Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter

 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

- Matthew 14:1-12

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had finished teaching in parables, He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?  Is this not the carpenter's son?  Is not His mother called Mary?  And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?  And His sisters, are they not all with us?  Where then did this Man get all these things?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."  Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus and said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  For Herod had laid hold of John and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.  Because John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."  And although he wanted to put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.  But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter."  And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her.  So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.  Then his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  The story of the beheading of John the Baptist is given parenthetically, so that we as readers might understand Herod's feelings in response to Jesus' ministry.  Herod fears Jesus' power, that John is risen from the dead.  It is another dimension of holy power.  When John was alive, Herod feared both John (Mark 6:20) and also the people (as Matthew's account tells us), because John was widely held to be a prophet.  It is a testament, my study bible says, both to the power of personal holiness and integrity, in addition to the people's perception of John who was held in the highest esteem.  In some sense we must understand, John, in his criticism of Herod and Herodias' marriage, speaks for the people.  He speaks for their faith.

It is a sad and pathetic thing that John the Baptist died at the hands of Herod over a seemingly trivial affair:  the dance of Herodias' daughter.   It's a flimsy pretext over which to commit a grave execution of this greatest of prophets.  It tells us something about the foolishness of oaths.  This is a subject we may not take very seriously in the modern world.  Politicians in modern democracies have a reputation of breaking promises -- saying one thing and doing another, or perhaps saying opposite things from one day to the next.  As such, truth becomes a rare and precious commodity on ever more profound levels.  Jesus has preached specifically against the practice of oaths in the Sermon on the Mount, and especially about the power of personal integrity (5:34-37).  In today's reading, we are given to understand the rash character of Herod's oath to Herodias' daughter in front of his nobles and other important people of his kingdom.  How is his power used?  In what service?  Ultimately it is the king himself who is used by Herodias to achieve her own power-hungry ends.  All of it can be characterized by thoughtlessness and the selfish desire for gain.    The story presents us with the contrast between a self-centered drive for social and political power and those who serve God.  First and foremost, John's ministry was an expression of total devotion to God.  His radical humility was in stark contrast to the sumptuous and self-indulgent court of Herod and Herodias.  Herodias' daughter's dance itself would have been shocking for the religious and social customs of the time concerning young women and protection of their modesty.  Again, a stark contrast to the disciplined ascetic figure of John and his disciples.  This story presents us today with a choice in our own time which has been accustomed to the pursuit of power or social status and a question about our own gratification in life.    What do we live for?  What do we serve?  Moreover, we are asked to consider John's death as a martyr.  The holy is trampled upon so easily by ignorance, selfishness, even this ugly, lurid picture of self-indulgence.  Does this in any way diminish John?  Would it diminish you or I should we choose to be as devoted to God as John's example?  These are all questions we are still asked to consider for our own lives in modern times.  How precious is your personal integrity?  What does it call you to do?  How does it call you to live?  Don't let the pettiness and selfishness and even the focus on triviality of the world get in the way of living as we're called to live.  There is so much more to life than even kings have found to live for.