Did John the Baptist loose his head?

Answer 1

A:

According to the gospels, John the Baptist was arrested and held in prison early in the mission of Jesus, probably around 29 CE. Herod Antipas' wife, Herodias, had a quarrel with John the Baptist and would have killed him if she could but, at a royal party in Galilee for the senior men of the kingdom, told her daughter to ask for his head on a platter. In this account, John was beheaded because Herodias tricked Herod, although he would have allowed him to live.

We have one other source of information on John the Baptist. The Jewish historian Josephus said that Herod Antipas had the Baptist killed in quite different circumstances and several years later than the gospel story would allow, because he disapproved of Antipas' marriage to his own brother's wife, who divorced her husband in order to marry Herod Antipas. The relevant text from Book 18 of Antiquities of the Jews: Now many people came in crowds to him, for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod, who feared that the great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best to put him to death. In this way, he might prevent any mischief John might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death. In this historian's account, there is no provision for anyone to ask for John's head on a platter. Moreover, the party described in the gospels would have been held in Galilee, if at all, but Josephus says that John was imprisoned and executed in faraway Macherus. He might have been beheaded, if that suited Herod Antipas, but not in Galilee and not at anyone else's request.

Answer 2

Yes, he was beheaded.