"Giving in to Pressure"

by them. Some were actually murdered by their father. Among those who were not was Herod Antipas, the Herod of this passage, and Herod Philip. They were half-brothers. Another half-brother was Aristobulus. Aristobulus had a daughter named Herodias. She married Herod Philip. They, in turn, had a daughter whose name was Salome.

Now comes a storyline that reads like a near-eastern version of Peyton Place. On a visit to Rome, Herod Antipas met his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias. She was a deceitful and ambitious woman who saw in Antipas a way to fulfill her own selfish desires. So he took her away from his brother and they came back to Palestine together. Of course, this sordid affair had already begun. You see, what you have to remember is that Herodias was Aristobulus’ daughter, who was Philip’s half-brother. That made Herodias Philip’s niece. Philip had married his own niece. And now his other half-brother had stolen her away from him."1

And now that brings us to today’s text. John found out that Herod had married his brother’s wife and said, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Herodias wanted to kill John the Baptist, but having been arrested by Herod to keep him safe, she could not attack him. Herod would go to the jail cell to hear John preach. And I imagine that John would tell Herod what a bad fellow he was and his wife was just as bad.

So, Herodias hatched a plan involving her daughter, Salome, to kill John the Baptist. Herodias invited a large group of very powerful men to a banquet.

The men were enjoying themselves with fine food and drink. Then Salome came in to dance. She mesmerized the audience. She danced so well in fact that Herod said, "and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it.”
23* And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.”

Herod was so enamored with Salome he was willing to give her half the kingdom. So Salome runs out to see her mother to ask what should she do. And Herodias knew now she had what she wanted all along. She told her daughter Salome to ask for the head of John the Baptist. As text says: And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.”

So Salome runs back to Herod and says “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

Herod is now confused. He really likes John but how can he go back on his word with all the important men sitting around the table.

The text says: 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.
27* And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.

So Herodias had her revenge. She silenced John the Baptist.

But Herod must have felt guilty about the whole affair, because when he heard about Jesus’ teaching his first reaction was that John had been raised from the dead.

Herod was in a sense a tragic figure. He was boxed into a corner by his own pride. He could not retreat from the promise he made to Salome in front of all those powerful men. He couldn’t retreat so he had to follow through with granting the promise. He was sad, he was guilty, he was ashamed, but he could not back