In my recent sermon on Luke 1 and the Song of Zechariah, I stated that the birth of John was a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Malachi 4:5-6… the last words of the Old Testament. Malachi also prophecies that John would prepare the way of the Lord. Due to time constraints, I didn’t say anything about the naming of John, but it’s an interesting part of the story. In Luke 1:13-15, we read:

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord.

The name John means “God is a gracious giver.” The name is significant on a personal level - Zechariah was old and his wife was barren - and like Abraham and Sarah before them - they would be blessed with a child… a gracious gift from God. But it is also a name that points ahead to Jesus - God’s gracious gift of His only Son, whom John was called to prepare the way for, as we read in Luke 1:16-17:

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.

The phrase “he will go before him,” describes multiple aspects of John’s life in relation to Jesus’ life. In the same way that John’s name points ahead to Jesus, John’s birth was also a preparation for the birth of Jesus. Likewise, the ministry of John, as a prophet of the Most High… to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins (Luke 1:76-77), would also foreshadow the ministry of Jesus.

It should not surprise us, then, that John’s death would also point forward to the death of Christ. When Herod the Tetrarch heard the stories of a man healing, teaching, and doing great wonders, not knowing it was Jesus, he automatically assumed that John had returned from the dead - looking ahead to the resurrection of Jesus. John had been imprisoned for calling out Herod in his adulterous affair with Herodias, his brother’s wife. As the story goes, in Matthew 14 and Mark 6, when Herodias’ daughter dances before Herod and his friends, he offers anything she desires. Herodias uses this opportunity to get rid of that pesky prophet by telling her daughter to ask for John’s head on a platter. Herod obliges her.

Interestingly, Luke 1 includes a prophecy of John’s death… it’s easy to miss - especially in the English language. Remember, Zechariah, because of his unbelief, has been struck dumb until the birth of his son. When the baby arrives, Elizabeth says his name is John, but the people do not believe her, because John is not a family name. They look to Zechariah for confirmation, but unable to speak, he motions for a writing tablet and writes the name John. This word translated by the ESV, KJV, NASB, and NIV as “writing tablet” is the word pinakidion (πινακίδιον), which comes from the word meaning platter… the same word used in Matthew 14 and Mark 6 to denote the platter on which John’s head is placed after he is murdered.

In a way, John’s death also points to Jesus as a point of comparison. Matthew 14 tells two stories back to back: The first is the story of John’s death - his head placed on a platter… a tray on which food is served. Herod, and by extension, the corrupt and evil leaders of Israel, are cannibals. They devour their people. The second half of Matthew 14 is the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. It’s a tale of two kings. Jesus, the One whom John’s life and ministry - and death - has always prepared the way for, is moved by compassion for the people. He heals them and He feeds them. This is how a true King rules His kingdom.

Brian McLain is Associate Pastor at Trinity Reformed Church. He has degrees in Theology and Electrical Engineering and is a graduate of the Fellows Program at Theopolis Institute. He is married to Denise and they have six daughters.