RASH PROMISES ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVIL
Matthew 14:6-12 On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, 'Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist.' The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. (NIVUK)
This is a sad narrative. King Herod was trapped by his pride and fear of his wife's anger into agreeing to murder a godly man. The king was married his brother's wife, while his brother was still alive; it was a wilful act of defiance against God's law(Leviticus 20:21). Although Herodias was thrilled to have the power of being the 'queen', John the Baptist said that the relationship was not right before God. The day came when the king had his birthday party. We do not know the age of Herodias' daughter; but she was old enough to dance in a sensuous way and young enough to need her mother's opinion on what to ask her step-father - for he had made a foolish oath to give her anything she wanted.
When she went to Herodias, the 'queen' saw her opportunity to get rid of the godly prophet who had had condemned her marriage as being offensive to God. John the Baptist had been put in prison at least in part to appease Herodias' anger but also so that Herod could still have discussions with him. Perhaps Herod thought that after a while John could be released without too much agitation from his wife. But her hatred was fixed. She would only be satisfied when John was dead.
Herod's birthday party and his boastful promise gave her the opportunity she sought. It was a grotesque request to relay through her daughter. Herod felt he had no way out but to have John killed and his head presented publically to everybody at the party. For Herodias, it was a success because the prophet was dead. The girl was doubtless congratulated by her mother, and Herod felt he had at least kept his promise and proved to be a man of his word. But he was not a man of God's Word. All of them had failed to honour God.
It is better to break a promise than to keep it and break faith with God's Word. Every rash promise is rooted in pride, fear or anger and opens a door to evil. Only promise what you know is right, pleasing to God, achievable and sustainable with His help. Jesus said, "All you need to say is simply "Yes," or "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37). Promises stirred by a rebellious heart will end up hurting everybody. It is good to keep your word if you have promised rightly and wisely. However, if you have spoken wrongly, falsely or wickedly - you need to repent and seek mercy as you break an unwise pledge. And do it soon, before the wickedness rebounds on you and hurts everybody else.
Precursor of Christ in birth and death
As forerunner of our Lord’s birth, preaching and death, the blessed John showed in his struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: Though in the sight of men he suffered torments, his hope is full of immortality. We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful celebration, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering and which he adorned with the crimson splendor of his own blood. We do rightly revere his memory with joyful hearts, for he stamped with the seal of martyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord.
There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.
Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer.
Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ. John was baptized in his own blood, though he had been privileged to baptize the Redeemer of the world, to hear the voice of the Father above him, and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon him. But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.
Since death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of nature, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.
This is a sad narrative. King Herod was trapped by his pride and fear of his wife's anger into agreeing to murder a godly man. The king was married his brother's wife, while his brother was still alive; it was a wilful act of defiance against God's law(Leviticus 20:21). Although Herodias was thrilled to have the power of being the 'queen', John the Baptist said that the relationship was not right before God. The day came when the king had his birthday party. We do not know the age of Herodias' daughter; but she was old enough to dance in a sensuous way and young enough to need her mother's opinion on what to ask her step-father - for he had made a foolish oath to give her anything she wanted.
When she went to Herodias, the 'queen' saw her opportunity to get rid of the godly prophet who had had condemned her marriage as being offensive to God. John the Baptist had been put in prison at least in part to appease Herodias' anger but also so that Herod could still have discussions with him. Perhaps Herod thought that after a while John could be released without too much agitation from his wife. But her hatred was fixed. She would only be satisfied when John was dead.
Herod's birthday party and his boastful promise gave her the opportunity she sought. It was a grotesque request to relay through her daughter. Herod felt he had no way out but to have John killed and his head presented publically to everybody at the party. For Herodias, it was a success because the prophet was dead. The girl was doubtless congratulated by her mother, and Herod felt he had at least kept his promise and proved to be a man of his word. But he was not a man of God's Word. All of them had failed to honour God.
It is better to break a promise than to keep it and break faith with God's Word. Every rash promise is rooted in pride, fear or anger and opens a door to evil. Only promise what you know is right, pleasing to God, achievable and sustainable with His help. Jesus said, "All you need to say is simply "Yes," or "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:37). Promises stirred by a rebellious heart will end up hurting everybody. It is good to keep your word if you have promised rightly and wisely. However, if you have spoken wrongly, falsely or wickedly - you need to repent and seek mercy as you break an unwise pledge. And do it soon, before the wickedness rebounds on you and hurts everybody else.
Second reading
From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable, priestPrecursor of Christ in birth and death
As forerunner of our Lord’s birth, preaching and death, the blessed John showed in his struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: Though in the sight of men he suffered torments, his hope is full of immortality. We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful celebration, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering and which he adorned with the crimson splendor of his own blood. We do rightly revere his memory with joyful hearts, for he stamped with the seal of martyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord.
There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.
Through his birth, preaching and baptizing, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer.
Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ. John was baptized in his own blood, though he had been privileged to baptize the Redeemer of the world, to hear the voice of the Father above him, and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon him. But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.
Since death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of nature, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.
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