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 Philips'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 

 

Yesterday we read that it came to pass, when Jesus had finished teaching His parables (see Matthew 13:1-52), that 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."   We know by now that the Pharisees and scribes have begun to plot how to destroy Jesus (see, for example, this reading).  Yesterday's reading (above) gave us the understanding of Christ's rejection in His hometown of Nazareth.  But here the Gospel begins to let us know of the powerful state of Rome now taking an interest in Jesus, and fearing Him.  Herod has heard of Christ's "mighty works" and His wisdom, and his fear is that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead -- and that this is why 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 Philips'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.     This account of the beheading and death of John the Baptist is given as a kind of parenthetical story, to explain to us why Herod fears so strongly that Jesus is John the Baptist returned from the dead with fearsome powers.  This Herod is Herod Antipas, ruler or tetrarch of Galilee.  John the Baptist had criticized his marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, while his brother was still living, by saying it was not in compliance with Jewish law.  So Herod had put John in prison.  Note all the fears of Herod:  he feared the multitude, because they counted John 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.  Note this story about the death of John the Baptist.  It is a festive occasion, Herod's birthday.   The daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod.  For the Jews, such a public act by a daughter before a court of men would have been scandalous to begin with.  But Herod is carried away by his passions, and promised even with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.  Of course, the daughter turns to her mother, (likely the one who prompted her to dance to please the king in the first place) who schools her in the ways of corruption and political scheming.  "Give me John the Baptist's head here on a platter" is her request.  Although the king has enough awareness to be sorry (after all, he is at least nominally meant to be a Jew and was raised as such), because of his oath and because of those who sat with him (the "great men" of Galilee), he sent and had John beheaded in prison.  

The story in today's reading comes with a very sobering two-point conclusion:  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.  There is first of all the extreme corruption of the court, of the court of Herod who ruled for Rome.  The family of Herod the Great (Antipas' father) and his descendants was known for its ruthlessness even in comparison with his counterparts of the time.  We can see what a "bloodthirsty" story is written here, an almost sickening example of a daughter's pleasing gift to her mother.  But we must take it in light of the reading from yesterday, in which Jesus taught that "a prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house" (see above).  For the story of John the Baptist is a story of another prophet -- the last and greatest in the line of the Old Testament prophets -- who has died for telling the truth, for his holiness, for "speaking truth to power" as a by-now familiar modern slogan goes.  The truth of John the Baptist was his identity as the friend of the Bridegroom, who rejoiced to hear the Bridegroom's voice, and who proclaimed the coming of the Messiah/Bridegroom, teaching the people to prepare with repentance.  In this story juxtaposed with that understanding we are perhaps given yet another picture in the gospel of what it means not to repent.  This final conclusion is one more downward step in a march further and further into corruption.  Even Herod himself is sorry to kill John -- and we can read the outcome in his paranoid fears (and lack of spiritual understanding) about Jesus.  The actions at Herod's court go from bad to worse, and they reflect specific things Jesus has taught against in the Sermon on the Mount.  There is first of all the lasciviousness of the court hinted at in this dance of the daughter (Matthew 5:28).  Modern eyes and ears may not understand this well, but we perhaps should not read this story as if what was impressive was her formal dance training or creativity.  She stirs the passions so that Herod lavishly bestows a rash gift -- together with an oath (see Matthew 5:33-37).  He is afraid to take back his words in front of the other important men of his kingdom who attend, and so displays another quality frowned on by Christ, the love of the praise of others over the praise of God (John 12:42-43).  Finally, the disciples of John come to take his body to bury it, and to tell Jesus.  But at this sad conclusion we should turn our attention to the perspective of our faith.  For we have recently read of Christ's strong praise of John (while he was in prison), and His defense of John as well (see Matthew 11:1-24).   John the Baptist wears the crown of Christian martyrdom, but there is more to his story from the perspective of the Church.  In the tradition of the Church, John's martyrdom is seen as yet another part of God's plan for salvation.  For not only did John prepare the world for the Incarnate Christ, the Messiah, but his martyrdom allowed the coming of the Messiah to be announced to the souls in Hades.  Therefore, in the eyes of the Church, John is forerunner to Christ there as well as on earth.  My study Bible quotes a hymn from St. John's feast day:  "Your tongue, which constantly speaks of God, has preceded Christ into death and is sent to preach Him to those in Hades."   Moreover, John's life is a testimony to the power of personal holiness and integrity, as my study Bible says.  For John, who lived in poverty and was clothed in camel's hair (Mark 1:6), is feared by Herod with all his wealth and soldiers -- as well as the highest esteem in which the people held John.  Even after his death, John continues to be feared by Herod.  Let us consider, then, these stark choices between the realities of the material world, on "worldly" terms, and the reality of the Kingdom and its holiness for us.  For it is surprising how much the world, despite our easy lack of perception and understanding, really is affected by the holy power that is at work behind all things, and does permeate the creation of the world.  Let us consider John's life and what it meant to the future of the world, to the faith given to the world through Christ, and in the power of the faith we are given today.