And when his disciples heard, they came, took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
John’s disciples render their final service to their teacher. They come, take his body, and lay it in a tomb. This is a sorrowful, yet also honorable scene. Though the power of the world was able to kill him, it could not take away his dignity before God. His body is laid to rest with respect, and his soul is already with the Lord. This verse also reminds us that the death of the righteous may look like defeat in the eyes of people, but before God it is precious. John finished his course with faithfulness, and his testimony was not extinguished by his death. On the contrary, his death became yet another powerful confirmation that God’s truth is worth defending even with one’s life. At the same time, the step of his disciples shows that the work of truth does not end with the death of the righteous, but is passed on to those who, with love and faithfulness, continue the path he left behind.