The Passion of John the Baptist is celebrated to recognize his martyrdom ahead of Jesus’. Just as John heralded Jesus’ coming as the Messiah, so he also heralded Jesus’ Passion, death, and resurrection. Like the Lord, John’s demise was also brought about, not by the pagans but by the Jews themselves. Jealousy and vengeance were the motivation behind the arrest of both men. But here the similarity ends.

While Jesus was betrayed by one of His own disciples at the instigation of the Pharisees and religious authority, John was arrested on charges of lese majeste, a crime committed against Herod Antipas, the self-styled king of the Jews, on the instigation of his wife, Herodias, who was formerly married to Antipas’ half-brother, Philip.

John, who came as the herald for the Truth, was unafraid of calling Herod Antipas out and willingly paid the price of imprisonment. However, his beheading was a hasty decision based on Antipas’ foolish oath, made as a face-saving exit for Antipas, who scandalised himself further by the outrageous promise made to his step-daughter.

We may regard John’s martyrdom as a waste, a victim of human arrogance and pride, a great prophet’s life sacrificed for a silly cause. Yet, it was John’s desire to decrease so that Jesus may increase. And if Jesus suffered humiliation, John too would be happy to be made a fool for Christ, even when the price of it was his very own life.