July 26, Matthew 14
Herod is not the one who gets beheaded in the story about John the Baptist, but his story is nonetheless tragic. His conscience bothered him when he heard of Jesus, and he told his servants that John was back from the dead. His
conscience should have bothered him. Every line of this episode paints Herod in dark colors of evil.
It is wicked to persecute the messenger who tells unpopular truth. John was unflinching in telling a powerful man his marriage was against the law of God, and Herod imprisoned the preacher instead of repenting. So the one Jesus
had identified as a prophet and the greatest man who had been born was sentenced to death for telling the truth a guilty man didn’t want to hear. He joined the ranks of the old prophets who died at the hands of angry people who were supposed to be the people of God, but didn’t want to hear from God.
This sad story also teaches we should be very careful about the promises we make. Herod rashly vowed to do anything his dancing stepdaughter asked, and she was prompted by her vengeful mother to ask for John’s head.
It’s weak to allow people around you to tell you what to think and do, and you’ll almost always be sorry for where they lead you. Herod was afraid of his wife, the people who recognized John as a prophet and the guests who heard his
vow. All the pressures backed him into a corner where he felt he had no choice but to have John beheaded.
As a parent, I’m also struck by the line that says the girl brought John’s head on the platter to her mother, who had asked for it. Do we realize we are training our children by our actions, words and attitudes to bring back to us what they heard and learned from us? The sober responsibility of training our children compels us to think about the verbal and nonverbal direction we give our kids.
It’s not clear exactly why Jesus withdrew when he heard the news of John’s death. Maybe he went to mourn, or to pray. Maybe he withdrew because it was not yet time for the final confrontation that would lead to the cross. I’m sure it wasn’t fear that caused him to move. He went right on with the mission, feeding multitudes, healing sick people and building more faith in his disciples that he was indeed the Son of God by walking on and calming the sea. It may have looked like Herod the tetrarch was in control, but Jesus was doing the things that proved who was the real King of the Jews.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly Guide
for Your Journey Through the New Testament,
Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—July 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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