Well Known

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

WELL KNOWN

Mark 6:14-16

14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus' name had become well known. Some were saying," John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 15 Others said, "He is Elijah." And still others claimed, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago." 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, "John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!"

NIV

It is amazing in what we would consider a backward society, lacking any means of communication other than handwritten letters and the word of mouth, that the name of Jesus became well known. Surely today, the news of Jesus would be all over social media, maybe even roving major media camera trucks following every event Jesus appears in. Certainly, all the newspapers and major magazines would have story after story of each miracle and quotes from his teachings. But, alas, that is not the case today, yet in the time of Jesus without all the available forms of media we have today, His name had become well known, so well-known that His name had reached the court of the king. We would have to think that King Herod had a court of wealthy men and well-dressed women of noble birth all hovering about the palace, as we are so used to seeing movies with this type of setting. We also have this clue from the following narrative regarding his party and the daughter of Herodias dancing for everyone, especially the king. But, we will get to that, for now, we simply should consider how well-known his name became. Of course, some thought that he was John the Baptist raised from the dead. Here is where rumors and gossip play such a notorious role. Did not the people remember that Jesus came to John the Baptist in the Jordon to be baptized? Did they not remember, or hear about the fact that Jesus came out of the water, while John the Baptized was still there, and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and God the Father spoke from the heavens saying that Jesus was His Son in whom He is well pleased? Did not those things make their way to the court of Herod? Evidently, the truth was not the most important, but rather the speculation of men seems to carry more weight. Rather than thinking Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, they would rather believe he was John the baptized raised from the dead. Who would have raised him? Did he raise himself? Some were thinking he was Elijah who has come back from his firer ride in the chariot up into the heavens. However, Herod, having the guilt of what he did to John and the fact he had been tricked by a woman, was sure that he was either vindicated or even more afraid because he thought Jesus had to be John raised from the dead. This Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great who lived in the time of the birth of Jesus and had all Jewish boys under the age of two killed. But the fact remains, they were not thinking of Jesus as being the Son of God, but as some man who came back from the dead, and that is why he had such power. Men will make up anything in order to refute the truth. However, the truth still remains, the Name of Jesus was well-known. The question is as to how well known is his name today, and who do people say He is. We continue to say the truth, Jesus is the Son of God. He is well known in our hearts.