Speaking Through Silence (Matthew 14:1-12)

John the Baptist or Baptizer is the forerunner to Christ as the messiah.  You would think that John’s place in the Gospels would be prominent.  This is the man who goes before Christ proclaiming Christ’s entrance into history.  However, this is not the case as he preaches, is in prison, and then he ends up dying because Herod cannot see past his own nose.  What is the purpose of this man?  How can this man have a successful ministry when it seems it has never left the ground?