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to the wilderness and spend time in prayer and contemplation. John was very pleased with the spiritual progress and moral conduct of his disciple, Jesus.
During the years of John's ministry, the political situation in Galilee, a northern province of Israel, continued to deteriorate. Herod Antipas had been appointed to rule by the Roman government. He was a morally decadent individual who abandoned his wife in order to marry his brother's wife. John raised his voice against this moral outrage. When Herod heard about this public criticism of his private affairs he became greatly angered and had John imprisoned. John maintained his position and was unremorseful. Herod simply had John beheaded. In the gospel tale about this incident it is reported that Herod then paraded the head of John on a platter at one of his parties. Many Christians regard John as the first martyr of Christianity.
When Jesus heard of John's demise he became very saddened and retreated to seclusion in the wilderness for prayer and contemplation. Afterwards he began traveling from place to place teaching the message of John. From a common way of understanding this story, this was the beginning of Christianity.
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