Note.—This event occurred in the third year of the ministry of Jesus, who was then at Galilee with his disciples. John had been imprisoned one year, and was martyred at the age of 33, in a fortress named Machærus on the borders of Arabia, in which Herod’s birthday feast was being held. This rash vow of Herod, like the vow of Jephthah (Judges 11: 30–40), is a standing example of the folly of making rash vows or promises. In addition to the main subject of the lesson, the martyrdom of John, the lesson section contains a striking temperance lesson. Herod had, without doubt, been partaking freely of intoxicating wine. The section includes the lesson scripture, the parallels, and other references to John the Baptist. The parallels are Mark 6: 14–29 and Luke 9: 7–9. References to the birth of John the Baptist will be found in Luke 1: 5–25, 57, 80, and to his ministry in Matt. 3: 1–12; John 1: 19–28. Jesus’ testimony to John and his work will be found in Matt. 11: 7–19; 17: 12, 13; 21: 32.
¹ “At that season Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, and said unto his servants: This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore do these powers work in him. ³ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. ⁴ For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. ⁶ But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod. ⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she should ask. ⁸ And she, being put forward by her mother, saith, Give me here in a charger the head of John the Baptist. ⁹ And the king was grieved; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them which sat at meat with him, he commanded it to be given; and he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. ¹⁰ And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel; and she brought it to her mother. ¹² And his disciples came, and took up the corpse, and buried him; and they went and told Jesus.”
Golden Text: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”Prov. 4: 23.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What unwelcome news came to the ears of Herod the tetrarch? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) What did a guilty conscience lead him to conclude in regard to the identity of Jesus? Verse 2. (3) What did he think John the Baptist had done? Same verse. (4) What would this explain to Herod’s mind? Same verse. Note 2. (5) What had Herod first done to John? Verse 3. (6) What was the occasion for this act on the part of Herod? Same verse and verse 4. Note 3. (7) What desire did Herod have in his heart concerning John? Verse 5. (8) Why did he not carry out his desire? Same verse. (9) How did the multitude regard John? Same verse. (10) What feast was being kept at this time? Verse 6. (11) What feature of the feast seems to have been most pleasing to Herod? Same verse. (12) What rash vow did this lead Herod to make? Verse 7. Note 4. (13) What shows that the wife of Herod was plotting in this for the life of John? Verse 8. (14) Being instructed by her mother, what request did Herodias’ daughter make? Same verse. (15) How was the tetrarch affected by this request? Verse 9. (16) Notwithstanding his feelings, what did he do? Same verse. (17) What followed the giving of the command? Verse 10. (18) What was done with the head of the martyred forerunner of the Saviour? Verse 11. Note 5. (19) What did John’s disciples do when they heard what Herod had done? Verse 12. (20) Whom did they inform of the sad end of their teacher? Same verse.
NOTES.
1. Herod the tetrarch.—Herod Antipas, son of Herod the great, who had slain the babes of Bethlehem. He was heir of one-fourth of the kingdom over which his father reigned, the word “tetrarch” signifying a ruler of one-fourth.
2. Therefore do these powers work in him.—The fame of John the Baptist and the work which he did were well known to Herod, and the theory that John was raised from the dead would account to him for the greater works which Christ was doing, as the reports which had come to him of the work of Christ proved to him that they were greater works than man could do. Of course, one raised from the dead would be expected to do what one subject to death could not do. Superstition and a guilty conscience added weight to the theory which was giving Herod so much uneasiness.
3. For the sake of Herodias.—John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.” “Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him [John].” Mark 6: 18, 19. “Herod had put away13his lawful wife, the daughter of Aretas, an Arabian king, for the purpose of marrying Herodias.”—Peloubet. He had also, while a guest at his brother Philip’s house, won the affections of his brother’s wife, and married her, in spite of all law. In so doing, he had broken the law of the Lord recorded in Lev. 18: 16. Herodias was Herod’s niece as well as his sister-in-law, and such a union was unlawful even if not prohibited for other reasons. It was probably the law by which the Jewish nation was governed in these things that John was impressing upon Herod. We see in this rebuke of one high in authority that the greatest as well as the lowliest are alike accountable to God for their course.
4. Promised . . . to give her whatsoever she should ask.—Here is recorded a striking example of the folly of rash, thoughtless vows. Herodias had long been conspiring for the death of John; and it was the custom for dancing girls to receive valuable presents from those whom they were entertaining. The feast gave her an opportunity to carry out her design, and the result of the dancing fulfilled her plans and expectations. Herod was anxious to bestow a princely gift; and, to make it more highly prized by the recipient, he gave her the right to say what it should be. This was Herodias’ opportunity, and she made the most of it. Thus the custom and the opportunity combined to make her deep-laid scheme a success.
5. His head was brought in a charger.—Compare the work of the martyr and that of the one who accomplished his martyrdom. John’s life and mission were a glorious success, and he will finally be crowned with eternal life. “Herodias’ success was brief as well as troubled. In A.D. 38, ten years after the death of John, Herodias stirred up her husband to go to Rome and obtain from the emperor the title of king. But, being followed by complaints of the oppressed Galileans, the result was that he was deposed even from his tetrarchy. Then he was banished to Lyons, in France, and afterwards to Spain, Herodias accompanying him in his exile, where they died in banishment.”—Peloubet.
