Seeds for 09/22/2023 - Matthew 14:1-12

Scripture: At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

Observation: What a strange and disgusting story. It’s odder the more you think about it. A young woman and her mother plot a public exhibition of murder and dismemberment. Grotesque in the extreme. Imagine how awkward it would have been to be a guest at that birthday party. Herod is thinking, “I’m in such distress because I made a rash promise. As a result I’ve got to behead a political prisoner and publicly display it.” Someone has to be thinking, “He knows he doesn’t have to keep that promise, right? He must realize we are completely fine with not seeing that tonight.”

Here’s the serious consideration. It seems to me there’s an alternate story that highlights the significance of the one we have in scripture.

Matthew tells us that John is in prison for speaking the truth about a sinful relationship on the part of Herod’s brother Philip. John is paying the price for moral courage. Herod, on the other hand, is reluctant to go any further with the matter—killing John—because he fears the crowds.

An alternative to Matthew’s story might be summarized like this. Herod is a megalomaniacal tyrant with considerable power, granted him by Rome. So much so that John the Baptist is reluctant to criticize him or anyone in his family for fear of the repercussions.

The story involves a person of little to no worldly power courageously standing against the Rome Emperor’s designated representative with no fear, or at least none sufficient to deter him. Where it would make sense to find John intimidated, we find Herod in that state. Where we would expect to find Herod without regard for the opinion of the masses, we find John without regard for Herod’s approval.

It is a profile in courage, staring us in the face, asking what we would do in John’s shoes.

Application:

• What strengthens or restrains the call to courage?

• What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?

Prayer: Lord, grant me wisdom, grant me courage, for the facing of this hour. Amen.

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“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)

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