John the Baptist had been first in heralding Christ's kingdom, and he was first also in suffering. From the free air of the wilderness and the vast throngs that had hung upon his words, he was now shut in by the walls of a dungeon cell. He had become a prisoner in the fortress of Herod Antipas. In the territory east of Jordan, which was under the dominion of Antipas, much of John's ministry had been spent. Herod himself had listened to the preaching of the Baptist. The dissolute king had trembled under the call to repentance. "Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy; . . . and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly." John dealt with him faithfully, denouncing his iniquitous alliance with Herodias, his brother's wife. For a time Herod feebly sought to break the chain of lust that bound him; but Herodias fastened him the more firmly in her toils, and found revenge upon the Baptist by inducing Herod to cast him into prison.

Dette kapitel er bygget op over Matt 11,1-11; 14,1-11; Mark 6,17-28; Luk 7,19-28
Johannes Døberen havde været den første til at forkynde Kristi rige og han var også første, der kom til at lide. Fjernt fra ørkenens frie luft og de store skarer, der betaget havde lyttet til hans ord, var han nu indespærret bag et fangehuls mure. Han var blevet en fange i Herodes Antipas' fæstning. Johannes havde udfoldet meget af sin virksomhed i landet øst for Jordan, som var under Antipas' herredømme. Herodes havde selv lyttet til Døberens prædiken. Den udsvævende konge havde skælvet ved at høre kaldet til omvendelse. "Thi Herodes var bange for Johannes, da han vidste, at han var en retfærdig og hellig mand; ..... og når han hørte ham, var han meget tvivlrådig; dog ville han gerne høre ham." Johannes optrådte redeligt over for ham og fordømte hans syndige forbindelse med Herodias, som var hans broders hustru. En tid gjorde Herodes svage forsøg på at bryde den syndens lænke, som bandt ham; men Herodias fik ham endnu fastere i sine garn og fik hævnet sig på Døberen ved at formå Herodes til at kaste ham i fængsel.