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.

 

 

So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"

 

 Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known.  And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  Others said, "It is Elijah."  And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."  But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"  For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him.  And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.  Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.  And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."  He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."  So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"  And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"  Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought.  And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

 

- Mark 6:14–29 

 

On Saturday we read that Jesus went out from Capernaum and came to His own country of Nazareth, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.  And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

 

 Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known.  And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."  Others said, "It is Elijah."  And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets."  But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!"   This King Herod is Herod Antipas, the son of the King Herod who slew the infants in Bethlehem (see Matthew 2:16).  Although he was technically a Roman governor (or tetrarch) over the region of Galilee, he was popularly called King, my study Bible reminds us.  He knows that John the Baptist had worked no miracles while living, so now he believes that John was raised from the dead, thinking powers are at work in him.  Thus, my study Bible concludes, he fears John more dead than alive.  Elijah was expected to return and work signs before the second coming of the Lord (Malachi 4:5).  The Prophet is understood by some to refer to the Messiah, the One foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15).  Others interpret this as simply meaning a new prophet had arisen.

 

 For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.  Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."  Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him.  And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.  The text begins the explanation of John's death, so that readers will understand why Herod would think that John was risen from the dead, and working through Jesus.  My study Bible asks us to note that Herod, with his wealth and soldiers, feared John, who lived in poverty and was clothed in camel's hair (Mark 1:6).  This is a testament to both the power of personal holiness and integrity, and also to the people's perception of John, who was held in the highest esteem as a just and holy man and prophet (Mark 11:32).  Somewhat similarly to the way he will respond to Jesus when He was taken into Herod's custody (see Luke 23:6-12), Herod takes a kind of delight in listening to John, as if he is a rare marvel held in captivity.

Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.  And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."  He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."  So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"  And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"  Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."  And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her.  Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought.  And he went and beheaded him in prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.  Here is the parenthetical "backstory" that explains Herod's fear that in Jesus is John the Baptist raised from the dead, whose powers are at work.  We can note the lawlessness and scandal of Herod's court, especially from the perspective of the Jews whom he ruled, for whom allowing a daughter to dance at such an affair and before the men of court would be unthinkable. The fact that Herod swore a very rash oath tells us about his character, and his fear of losing face in front of the nobles, high officers, and chief men of Galilee.   Herodias' advice to her daughter in asking for a "gift" speaks for itself of a thoroughly selfish lust for personal material power and the bloody violence that goes with it.  

 

 What can we make of Herodias' advice to her daughter, to ask for John the Baptist's head on a platter?  Certainly we can see how self-serving it is, how thoroughly selfish and driven this woman is in her quest for power.  She's married Herod as a gambit to "trade up" for power, even while her first husband, his brother, is still living, something entirely scandalous to the Jews, and proclaimed to be unlawful by John the Baptist (and historian Josephus as well).  This struggle over what is lawful and what is abhorrent to the Jews is at the center of the story; although raised as a Jew, we can see what is scandalous to the Jews in Herod's court and his manner.  It reminds us of Christ's words to the disciples regarding power:  "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them" (Mark 10:42).  This story is a prime example of the power to "lord it over" others, and the outcomes where this quest for power means everything.  It is a story in a microcosm about the breakdown of decency where struggle and competition for power form the basis for relations, even a relation between daughter and mother.  This is a mother who allowed her daughter to dance before the men at the court in a manner scandalous to the people of her time, and who advises her daughter -- who could have asked for any good thing for herself -- to ask for John the Baptist's head.  Let us note how one generation succeeds another continuing in the same bad direction:  the girl takes this one step further, and proclaims she wants John the Baptist's head on a platter, as if it is another splendid dish on display at Herod's birthday party, a prize that tops off the rest of the banquet.  Indeed, it then becomes a gift which the girl bestows upon her mother.  One would not be surprised if that was considered, in this family setting, a gift of love and loyalty from daughter to mother!  This holy and revered prophet's head on a platter gives us an idea of the depths to which we human beings can fall without a sense of how God wants us to live,  a visceral reminder of where a pure quest for power leads.  It reminds us of the corruption that can pervade the most sacred or intimate relations within a family, and that there isn't really a place where we don't need to remember God first, and remind ourselves what we are to be about.  Life will not simply take care of itself; it is we who need to take care of life and understand how we are to live it, what we respect, and how we are to serve what is good and true.  Indeed, if we look at the life of Herodias herself, we see that this marriage with Herod Antipas resulted in a disastrous war and exile for both of them.  I have heard on occasion priests and other Christian writers refer to what they call "familyolatry."  Many of us want to see family as something sacred in and of itself, but one look at the family of Herod the Great and its bloody history of internecine murder and scheming between even the closest of blood ties should tell us how wrong it is to assume that simply of itself, family is incorruptible.  Apart from faith in the good and a life lived in this consciousness, there is nothing that keeps us truly "civilized" and from breaking down into the worst effects of selfishness and abuse.  As those who are faithful to God, we can look at Scripture in both Old and New Testaments and must be aware of what we see there.  We are not presented with a world without problems, but a world in which it is up to us to remain salt and light, and be vigilant in remembering what we are to be about, despite what we might see others doing.  Indeed, without this effort, we may lose even what we think we have.