Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. 

Jesus missed his friend.

A sobering start of this chapter. John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, had been thrown into jail, at the height of his ministry. There, he started doubting about it all. Was Jesus really the one who was to come? After all, why then was he in prison? Surely, the blessed life would look something better than this?! (Read Matthew 11:1-15)

Jesus had told John “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:6). What does that mean, “not stumbling on account of Jesus”? Would it mean being freed from prison? No. In John’s case, he never left prison. Alive.

John’s “blessed is anyone” was being beheaded for Jesus.

John’s “not stumbling” was keeping the faith even when all seemed lost.

John’s “forerunnership” ended with martyrdom.

The Bible promises us a bigger picture. The blessed life is not confined to this earth only. John was beheaded by an earthly king, Herod. But he would reign with the ultimate King, Jesus Christ. In Revelation chapters 6 and 20 we read that those who are beheaded for Jesus’ sake will be given a white robe and reign with Him for a thousand years. John’s time on earth was finished, but his time close to Christ had just begun.

Still – Jesus missed his friend. He never did something about it. He did not free John from prison. He did not call down fire from heaven or get His angels to liberate John. He left John in the hands of God, knowing they would be reunited at a later stage.

Still – Jesus missed his friend.