This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him

 

 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 away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

 

- Matthew 14:1-12 

 

In yesterday's lectionary reading, we learned that after Jesus had finished teaching in parables, He departed from there.  When He had come to His own country of Nazareth, 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 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."   Jesus has become well-known enough so that by now Herod Antipas, who is the ruler or tetrarch of the region of Galilee, has heard of Him.  The subsequent text in today's reading is given as a flashback, teaching us why Herod fears that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead, and Christ's marvelous works are due to "these powers . . . at work in him."  John the Baptist had performed no miracles, but now Herod believes he is risen from the dead; my study Bible comments that Herod thus fears John more dead than alive.

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 away the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.  The account of John's death is given parenthetically, explaining how John died so that the hearers of the Gospel would understand why Herod would think that John had risen from the dead.  My study Bible comments on the fact that Herod, with all of his wealth and soldiers, feared to put John to death.  Although John was a man who lived in poverty and was clothed in camel's hair (Matthew 3:4), this is a testament both to the power of personal holiness and integrity, and to the multitude's perception of John, for they held him in the highest esteem (Matthew 21:26).  

If we look at the character of Herod, we see in him personified a type of immature individual, one who is specifically spiritually immature, but exemplary of what we don't want to be as a fully mature person.  He has a spoiled type of persona, as one who is used to getting what he demands.  In the times we read that he has John the Baptist in custody (Mark 6:20), and also when Christ is given into his custody by Pilate (Luke 23:7-12),  Herod seems to take a kind of delight in them as conspicuous objects of curiosity.  He wants to see a miracle performed by Jesus.  He listens to John both in a kind of fearful and also fascinated way.  He knows the responses both John and Jesus excite in the people, and for him they almost seem like objects in a zoo, something that comes into his possession and which he seeks to observe.  But for him, faith doesn't come into it, nor does spiritual understanding of the power of holiness.  There is only fear as a response to what he perceives to be powers at work.  As we can read from the pathetic story of John's death, Herod is a man who uses wealth and power to indulge himself, and therefore we find a root of selfishness or self-centeredness as motivation in what he does.  He doesn't seem to understand much else, although he delights in the dancing of Herodias' daughter.  His response is foolish at best; as one who indulges in his own exuberances, he rashly promises her on an oath anything she desires.  Let's keep in mind this is done before those of great importance in his kingdom; Mark's Gospel tells us he gave a banquet on his birthday for the nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee (Mark 6:21).   Herod's rash and foolish behavior gives us a sense of a person without much discipline, who has not developed a sense of integrity in a spiritual or moral sense.  Moreover, we should understand that the dancing of Herodias' daughter before him and the rest of the company present would be seen as scandalous and unthinkable to the earliest hearers of the Gospel, inciting lust for the girl in a culture where the modesty of women was not simply important but also necessary for protection.  So overall we're given a picture of great indulgence, a sign of immaturity and lacking of spiritual discipline and discernment -- and resulting in a terrible tragedy which Herod most likely cannot calculate or appreciate except in terms of his fear of John risen from the dead in Jesus.  Herod is a picture of what spiritual discipline is meant to tame, and spiritual virtue meant to balance and cultivate a response to so that we become truly "great" human beings.  He is a slave to his own passions, whether that be for Herodias, or ambition, or power, or swearing a rash oath before the others there.  He indulges himself when he would be better off not doing so, but only because he can.  He is a picture of what great wealth or power can do to us when we have no development of  personal maturity and integrity to fall back upon to guide us.  In short, he seems to be one of the figures given to us in the Gospels as a cautionary example, and in great contrast to the sacrificial elements which are notable in the lives of the holy people we read about.  John the Baptist, Jesus, and all of the apostles and other followers such as the women who support Christ's ministry are those who are willing to make sacrifices for something greater than merely what they can grasp as material gain in life, and consequently possess something far greater and contribute to what is truly good in the world.  There are other Gentile examples as well, such as the centurion who shows great faith in Christ (Matthew 8:10), and the Samaritan woman to whom He reveals Himself (John 4:39-42).  But Herod creates disaster, and will go on to do the same for himself in the end, if we read about the subsequent histories of Herod and Herodias.  If we look around ourselves, at the present time we live in a world of great potential prosperity.  We can watch films or see popular culture in which self-indulgence seems to be the marvel of the day:  those with great wealth and power can impress with clothing, homes, possessions of every kind, and where fame is also a commodity in and of itself.  These things, true to Christ's teachings, present great temptations for those who have no commitments beyond self-centeredness.  They often enable a type of self-destruction, whether that takes the shape of obvious things like destroyed relationships, addictions of any kinds, or harmful behaviors that contribute negatively to the society in their impact and influence, including violence and abuse of others.  If we look with the eyes of Scripture, we understand that what Jesus and the other holy figures in Scripture offer are a way forward to building a good life within good contribution to community and to our world -- as well as a secure life built on a foundation of integrity and strength (Matthew 7:24).  To live merely through self-indulgence might be a dream on offer to us in a culture which excels at creating material wealth and products which please the appetites, for good or bad.  But without the maturity of an internal spiritual discipline we lose integrity and discernment in how to use the good things and blessings of our world, the products of our intelligence, and possibilities of creativity.  Let us understand the strength of the spiritual life, and the maturity and fullness it offers to us in terms of shaping persona and integrity.  We can look at Herod and those like him as clues to the things that ail us.