THE chapter opens with an account of the return of the Lord to His own country and His preaching in the home synagogue. “Never man spake like this man,” how, then, do they respond to His teaching? They wonder with astonishment that this carpenter and carpenter’s son, whose mother, brothers, sisters were with them, could have such wisdom. His mighty works were beyond them. Christ was Mary’s first-born. He seems also to have been Joseph’s heir. His family were very much like themselves, and He differed so much. Instead of wonder, love and praise they were offended and “He marvelled because of their unbelief.” The disciples, the twelve, are sent forth with authority and power. A measure of success is attained—”And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.” Herod heard of the Lord; “for His name was spread abroad.” Herod was stirred up; another event is recalled. One is inclined to the belief that Herod mocked when he said—”It is John whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.” If Herod was a Sadducee, as I think he was, then this was said by way of mockery. The other statement that—”The king was exceeding sorry,” is another indication of his character. The sorrow that puts the oath before God’s Word, and which does not turn from sin is worthless. Herod’s conscience may have been stirred up; but if so, the results were most unsatisfactory.
These two men, Herod and John the Baptist, are noted in God’s Word, and with the blessing of the Holy Spirit we may learn much from what is recorded of them. They both were of our fallen race; but one was sanctified from the womb, while the other was a stranger to grace and God. They both lived in Galilee. Herod was great in the Roman Empire. John was small in that Empire. John was great in the Kingdom of God; whereas Herod had no interest in it. Rich and poor are here. The Scriptures furnish an example of each. Herod is rich in one sense, John is rich in another sense. It is noteworthy that many saints had worldly riches. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Job, David and others had much of this world’s goods. Joseph of Arimathea, Matthew the publican, Zaccheus in New Testament times had riches. Many of the Lord’s people have been of the poor of this world. The poor sin to get riches; the rich sin in keeping their riches.
Consider (I.) Herod, the ruler, the politician; (II.) John, the prophet and forerunner of the Lord.
I. Herod, the ruler and politician
Herod, the ruler and politician, belonged to a bloody house. His father, called Herod the Great, slew the babes in Bethlehem. The first martyrs in New Testament times were little children. This Herod we are considering slew the Baptist and mocked the Lord on the day of His crucifixion. The Apostle James was put to death by another Herod. The Herod of our text seems to have begun well; for he attended the Baptist’s services and heard him gladly. To some extent Herod obeyed John—”He did many things” because of his teaching. It may have been that he performed acts of public and private worship. He knew John’s integrity: “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him, he did many things and heard him gladly.” Alas! he (Herod) did not really appreciate John’s piety. Great men use furs, but believers put on the covering of lambs. Herod is called by the Saviour “that fox” and as such, however appearances might seem to warrant the contrary the fox’s coat and nature are his.
Every politician must have a policy. Herod has his policy; his policy was that of the fox. He would have liked the appearance of godliness. This accounts for his presence at the means, and hearing gladly and doing many things, and yet love of sin prevails. The Herodian party follow along the same lines. Some think that Herod took John to his palace to find out who John really was—to pump him as it were. He might have found out to his eternal benefit who John was, and who Herod was. There were discoveries: Herod was rebuked for having taken his brother’s wife. “It is not lawful for thee to have her,” said John. Herod thought otherwise as many think in our day. He refuses to repent, but casts John into prison. A politician may not find every day convenient for carrying out his purposes. This graceless politician soon found a convenient day. It was his birthday, and the events that day revealed that there had been no new birth day. My own opinion is that Herod fully expected Salome to ask as she did. His sorrow was feigned not real. His oath and those that sat with him were more important than God’s Word and His prophet. Surely this is carnal policy! The king and those that sat with him are delighted with the dancing of this tigress in human form. How degraded the entertainer, the entertained, and how carnal the entertainment! The sight is far removed from repentance. No regard nor mercy for John. This must result in his death. This policy of Herod is largely the policy of our own day. There is no mercy for the Truth, the Sabbath, Protestantism. There is the church and the world policy. There is no place for Christ in the policy of the present day, but we feel warranted to wait for and expect a better day. Then we shall see the heavenly policy in operation and the whole earth shall be filled with His glory.
The head of John the Baptist is brought in to Herodias. How they must have feasted on this dish! Unbelief feasts on death. Satan appears as if he had said, let him be neither mine nor thine; let him be put to death for despair and unbelief to feast on. Death is in the scheme of salvation; it has a place in the economy of grace. “I am He that liveth and was dead.” Satan was a murderer from the beginning; but of Christ it says “In Him was life.” Christ’s death is remembered in the Supper; but faith remembers not only that He died, but that He rose and that He liveth to make intercession.”
II. John the Baptist, the prophet and forerunner of the Lord
John the Baptist was a prophet and as such he had a programme. This forerunner of Christ was a great prophet. Notice his humble attire and manner of living. He regards himself as a voice to be heard for a little and then gone. This forerunner was the subject of prophecy. Malachi says: “Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord”: Malachi iv., 5. Isaiah also says (Isaiah xl., 3): “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” This John was a good man and had good tidings. He announced the promised Messiah and His Kingdom. “There standeth One among you, Whom ye know not.” This was a great day in his experience. He experienced another day of great things when he baptised Jesus and heard the Father saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” That also was part of his programme and an important branch of his experience. He preached not himself but Christ. How pleasant to have a small light on a dark night as one goes through this wilderness. The rising sun shows its superiority and any reasonable person rejoices more and more in the greater light. Another branch of his programme was to look himself and direct others to behold the Lamb of God. The first lamb of the year is a pleasant sight any year. It argues continued blessing. It bespeaks of an approaching summer—summer and lambs are closely connected. Food and clothing are implied in this. In war-time you do not expect to see much lamb wool or to feed on lamb. The Roman authority would lead the Jews more and more to resentment. Taxes, bondage, drudgery and worst of all the spiritual bondage from Rome would make itself more and more felt. Before approaching desolation, in the midst of spiritual poverty, this voice directs Israel to feast on the Lamb of God. On the third day, John stood and directed attention to the passing Saviour; contrast this with the first entertainment in Herod’s palace with this gracious exercise and they are as far apart as light is from darkness. Feasting by that wicked family in the palace may also be contrasted with the gracious feasting of John and his two disciples. Life goes out from the present Lamb to preacher and audience. It is not look at me; neither is it look at yourself; nor look at this policy or that policy; but “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” “Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan His works in vain,” says our religious poet. Here we see the provision to give life. This is the first step Sionwards. It is grace begun. This is the first stone laid on the foundation. It is the circle of which the Redeemer is the centre. There is a sorrow because so unlike Him, and our not being where He is and, unless He works in us and for us, never shall be. Glory is “for we shall see Him as He is”—and “then we shall be like Him.”
Application.
Which is our feast and company? With the Herodians in heart and life? Are we in deed and in truth with John and his two disciples feasting on the Lamb of God?