanently married (until death do us part) to Philip, in God’s judgement.  John the Baptist understood that God’s heart from the beginning was for one man and one woman to be joined together as one permanently – a covenant that is only dissolved by the death of one spouse, without any other exceptions.

We can’t know for sure, but Philip could have had affairs and cheated on Herodias, potentially with women, men, young girls, or young boys.  Or maybe Philip didn’t appreciate Herodias.  Maybe he was abusive.  Maybe he deserted her.  These are all assumptions, obviously.  But they are excuses that Christians are using every day to validate their divorces and remarriages.

John the Baptist was beheaded for speaking out on this controversial subject.  If you speak out against divorce and remarriage in your church, be prepared to get your head bitten off too! But speak up for the sake of your brothers and sisters in Christ!  Hebrews 3:13 tells us to “exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”  “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman‘s hand” (Ezekiel 33:6)

For more on why Christians should not divorce and remarry, see Divorce & Remarriage: A Position Paper and Let No Man Separate: Why Christians Should Not Divorce.

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  1. Pingback: Ready to get married? – STAY MARRIED.
  2. Pingback: Don’t Use the Woman at the Well to Justify Your Divorce and Remarriage – STAY MARRIED.

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