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August 1929
T h e
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j alousy and hatred will stoop to anything. DANCING—A voluptuous pantomimic dance; the moral degradation of both mother and daughter is evident (she was not Herod’s daugh ter). PLEASING HEROD AND THOSE SITTING WITH HIM—The probability is that they were all more or less under the influence of drink and so lost to all sense of decency. ASK . . . . WHATSOEVER THOU WILT—A rash promise, con firmed by a more rash oath; how we need to pray that God would put a watch upon our lips. 23— UNTO THE HALF OF MY KINGDOM—-An Oriental exaggeration, not intended to be taken literally, nor probably so understood (cf. Esther 5:3). 24— WHAT SHALL I ASK?—She had no doubt been in structed beforehand to ask her mother the question if her dance
12— THAT MEN SHOULD REPENT—i.e., change their minds, for a change of mind is the first indispensable step to salvation. 13— CAST OUT MANY DEVILS—Which they could do only by His delegated power (cf. Acts 19:13-16) ; so we are to cast out spiritual devils, but we can only do it in His strength. ANOINTED WITH OIL (cf. Jas. 5 :14)—It was not medicinal in this case, but emblematic of the Holy Ghost, “the Giver of life." 14 — JOHN . . . . IS RISEN—The effect of a guilty con science. Note how unbelief fails in the presence of fear; Herod was a Sadducee and therefore professed not to believe either in resurrection or in the existence of a spirit. Men are seldom real unbelievers in the hour of danger or terror. 15— ELIAS—The return of Elijah was daily expected (cf.
was successful; and the whole affair had been deliberately planned by Herodias. THE HEAD OF JOHN— She might have had gold, jewels, a palace; but would forego it all for the sake of her revenge; so sinners forego all that is worth having, in order to satisfy their lusts. 25— SPEED—What a picture of the ef fects of evil training! Only a damsel, yet eager and willing on such an er rand. I WILL THAT THOU GIVE ME INSTANTLY—Note the pert imperiousness; she was a fitting daughter of her mother. How serious a responsibility waits on parentage— our children are very largely what we have made them. ON A WOODEN TRENCHER—The • plate on which meat was served, no doubt suggested to her by the sight of those on the table; an undesigned coincidence sug gesting the truth of the narrative. 26— FUL—Rash and thoughtless w o r d s and acts often bring sorrow. Note, however, the difference between sor row and repentance: he did not change his mind, he only grieved at the con sequences; this is the impenitent sin ner’s sorrow, which produces no spir itual effects. BECAUSE OF HIS OATHS—He h a d emphatically re peated them. T H O S E SITTING WITH HIM—He probably cared more about their opinion than he did about his oaths; the fear of man bringeth a snare. UNWILLING TO
Mai. 4:5); these people were wrong; John the Baptist was the Elijah fore told by Malachi (cf. Luke 1 :17, and chapter 9:13). A PROPHET LIKE ONE OF THE PROPHETS—i.e., like one of the old prophets. These people could have known very little about Him, since His ministry was very different from that of the old prophets, and they were not miracle- workers. 16— IT IS JOHN HIMSELF— The guilty conscience refuses to be reassured; truly the wicked “fleeth when no man pursueth.” A guilty con science is one of the sharpest earthly punishments of the evil-doer. 17— events. Herod feared John because he was just and holy; the outward life and the religious profession agreed, •which was rare in those days. This is the character that impresses the world ling. Herod heard him gladly—many are willing to hear who are not willing to obey. He did many things, but not the one most important thing (“One thing thou lackest”) ; John was con stantly telling him that he had no busi ness with his brother’s wife. How often we see men who are willing to do many things, but not the one thing that is most essential and without which all else is really vain. Note John’s faithful boldness in rebuking the king. For this cause Herodias hated him and had a settled desire to kill him; the sinner usually hates the person who rebukes or interferes with
HAVING C OM E WITH
20—Note the s e q u e n c e of
EXCEEDING S O R R O W
“He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered." —Psalm 111 :4.
REJECT HER—There was probably no conscientious scruple, but only a fear of the consequences: the oath would have been better broken than kept. He knew he was doing wrong, but dared not do right; how many a man and woman has commit ted grievous sin for the same cowardly reason. 30— GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER UNTO JESUS—The mission upon which they had been sent forth two and two is finished and they go back to render an account to the Sender, an example to be imitated by every Christian worker. Would some men teach the heresies they do if they repeated them upon their knees in the conscious presence of the Christ? 31— COME YE YOURSELVES APART AND REST— Notice, “Come,” not “Go”-—they were not to be alone, but with Him ; we need His presence in our rest hours and days as truly as we do in our hours of toil—He is to be with us ALL the
the practice of his sin (cf. 1 Kings 22:8). We must expect this and never allow it to hinder our faithful testimony. Mean while Herod compromised; he would not let her have her way, nor would he give her up: the way of compromise with evil always leads to disaster. He kept John safe, and to pacify her put him in prison. 21— A SEASONABLE DAY—i.e., a convenient day for Herodias’ purposes; she was waiting, watching, and planning. IN HIS BIRTHDAY FESTIVALS (cf. Gen. 40:20)—These festivals were days of much feasting and usually of intem perance. 22— THE DAUGHTER OF HERODIAS HERSELF—Or dinarily a dancing woman would have been sent; Salome (Herodias’ daughter) was seriously demeaning herself by com ing into such a company of men and by dancing before them;
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