LESSON VIII. May 22, 1910. The Death of John the Baptist (Matt. 14:1-12). Golden Text: Cor. 16:32. THEME. The King's Crime and the King's Conscience. OUTLINE. 1. The Preaching of John. Herod Reproved. 2. The Persecution of John. Hero- dias' Resentment. 3. The Promise of Herod. Herodias' Revenge. 4. The Persecuting Conscience. Her- od's Remorse. The lesson concerns four persons and is prolific as a character study. There are strange correspondences and strange contrasts. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, by a Sa- maritan woman. He married the daugh- ter of Aretas, King of Arabia Petra. He ruled as Tretraeh over Galilee and Perea. Herod Philip was another son of Herod the Great and was heir to large wealth, but was not a ruler. He lived in great luxury at Jerusalem with his wife Herodias. Herod Antipas vis- ited Jerusalem and became enamored of Herodias. She responded to his at- tentions. They plotted to marry. Herod was to put away his wife and she was to leave her husband. Herod's wife becoming cognizant of the plot, fled to her father, Aretas. Herod and Hero- dias were then married. John the Bap- tist was preaching at this time and de- nounced the relation existing between the two as sinful. HEROD REPROVED " It is not law- ful for thee to have her." We study the lesson not according to the context, but in logical order, fol- lowing the events as they occur. John the Baptist was a prophet and preacher of righteousness. True words characterize his whole ministry. Faithfulness. He declared the whole counsel of God. He withheld no truth. 1 ' Faithful are the wounds of a f r i e n d . '' It is not an easy thing to preach the whole (Prov. 27:6) Gospel. Not an easy thing to reprove, rebuke and ex- hort (2 Tim. 4:2). John was faithful to God. Faithful to me. Fearlessness. He gave the message to all classes, high and low. The lead- ing sect of the Jews were the Phari- sees. John called them a generation of vipers (Matt. 12:34). To the people
he preached against the sin of avarice (Luke 3:11); to the publicans against extortion (Luke 3:13); to the soldiers about discontent (Luke 3:14). He was no reed when shaken by the wind. He bearded the King as Nathan did David when he said, "Thou art the ma n" (2 Sam. 12:7), and as Moses did Pharaoh; and Paul, Felix. " Th ou art the m a n " is a daring message and usually costs a good deal. Such preaching if told out in love, pleases God if not man. Of what value was the reproof, you say. Herod did not repent. John was shut up in prison and finally lost his life. The value was of faithfulness. He glorified God in doing right. His example has inspired millions of men to like faithfulness. He will be rewarded in eternity (Matt. 5:11-12; 2 Cor. 4:17;-2 Tim. 2:12). THE PRESECUTION OF JOHN. "Put him in prison for Herodias' Sake." The Fury of Herodias. The heart of Herodias was stirred with bitter hatred of John. He had branded her as an adultress. She also feared the influence of John over Herod. For Mark tells us that he knew him to be a holy man and heard his gladly and did many things (Mark 6:20), The Fear of Herod. No doubt John was under conviction and sought to make some amends for his sins, but the influence of the woman with whom he consorted was too much for him and he would have put the prophet to death had he not feared the multitude (Verse 5). Herodias deter- mined upon the death of John. Now she could only accomplish his imprison- ment. He must pay the penalty of his faithfulness with a forfeiture of his freedom. So John was incarcerated in prison at Maehaerus. It was from this prison that John sent disciples to in- quire whether Jesus was the Messiah (Matt. 11:2). THE PROMISE OF HEROD. "To give her whatsoever she should ask." John is in prison, but Herodias is not satisfied. She bides her time: She has determined upon the death of . John and will wait a convenient season. The time comes for all who are determined to sin. A crime is half committed when coneocted. Lust, when it is con- ceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death (Jas. 1:15).
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