After this conversation, Jesus went on with his disciples into the Judean countryside and relaxed with them there. He was also baptizing. At the same time, John was baptizing over at Aenon near Salim, where water was abundant. This was before John was thrown into jail. (The Message)

‘Every Christian knew that sooner or later he might have to testify to his faith at the cost of his life…’ (Stephen Neil writing about the growth of the early church)

It is relatively easy to miss the little detail about John’s imprisonment (24). I want to draw attention to it, however, because we who live in freer cultures can lose sight of what a dangerous thing it is to be a Christian. Probably there are many more believers who know this as a daily reality than those who don’t. Christianity is a threat to the dark spiritual powers in the heavenly realms, and it is regularly perceived as a threat by earthly powers.

In reading a short biography of the translator, William Tyndale, I was quite shocked, amidst many stories of persecution, to read that Bishop Tunstall burned a translation of Scripture, in London, in 1526. John Piper observes: ‘The church burned the Word of God. They burned the Bible in public.’

What is it about the Bible that it has been so hated? Why have there been so many (let it be said futile) attempts to destroy it? It has been regarded by multitudes as the most dangerous Book in the world.

It would go against nature to want to be imprisoned, but may we never try to protect ourselves by denying the ‘dangerous’ truth we firmly believe. May that very demonic loathing of Scripture kindle in us an unquenchable fire of love for God’s Book.